Page 119 of When Hearts Ignite

The silence stretches into seconds, into minutes, his body tensing, muscles clenched, his frame so still, he would’ve blended into the background if I weren’t sitting next to him and feeling his warmth against my body.

After what could’ve been ten or fifteen minutes of silence, he releases a loud exhale. A long, tortured sigh.

Slowly, he turns to me, his soulful eyes staring into mine. His hand trembles as he cradles my face once more. “Can I be selfish for one more time? Will you forgive me later? I promise you, I’ll tell you everything.”

My heart riots inside me, and my breathing quickens. Of course I’d forgive him. I’d forgive him for anything. It’s a hopeless cause. I could never stay mad at him.

At my silence, he continues, “I’d like to cash in one of my days. Can I?” His thumb touches my lips, as if testing the texture. “One last day.”

My mind flits back to our bet, which feels like a long time ago. The karaoke bet between a cold king of the realm and the intern who didn’t know her place, two people who had no business being together and yet somehow found themselves mired in the same web, drinking the same poison, falling in love.

Intoxicating, desperate love.

My eyes mist, a heaviness sits atop of my chest, as I process his last words, “one last day.”

It seems final. Like no matter what I say or do, I’d never be able to change his mind. The spark of anger begins in my gut, threatens to travel up to my chest.

How dare he decide for me?

His eyes falter, as if he knows what I’m thinking. “You’ll understand after I tell you.” He swallows, “B-But before then, can you give me one last day?”

I take a deep breath and quash the flames inside me. I’ll convince him later once he tells me everything. I’ll be the lifeboat in his turbulent seas, the calm within the madness.

But if somehow this all collapses later, I want this one last day with him.

I nod, my heart splintering, a lump forming in my throat. “You can have all my days.”

Steven chokes and shudders, and he leans forward, pressing his forehead against mine. “Don’t hate me afterward, Grace. I wouldn’t be able to bear it.”

I throw my arms around his shoulders and cling tightly.

I’ll never be able to hate him.

He has my whole heart—all the broken pieces, all the raised scars and bloody seams. He has it all. If it were to be crushed, I wanted him to be the one to do it, because I knew, when this ended, I’d never open myself up to anyone again.

I’m not my mom. I’m not that brave. I recognize the love we have is once in a lifetime, and something I’ll never, ever be able to recreate. The pain is too great, the cost is too high, and this is the end of the road for me.

I’m going to fight like hell to protect us.

Wordlessly, he stands up, takes my hand, and pulls me upright. Ryland appears by our side and Steven tells him, “I’m fine. Go home. I’m calling a car.”

“You sure?” Ryland’s gaze skims to my face before returning to his. “Did you tell her?”

Steven shakes his head. “But I will.”

Ryland clasps his hand on Steven’s shoulder and wraps him in a one arm hug. He murmurs something in his ear before stepping back. With a terse nod, he strides away, leaving Steven and me in the darkness of the garden.

A few minutes later, Steven and I are in a black town car. The ride is quiet, a somber atmosphere cloaking us in silence. His hand clutches mine, his fingers gripping me in a firm clasp, as if he’s afraid I’d pull away and bolt out the door.

He keeps his face turned toward the window, but I know he’s not watching the city lights and cars blurring around us.

Steven is an intelligent man, someone who deals with chaos with ease. For him to be rendered into this shell of his former self, I know it isn’t just because his father is in the hospital. It’s something more. Something horrible. Devastating. Something he doesn’t see us recovering from.

A lump lodges in my throat as my pulse riots in my ears.

I’m terrified.

Part of me doesn’t want to know what has rendered the strong, formidable king into the drunken person next to me.

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