I hurry toward the terrace doors. The cool night air does nothing to calm the violent pounding of my heart.
I inhale deeply.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
My heartbeat refuses to slow down.
My hands are shaking.
What am I doing?
This isn’t supposed to be real.
It isn’t supposed to matter.
It’s just an arrangement. A fake relationship to outmaneuver Maggie and win back our freedom.
Except somewhere between late-night emergency calls, whispered confessions, and catastrophes caused by psychotic sheep, it became something else.
Something real.
Something dangerous.
The terrace door opens behind me.
“Mary…”
I turn around.
Finn stands in the doorway, the warm light from the drawing room behind him creating a golden halo around his silhouette.
He looks lost.
Vulnerable.
Exactly like me.
Finn steps outside and closes the door behind him. We’re alone on the terrace.
He walks toward me, and all I can do is stare at him.
He’s beautiful.
He’s kind.
And he listens to me.
“What are we doing, Finn?” I ask, my voice shaking more than I want it to.
He opens his mouth.
Closes it again.
Searches for the right words.
