Page 106 of Heart of Thorns

My heart races as soon as he heads over to me.

I do my best to play it cool when he leans over the fence to bring me closer. His long arms reach me easily, and his hands fall to my waist.

His lips are soft against my cheek. “Thank you for coming.”

“Gotta keep up our charade,” I say cooly.

Why does this hurt so much?

He pulls back, and although his face is smooth without any expression, I can see the concern. “You didn’t come to our training session.”

“You told me I was a distraction. What did you expect?”

Thankfully, it’s so loud with the roaring crowd that no one can really hear us. This time, he doesn’t hide his unease.

“Kiss me and go.” I’m desperate to put space between us and I’m even more desperate to leave.

Any minute now, my potential killer could walk out of the locker room, freshly showered and ready to burn me alive again. And this relationship is fake. After Thorne’s dismissal of me the other day, I have no problems keeping that in the forefront of my brain.

His jaw flexes.

He glances at my mouth, and I hate myself for craving him.

I reach up on my tiptoes, ignoring the radiating pain from my hip down to my foot, and let him kiss me.

It’s a light kiss but it lasts far too long, like he didn’t want it to end.

I’m the one to break us apart.

“I’ll see you later,” I say, trying my best to keep my voice neutral.

He nods and turns.

I do the same.

Only Iwon’tsee him later.

CHAPTER 34

THORNE

I followour kicker down the hall. For the past two days, he’s been acting a bit off. He missed a field goal at the game last night—an oddity in and of itself—but he also hasn’t been as engaged in the locker room. I’ve been watching him, and he just seems checked out.

His hands were wrapped, too, which seems out of character.

Did he burn them starting the fire?

“Hey!” I call. “Jack!”

He stops and turns. He plucks earbuds out and raises an eyebrow. “Sorry, Thorne. I was jammin’.”

“What are you listening to?”

“Paul McCartney.” He holds up his hand. “Don’t start to give me shit.”

“I won’t. Just wanted to say that you did a good job today.”

“He scowls. “Yeah, right. I’ve been missing some easy thirty-yarders lately.”

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