Page 69 of A Simple Truth

My heart burned like a dry twig in the wildfire, completely overtaken, while our interlaced hands slowly sunk into the soft, red sand.Myhand inhers.

It was always going to be her.

I could already imagine Zora sneering her annoying, “I told you so.” And maybe it was a bit foolish of me to think that I could ever resist or deny something that was engraved in every cell in my body, in every drop of my blood.

Her.

I wanted her.

The feeling was so fucking overwhelming, I had to remind myself to breathe.

We laid alongside each other in silence, watching the earth move through the magnificent, star-speckled sky, my thumb running lazy circles against her still hand. And in the serenity of dust and stars, my mind was succumbing into the complete and utter defeat against my dark and selfish heart.

I wanted her completely. Her heart, her soul, her body. I cravedallof her.

Nobody else but her. All of her for me.

Only mine.

Something primal awoke within me; a feeling darker than night itself slithered inside.

Because I was glad.

I was glad her fiancé was dead.

I would gladly burn them all—the good and the bad—if it meant I could keep her by my side.

Gods, the world itself was doomed.

I was waging a bloody war and yet, the only thing that actually mattered to me was her. Her gaze, her touch, her words, her feel.

There was only ever her wish, her desire, her pleasure.

Her. Her. Her,my soul chanted.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get this red sand out my hair.” Finnleah’s soft voice pulled my thoughts out of the obscure shadows. I turned, tucking a few hairs behind her ear, my soul purring at the sight of her body leaning into the touch. Though, my eyes didn’t miss the hint of the meddling hesitation behind her gaze.

Hesitation I didn’t like.

But I would be patient, forher.

I might not have been her first love, but I would be her last. Even if it took me a damn eternity to conquer her heart.

“You could pull it off as a redhead.” I smiled at her, flicking her nose.

“The question is couldyoupull off a redhead, General?” she scoffed, smiling.

“Redhead? Easily....” I replied, taunting her, the little twinkle in her eyes at my words intoxicating me. “Turns out, it’s the blondes that are more difficult,” I drew out, trying not to imagine her ashy blonde locks wrapped tight around my fingers…

She masterfully ignored my bait.

Clever girl.

“I’m really not looking forward to hiking up the sand dunes back to the camp.” She twisted her neck, staring up at the tall, sandy hill behind us.

“Yeah, we should’ve thought about that.” My chest shook with a lighthearted chuckle, though a part of me contemplated if we even had to leave in the first place.

“Well, we better go.” She yawned, sitting up, her fingers slipping out of mine.

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