Page 179 of The Wishing Game

"I know that you're a beautiful woman, Luce. I know that you're the most goddamn amazing woman I've ever met. And I doubt I'm the only one who thinks this," he bites out. "Everywhere you go people stare at you, and I know what they're thinking. I canseewhat they're thinking. Don't be so naive."

"What do you mean?" I ask in a small voice.

I forgot about this side of him, and I instantly regret bringing up Ze. I should have known better than to mention another man to him, but I felt the need to share my pain with someone. Nikki's always been insanely jealous. It was a blessing that we rarely went out because he'd snap whenever another man even glanced at me. The few times we went on vacation, we'd inevitably end up spending most of the time at the hotel because he had a tendency to start fights with whoever looked at me for more than five seconds.

"What do you think goes through a man's mind when he sees you smile?"

I open my mouth to answer, but he brings his ghostly finger against my lips, shushing me.

"They think exactly whatIthink," he states emphatically, angling his shadowy body toward me. Warmth radiates from him, seeping into my body as he traces the seam of my lips, dipping the tip of his finger inside.

My breath hitches.

"And all I can think of is how hard and fast I'd fuck your mouth. How sweet you'd smile with your lips stained with?—"

"Stop," I whisper, heat traveling up my cheeks. My heart beats fast in my chest, goose bumps spreading all over my skin.

"You're adorable." He chuckles, caressing my cheek. "But you're so woefully naive, Luce. Men aren't nice to you in exchange for nothing."

"Ze's not like that," I protest weakly.

"He's a man, Luce, is he not?"

I swallow, averting my gaze.

"We should talk about something else. We have such little time together, I don't want to waste it talking about someone else," I propose, not liking where this conversation is going.

Silence stretches between us for a few moments before he nods.

I slide closer to him, tentatively wrapping my arms around him and laying my head on his chest.

"You have to be careful, Luce. I might not like it, but I'd rather you stayed with your team. It's too dangerous on your own."

"Oh, Nikki..." I sigh. "I don't know."

"Think on it, okay? For my peace of mind."

"Okay," I agree.

We both lie down on the grass, our bodies wrapped around one another as we simply hold each other. It might have been odd in the beginning that I'm talking and touching a dark shadow. But now it's second nature. It just feels like home.

Time passes awfully fast as I tell him everything that's happened since we last spoke, and he assures me he'll do his best to come to me whenever he feels at his best.

"This state... It's unpredictable. I can never tell when I'll have enough strength to show myself to you, let alone touch you like this," he murmurs, his voice full of wonder. "And depending on where the next trial will be, I might not be able to see you at all."

I tighten my hold around him, blinking back tears.

"I will win this," I tell him vehemently.

He doesn't comment about the dangers or my abilities anymore. He simply hugs me, whispering how much he loves me. Yet all too soon, his strength fades.

It starts with the flicker of his shadow, and soon, he becomes transparent.

"I'll be back," he whispers right before he disappears.

After he's gone, I lie there for minutes on end, thinking about our discussion and my next steps. As it gets dark out, I finally get up and head back to the suite.

When I open the door, I find the three of them still where I left them, the tension palpable in the room. Their stances are also telling. Ze is by the window, his hands at his back and a bored expression on his face. Cer and Thea are in the middle of the room, arguing. Or rather, Thea is chastising Cer while he pretends to listen to what she's saying.

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