Page 59 of Emylia

Taking a deep breath, I turned so I was facing him fully. My hands found his, taking hold of them, the walls to my heart completely crumbled to ash. “Emylia.”

Confusion flashed through his eyes for only the briefest second before they widened.

“My name is Emylia.”

The surprise on his face softened to delight. “It’s nice to meet you,Emylia.” Before I could take a step, he lightly squeezed my hands. “Can I tell you a secret, Emylia?”

My heart jumped a little at my name on his lips. “Okay.”

A single brow rose, and I knew what he said next would either make me laugh or piss me off.

“I already knew your name, I just wanted to hear it from your own lips.”

Heart squeezing inevitably, I willed myself to keep breathing. “Is that so?”

Maalikai took another step forward, stealing my breath. “Mmm hmm.”

Fuck me.

The way he said that with an irresistible growl, was beyond me.

Against my better judgment, I held my ground. We were so close I could taste his breath as it mingled with mine. “CanIsay something?”

Casually playing with a lock of my hair, he twisted it lazily through his fingers. “Shoot.”

A deep breath stilled in my chest, closing my eyes, I pushed through the trepidation. “Thank you.”

The shock in his eyes was visible. In an instant, his hand stilled, my seemingly forgotten hair, falling back to my cheek. “For what?”

Air stilled in my lungs. My mouth became desiccated, my tongue caged. Just for this single moment in time, I needed to be more.

I needed to be brave and tell him what I was actually thinking.

“Thank you, for taking me on this adventure.”

His eyes collided with mine–quiet, fierce–and in that moment, I knew: this wasn’t the end.

It was only the beginning.

ChapterFourteen

As we approached the center of town, magnificent aromas swirled around me and for one beautiful second, I was happy. Happier than I’d ever been before.

I may not have my father with me tonight, but I didn’t feel alone. Maalikai was here and somehow, he had broken through my walls. And everything felt so perfectly right.

At least until I saw Sebastian’s face. Then my whole world came crashing down.

Sebastian’s eyes were locked on my hand, the one still holding Maalikai’s. Shadows darkened his complexion, his lips flattening into a small, thin line.

As though he felt my eyes upon him, his gaze drifted up, catching mine. He gave me a small, sad smile that felt so crushing it was almost as if all the air had been sucked from my lungs.

Instantly, I saw the betrayal in his eyes. Sebastian and I had always been inseparable, yet here I stood, completely unconcerned that he’d spent the entire afternoon waiting for me, while I was with someone I barely knew.

And that was without addressing the unspoken thing between us. Instantly, I pulled my hand from Maalikai’s, as though his touch had scolded my skin.

“I’ve gotta go.”

I tried to leave before Maalikai had a chance to stop me, however, he was too fast, already blocking my way. When I tried to sidestep him, he intercepted my every move.

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