Lines Crossed - Volume 1 Chapter 45 Don't Play Hero
He stared at me, his eyes searching mine.
But his hand slipped from mine.
“I believe you.”
“I don’t understand why I believe you all I know is that there is too much that centers on you. Too much that makes little sense at all.”
“Like who are you Mina Taylor? And why don’t you exist.”
I fell to the floor and clutched my ankles tightly, rocking back and forth while sobbing.
“He knew, he had found out my dirty secret. The one thing I couldn’t afford for him to know, the one thing I could never explain away.”
“You are an illegal immigrant, right? That’s why you can’t be seen in the hospital under your own name. Or why you can’t get caught hanging around anywhere where an accident has happened. If they call you. They will catch you.”
I paused.
“An illegal immigrant.” I blurted confused before my brain processed this.
“Yes.” he said.
“This is why being near you is bad.”
“Because you are always dragged into my problems.”
“Dangerous problems.” He sucked in a breath his face tight with annoyance his hand reached back and rubbed the nape of his neck.
“Gosh, you saved me once. It should have just ended there. It shouldn’t have continued on like this. I don’t know why you are feeling what you are feeling, but I understand. I feel something too. Like this connection. I dunno if it is because you saved me. Or if it is something more than that.”
“I have never been more sorry in my life. I have put you in danger, physically, and emotionally. And what I am about to say will probably be really rough.”
I looked up at him, placed a hand on the rail and stood up straight before drying my eyes with my fingers, wiping away my panic before facing him straight. Bracing myself for the worst.
‘What he thought was a relief. It was so far from the truth, but it was more than I could have ever asked for. More than I could have hoped. Mark was smart. I should have known he would have found out my lack of records. But concluding I had been smuggled here on my own or with other people. Now that was a route I had never even thought of taking.’
“I don’t see the danger ending.”
I glared at him with suspicious interest.
“Why?” I asked.
“My uncle. I believe you are not safe. I think he will do anything to attack you. And learning that you are a famous author who is also an illegal immigrant, won’t be hard for him to do. Given enough time. Unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Unless you come work for me.” Mark said.
“Wait. What?”
“It is the only way I can keep you safe. The only way I can think of to keep him from being able to get to you. If I want to protect you, to give you the same courtesy you gave me, I need to keep you by my side, where he can’t reach you.”
I scoffed.
“By your side?”
“You mean where you needed my protection? Since you couldn’t even keep yourself safe?”
Mark sighed with exasperation.
“The people near me are safe because they are out in the open. They are unreachable because they have the world’s eyes watching them constantly.”
“That didn’t save you.” I quipped.
“I put myself at risk on purpose Mina. I am trying to draw out the hunter by acting like the prey. I am doing it on purpose. I just didn’t know that every time I leave myself vulnerable you would be too.”
“What?” I snapped loudly, my voice echoing throughout the halls.
‘On purpose, he has been almost dying this many times, on purpose!’
“But why? Why would you be trying to get killed?” I asked, utterly confused.
“Because I know who is trying to kill me. Because I know why they are doing it. But I have no proof. I can’t catch them, and I am grasping at thin threads. Time is speeding up, and everything is staking against me. If I don’t fight back. If I don’t try. Then I will just be sitting on the sidelines as someone purposely destroys my life, and rips away from me the only things in this world I treasure dearly.”
“The only life in danger was always mine. That I can gamble with. I didn’t know that a new life so utterly precious, so kind would come in. Would throw me for a loop. And would save me asking nothing in return.” He said.
Mark stepped forward.
“I know we haven’t known each other very long. But I want to help you. I want to make you feel safer here. I want to help you get an identity. And I want to bring you out in the forefront where I can keep you safe. Where you can be untouchable.”
“It’s the only way I can think to save you.”
“This time was close. Too close, the next time could be even worse.”
“The next time it could be you.”
“Or even the both of us.” I added somberly.
“I just want to save you since you seem so damn determined to get yourself into this mess.” He laughed.
“I have never seen someone so contradicting. Stay away from me I know I am going to stay away from you. Then you throw yourself on top of me today and hurt yourself doing so.” he teased lightly.
I wrinkled my nose frowning.
“You were going to die. Was I just supposed to leave you there then?”
“Tch, the gratefulness I get. I swear.” I scoffed.
He chuckled.
“So what do you say?”
‘A whole new identity, he is willing to get me a fake identity. That could put a lot of problems of a long-term stay here out of the way. While I struggle to find out how to get back home, or even how to make money or anything else while I am here. Staying near him would have its advantages too.’
“I will still give you time to write. In fact, your job would be very minimal and would barely impact your day-to-day livelihood.’
“Okay, deal. On one condition.”
“Sure name it. Honestly, I didn’t think you would agree so easily.”
I side eyed him displeased.
“Sorry I just meant I thought I would have to convince you harder to take my help to save your life.”
“I need to know every time you are about to pull another stunt like today. Where you leave yourself open to dying on purpose.”
I saw him grimace before biting his bottom lip.
“Do you trust me enough to know every time you are leaving yourself at your most vulnerable?” I asked.
“Do you trust me enough to keep you safe?” He quipped back.
“For now.” I responded.
“But what happens when another feeling hits and I can’t stop it.” I asked.
“We will be ready.” He answered.
“I hope you are right. Because I don’t want my dreams littered with more death. I already see enough of it without yours included.” I stated. Then I turned away and headed down the stairs. My shoes clicking on the cold stone.
“Wait where are you going?”
“Home, my friends anywhere as long as it is away from you.” I called back already a flight below.
“Wait why? I thought we came to an agreement.” He said.
I stopped and looked up at him.
“We did, which is why I am going home. I ache all over from rolling all over the ground and you. Now I want to head home and clean up and maybe soak for a year.”
“But I thought you were going to be my new employee?”
“We need to go over some things with me in my office before I can get you the things we talked about.” He said.
I looked up at him exasperated.
“Then send me an email, or text me like a normal human being, like everyone in the world does.”
I started back down the stairs while grumbling.
“Jeez, you have my number, just call me on one of your millionaire phones instead of busting into my dreams, and playing tackle on the pavement. What kinda crazy person are you.”
“Hey, you know I can hear you still right?” His voice carried down. A tinge of annoyance and hurt playing in his tone.
“I know, you were supposed to.” I retorted before ignoring him and clomping down the rest of the enormously long flight of stairs.
‘Honestly, rolling across pavement is something you should never do for anyone. Stop playing hero Mina.”