Page 127 of Stone Temptation

“Wish I had the answers, Luke. Did you have another vision?”

“Yes. Nothing new.”

“Part of the threat, if you’re seeing the future. I don’t get it. I really don’t pissing get it.”

I wanted to rewind to Saturday morning at the old man’s bookshop. I’d take that over any of this. At least I still served Finn’s salvation, getting on with the job, fighting to get my life back on track.

Leaving the lighthouse for too long took me away from my goal.

“Why me?” I whined, not meaning to sound so pathetic.

Violence tainted my home. Violence and death and the outside world. And now I had to leave it behind.

Asher moved around the bed. “Talk to me.”

“This isn’t how things are supposed to be.”

His arm found my waist again. “I know. I’m sorry.”

He was the exception, a pleasant addition to this chaos.

“But this might lead to the end,” he added. “The threat could be over before the weekend. You never know.”

I had no words for him, my limbs becoming stone as anguish worked like cement.

“Luke?”

Fly me away. Fly us away. Go on. Take us into the sunset, never speaking of this town or anything else ever again. Sever all ties, burn it all down. Start a new life.

“Luke?”

Thinking like that didn’t get anything done. Thinking like that made me hurt. Made me waver. I’d been doing too much of both since Seth dragged me to London.

Seth. He started this. He?—

No! Never give up.

Never. Give. Up.

I slammed my boxers into the bag. “I’m fine.”’

“You don’t sound fine.”

“I don’t want to talk.” I sounded a little too bitter, so I angled my head to offer him a smile. A weak one he’d probably see right through.

“Cool. Here if you need me.” He released me, moving back to the door. “I’ll get my stuff together.”

Why did I feel like I’d just punched him in the heart?

TWENTY-NINE

Asher

Iwas too touchy-feely with Luke.

Why did I have to keep putting an arm around him, stroke him, all that shit?

I’d rein it in. Be there for him by still offering hugs, but with more respect for his personal space.

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