Page 6

Shatter Me

The masked guide stopped short, saying that was as far as he could go. I had to continue the rest of the way alone.

The striped tent was sturdy, made of thick vinyl, and an actual door stood at its entrance.

I checked the symbol on my card against the one on the threshold, then raised my hand to knock. Before my knuckles could connect, the door swung open.

I stopped short. Thorne’s shoulders filled my view, and my eyes traveled down the hard lines of his chest and stomach to the low waistband of his black pants. A faint trail of hair vanished beneath it. I followed it before I could stop myself. My nipples tightened beneath my dress, and a hot ache gathered between my thighs. For one reckless second, I wanted to slip my fingers beneath his waistband and pull him closer.

I was still staring when an amused voice cut into my thoughts.

“You’re finally here.”

My gaze snapped up, my cheeks flaming. He’d caught me staring. But come on. How was I supposed to be prepared for Thorne shirtless?

He grinned down at me. His hair was parted straight down the middle, dyed white on one side and black on the other. The eye beneath the white half was a pale blue, almost silver. His other eye was so dark it looked black.

All the thoughts that should have crowded my mind were gone. Only his words played on repeat. You’re finally here.

His smile grew wider when I still hadn’t said anything. “Come in. I don’t bite.”

Tingles ran along my arms. I stepped forward, careful not to let my arm brush against him as I entered the tent, only to stop dead when countless reflections stared back at me. Mirrors filled the space, turning it into a carnival fun house.

They stood at every angle, giving me plenty of opportunities to see everything. The fabric of my dress clung to my stomach, highlighting the places I was most insecure about. My hands went to my sides, tugging at the skirt in an attempt to flatten the fabric.

No matter how many times I tried, it continued to cling to the folds of my stomach. I wasn’t typically self-conscious. After all, my priority was to remain invisible to everyone else. As long as I didn’t stand out, my appearance didn’t really matter to me. But faced with all my imperfections, I wanted to hide.

Hot hands engulfed mine, pinning them in place.

My gaze snapped back to the mirror. Thorne loomed behind me. A raven tattoo sleeve covered one arm and continued up the side of his neck, and all those useless thoughts washed away at the pure hunger in his lowered gaze.

The sudden urge to run overwhelmed me. I tried to pull his hands off mine, but he held firm. The unexpected relief that he hadn’t let me go surprised me.

Thorne spun me in his arms so that I faced him. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Why? A desperate need to know the answer took over. The question I’d been holding back since he’d spoken escaped me. “This is all about the game, right?”

Why did I want him to deny it so badly?

“Gwen.” He sighed, dropping his head for a moment before taking a deep breath. His sly smile returned. “Do you have your card?”

Ignoring the disappointment that threatened to settle in, I remembered the card. It was now a nearly unrecognizable ball in my fist.

I quickly hid it behind my back, and he let out a low chuckle.

“Fuck, you’re adorable.”

I scoffed. “There’s nothing adorable about me.”

He took a second to look me over, his eyes darkening. “You’re right. You’re so much more than adorable.”

My breath caught at the honesty in his voice. But it still didn’t make sense. He was one of the Regents, revered by all. Everyone wanted to either be him or be with him. Hell, they’d settle just to be near him. Me being here, them participating for the first time, me being the only one to go inside their tent… None of it made sense. Of all the people who wanted to be close to them, why was I the one standing here?

“I can practically see the wheels turning in your head. Just ask me,” he said with unexpected sincerity, concern carved between his brows. “I won’t hide anything from you.”

“Is it true that you haven’t participated in these events before?”

“Yes,” he responded simply, not trying to hide it.