Page 121 of Stone Cold Touch

I focused on the ceiling. I couldn’t tell him without revealing what went on under the Palisades and I had made a promise.

Zayne sighed. “I thought we weren’t keeping secrets anymore.”

“I know. But if I told you this, you would have to tell your father and...well, what would happen would be my fault. Any blood would be on my hands.”

“You think I tell him everything?”

The irritation in his voice drew my attention. “No, but I think there are some things you would want to tell him, and I’m not putting you in that position.”

He rolled onto his back, the muscle in his jaw working. His fingers remained around my wrist, though. A few minutes passed. “I know what’s going on in your head. You’re comparing yourself to the Lilin.”

I was, but it was more than that.

“You’re not like that.” He turned his head toward me, meeting my gaze. “Not a single part of you is.”

Man, it would be nice to drink the Zayne Kool-Aid, but when I closed my eyes, all I saw was Vanessa Owens’s face and it kept switching out with Dean’s. What if...? I couldn’t even allow myself to finish that thought, to let the idea take root and gain ground.

He stretched out his arm, beckoning me. “Closer?”

I bit down on my lip and then I wiggled closer, resting my head on his chest. His heart was a steady beat under my cheek. His arm came around my waist, securing me to his side.

So many thoughts whirled through my head, and I latched on to one of them—a theory that I needed to look into. “Remember when we were talking about the wraiths with Abbot?” When he nodded, I took a deep breath. “I wasn’t kidding around when I said the same feeling I had at school was what I felt here before those windows blew and Maddox took a swan dive. And I...” God, this was hard. “The night with Petr, I had—”

“You had to defend yourself,” he cut in quietly, his hand tightening along my waist. “I know what you did, Layla. You don’t have to say it.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. “He could be here, you know? He could be a wraith.”

A moment passed. “I thought of that, but with a house full of Wardens, you’d think we’d have caught on to that by this point.”

That could be true, but crazier things had happened. “I’m sorry today was ruined,” I said, deciding I really didn’t want to think about Petr while I was here with Zayne.

“It’s not your fault, so don’t apologize.”

I wanted to apologize again and keep apologizing, like I was going to turn into one of those people who constantly said they were sorry, but the feel of him cleared away some of the unpleasant thoughts.

Zayne lowered his chin and swept his lips across my forehead. My heart jumped at the tender contact, and I knew in that moment I couldn’t put him in danger. No matter what he said, what he wanted to believe, we couldn’t ignore reality.

I stared at the wall, feeling the soothing rise and fall of his chest in every cell in my body. A cold acknowledgment frosted up my insides. If what that man had said was true, then what the Lilin did and what I did were one and the same. We both destroyed lives and all it would take, for me at least, would be one slip up with Zayne. Just a tiny moment and he’d be in danger.

I couldn’t do that to him. I wouldn’t.

Even if that meant staying far, far away from him.

28

“You look like a ninja,” Danika said. “Not a particularly skilled ninja, but like an after-school-special ninja.”

I looked over my shoulder at where she sat on my bed. I honestly did not remember inviting her into my room. “Thanks. A lot.”

She giggled. “I’m kidding. You look hot, though.”

“I’m not trying to.” I turned back to slipping my flats on. I got the ninja thing, though. I was wearing black yoga pants and a black thermal. I probably also looked like a ghost. All black did not do good things for my complexion.

“You never try to.” She rose behind me. “That’s why you’re sexy.”

Twisting around to face her, I had to think that hearing her say I was sexy was bizarre. Danika’s looks and body rivaled that of the models in the Victoria’s Secret campaigns. Humans and Wardens across the world would fall at her feet given a chance.

“Your skin looks a lot better,” she said as the silence stretched out between us.

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