Throwing it at the burning wall, the flames hissed and spat as liquid splashed everything—including me.
Only once the sizzle had ceased did Lucien lower the bowl and glance at the pacemaker still embedded in his heart. “I kissed you to test if it was truly broken...” His chin tipped up, his eyes tight with questions. “I thought my burning came from that.” His hand rose to claw at the device. “I thought all my pain originated from this fucking thing but...” He looked at the dripping wall. “What if it wasn’t?”
A migraine shoved sharp daggers in my skull.
I wanted to help him.
To think about this logically.
There had to be a realistic answer for what’d just happened.
Perhaps one of the sockets caught fire? Maybe there was some exposed wiring? Therehadto be an explanation, but the longer we stood there, the more reluctant we were to speak.
My migraine grew worse the longer Lucien glowered as if all of this wasmyfault. With a groan, he backed up, dropped the bowl onto the couch, and raked both hands through his glossy black hair.
He looked on the verge of breaking.
He shook his head in denial.
His gaze landed on the fire-damaged wall again. “I...I need a shower.”
He fled.
Chapter Sixteen
THE BATHROOM DOOR SLAMMED BEHIND HIM.
A second later, the shower roared to life.
A tremor worked through me as I wrapped my arms around myself.
I couldn’t stop staring at the wall.
At the burned strip of wallpaper that’d turned into a physical scar. A wound that couldn’t be hidden—a blaringly obvious sign that Lucien had—
Hecan’thave.
It has to be a socket or wire.
It has to be.
Gritting my teeth, I staggered forward and ran my fingers over the still dripping, now very sooty wall. I searched for a malfunctioning electrical unit. I looked behind the luggage bench. I ducked to check the skirting boards. And...nothing. No light switches, no sockets, no hints that this was exactly what it looked like:Lucien Ashfall burned so hot while kissing me, he made the wall catch fire.
Oh God.
My heart tried to take a running leap out of my chest.
Don’t be ridiculous.
He was human. He was as real as me. Just because I couldn’t see a logical explanation, didn’t mean one didn’t exist.
And if there isn’t one?
Another full-body tremble had me shaking in panic.
He’s always been different.
Always beenmore.
