He shook his head, a few renegade droplets sliding down the locks of salt and pepper hair. His forearms were wide and powerful as he moved to cup my cheek. “It’s too late for that.”
“It’s never too late for the truth.”
Bowing his head, he pressed his forehead against mine. “You’re right. It’s never too late for the truth.”
The way he said it sent my soul scattering for the nearest exit.What is he hiding from me?“If you say I belong to you, then, by rights, your secrets belong to me. They’d be safe with me.”
He sucked in a breath, his eyes trained on my lips. “I know what you’re asking.”
“What am I asking?”
He smiled sadly. “You want to know why I am the way I am. You want to know where I disappear to when I need space and you want to know how to use my weakness for you against my family.”
Yes. I also want to understand why I feel this way. Why, when faced with thegraves of my ancestors, do I so quickly forget and seek what I cannot find?
His fingers tightened against my cheek, holding me steadfast. His head tilted, bringing his lips within a feather-frond distance from mine.
My mouth tingled, sparking for contact. The anticipation raised my blood until I needed a cold shower instead of hot.
“Pity for you, I plan on keeping my secrets.” His minty breath washed over me, grabbing me by the soul and tearing me into smithereens.
“Why? What’s so terrible that you have to hide who you truly are?”
He swallowed, closing the final distance between us and pressing me against the wall. “Quiet.”
I gasped as his lips suddenly sealed over mine.
The moment we touched, everything ignited.
The rage I’d nursed waned. My loathing and bitterness abandoned me. Even the images of epitaphs and graves couldn’t stop me from betraying my family.
I wanted to drop my walls and bare everything. I wanted to forget about the past month, and pretend he was a simple boy with a simple offer. I wanted to believe he would save me and not ultimately kill me.
He groaned as I threw myself into the kiss, moulding my body along his.
I was already in hell. I couldn’t fall any further. Might as well give up, give in, and just admit defeat.
Every dark facet of who I was, every spark and knowledge that made me human, wanted to be seen and understood. I wanted him to see me as his—not because I was a pawn in a game I didn’t understand—but because I was a woman who he couldn’t live without.
His delicious form pinned me harder against the tiles. His tongue broke the seal of my lips, diving in as if he had perfect right to be there.
And he does.
Over everyone, my body had chosen him.
Just your body?
I couldn’t admit my soul might’ve chosen him, too.
Despite everything, I couldn’t win against the truth.
As our tongues danced, my mind skittered from the present to a memory I never knew was there.
“Nila, this is Jethro.”
I blinked through my bangs at the tall skinny boy who looked so dapper in a three-piece suit. I found his attire perfect for the beautiful teagarden I sat in with mynanny. She’d told me to dress up in my favourite ensemble—a white four-tiered dress with pink bows and ribbons—and she would take me for my seventh birthday to lunch.
The only stipulation was no one must know. Not even my twin.
