CHAPTER 3

We lay there on the cold floor, breathing hard, bodies still pressed together.

“I love you, Zane. So much. I don’t ever want to lose you.”

The words broke something open between us. Zane pushed himself up and moved off me. He lay beside me without speaking for a long moment. Then he turned and looked at me. His eyes caught the faint city light and they were shining. He reached out and touched my cheek with his thumb. Then he kissed me. Soft. Slow. Like he was terrified I would vanish if he pressed too hard.

“I know you still do,” he whispered against my lips. “I just needed to feel it. Needed to be sure you hadn’t stopped loving me the way I love you.”

My throat closed up so tight I could barely breathe. “So what do you think?”

He gave a small smile. His teeth showed for a second in the dark. “You get so honest when I’m deep inside you. And I love you too. With every damn part of me.” He kissed me again. This time the kiss turned hungry fast. His hands pulled me on top of him.

We kept kissing, lips desperate, bodies locked together. Then he stopped all of a sudden. He held my face in both hands, eyes searching mine.

“Let’s just get married, Skye. Marry me. Make me the happiest man alive. Please?”

My stomach dropped. I started to slide off him but he caught my hips with gentle hands.

“Please stay.”

I stayed right there on top of him, heart pounding.

His voice came out small and cracked. “Skye… is there something you want me to do first? Anything you’ve asked for that I haven’t done? I’ve been patient through the last four times you said no because I love you more than anything. But now this? Don’t you think it’s too much already?”

I took a deep, shaky breath that hurt my chest. “No, Zane. I don’t want you to do anything else. I just need time. There’s still so much I have to finish. Getting married to you could ruin everything we’ve planned. I can’t risk losing it all—or putting you in danger.”

Zane sat up fast. His face was inches from mine now, eyes full of pain.

“Skye… is this still about your mom?”

I looked down at his chest. I could not meet his eyes.

“So it is,” he said, voice breaking. “You’re really doing this to us because of her? Skye, she’s gone. She died when you were nineteen. You’re twenty-four now. That was five years ago—”

“But her killers are still out there walking free,” I cut in. My voice shook hard and rose. “They didn’t die like my mother. The system did nothing. She was the only parent we had. We never even knew our dad. You know the whole story. Every night I close my eyes and I still see her face. I still hear her voice telling me to be strong. And you think I can just accept it and move on? Never! I can’t sleep knowing they’re laughing somewhere while she’s in the ground.”

I stood up fast and walked to the table. My hands shook as I tried to pull the torn pieces of my dress together. It was ripped all the way down to my belly. I held it closed with one arm and looked around until I spotted my thong on the floor. I snatched it up and tried to put myself back together.

Zane was behind me in a second.

“I’ll wait, Skye.”

His voice sounded completely broken.

I turned around quickly. “You will?”

He nodded, eyes wet. “Yeah. I don’t see myself spending my life with anyone else. So I’ll wait. As long as it takes.”

That was all it took. My legs gave out and I fell straight into his arms. He caught me tight against his chest. I buried my face in his warm skin and the tears came hot and fast, soaking him. My whole body shook with sobs I could not hold back anymore.

His hands rubbed slow circles on my back. He did not say another word. He just held me like he would never let go, like he was willing to carry every bit of my pain if I needed him to.

Later that night I lay in bed, unable to sleep. My mind kept replaying everything that happened with Zane on the rooftop.

The guilt that comes with rejecting him wouldn't let go, but so did the hunger for revenge. I still wanted him. I still wanted all of them. And that scared me more than anything.

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I tossed and turned for ages. Finally I gave up, rolled over, and faced the window. Warm sun rays hit my face. I smiled without thinking and turned to the other side, ready to hide in the pillow again.

Then every instinct in my body screamed.

Someone was right there, hovering over my face.

I shot up, heart slamming, and snatched the lamp stand like a weapon.

Right then Zara burst out laughing and dropped onto the bed beside me.

“My hands are up, Agent Skye!” she said, both arms in the air, face still buried in the mattress.

I tried to stay serious. I really did. But the laugh exploded out of me. I fell back on the bed, lamp still in my hand, laughing so hard my stomach hurt.

Zara lifted her head and looked at me, grinning wide. “I love seeing you this happy.”

I stopped for a second, then flopped backwards. I turned to face her. “You’re the reason. You’ve been the best big sis ever. Since Mom left us, you’ve done everything to keep us together. I really appreciate it.”

“Awww.” Zara grabbed my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I sure do need to thank Zane. He’s been working overtime to keep you in one piece for me.”

The moment she said his name my cheeks burned. I started blushing like an idiot. Then the memory hit me and my face changed. I narrowed my eyes at her. “You!”

“Me what?” she asked, all innocent.

“Oh don’t act like you don’t know. You and Red played me!”

Zara started sliding off the bed real slow, trying to look casual. “What are you talking about, Skye? By the way, who’s Red?”

She was already backing toward the door.

I jumped up too. Before I could even stand straight, she darted out and grabbed the knob from the outside.

“Zara, open the door!” I yelled, laughing.

From the other side she screamed back, laughing even harder. “Tell me it wasn’t fun last night! Tell me you didn’t enjoy our little prank, you naughty girl. You think I didn’t see you two sneaking in with that ripped dress?”

“Shut up! I don’t know what you’re talking about. Let go of my door!”

“Nope! You’re staying in there until I leave for work.”

The lock clicked.

I gasped. “Zara! Did you just lock me in?”

“I love you too, Skye. Off to work. Zane’s been calling nonstop. He said there’s some kind of emergency at the hospital.”

While she was still talking my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I grabbed it fast. It was Brad, my work partner. I answered without thinking.

“Talk to me, Agent Brad.”

Brad copied me right away. “Talk to me, Brad. Will you get your ass down here? You’re late and the boss is losing his mind!”

“Why?” I asked.

“Why?” he repeated. “Are you serious right now, Skye? What lead do we have on Miss Lin’s murder case?!”

It all slammed into me at once.

“Shit. Shit. Shit!”

“Yeah, shit your ass up and get down here right now!” Brad snapped and hung up.

Zara’s voice came through the door. “Everything okay in there?”

“Yeah… it’s just work,” I said.

“Okay, see you later.”

Her footsteps moved away. I raced straight to the bathroom, heart pounding for a whole new reason.