Page 106 of Ashes

Was that what he was to me now?

“I’m your Seth,” he said thickly. “That isn’t going to change. And you’re my Rinny. Our forever girl. You belong to us.”

And you belong to me. . .

“Always,” he said, resting his forehead against mine. “Now let’s get the fuck out of here, so I can give you a proper rescuing. You ready, Rinny?”

No.

But definitely yes.

I needed to get out of here. I needed to be away from it all so I could breathe. So I could think. So I could. . .

“Live,” he finished. “Good. Because I don’t plan on doing it alone.”

Funny he should say that considering he’d tried to kill me before.

He pulled away and gave me a smile I hadn’t seen in years. My heart raced as I stared at the boy I’d once loved with every ounce of my being.

“Love,” he whispered. “Still love. There is no past tense with us, Rinny.”

No past tense.

So the fates seemed to have decided.

I squeezed his hand.

He’d rescued me. He was inside my head somehow.Just. . .how?

“Magic.” He thumbed my bottom lip. “Now get ready. The evil wizard is coming. Hide if you have to. I’ll find you.”

I let out a shuddering breath.

Hide.

I was good at that.

I receded into the darkness again where I was safe but not alone.

Not now.

“Not ever,” Seth’s soft voice called out to me again.

Not ever.

That offered little comfort.

SIN

“You can’t go into the fucking bathroom and take a damn hour!” I shouted through the door at Cadence, who’d taken up residence in my bathroom. “How the fuck did you even get in here?”

“Why are you so mad, Sinclair?” Cadence yelled back. “I mean, you should be excited there’s a girl this close to your bedroom. I’m sure that’s a new experience for you.”

Oh, this fucking chick. . .

I hammered on the door again. “Hurry the fuck up! I have to take a piss!”

“Then go jump in the shower with Dante. I’m sure he’ll let you piss down his drain!”

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