Page 54 of Cold Hard Truth

“Superstitious?”

“No.”

“Scared I’ll figure out your secrets?”

“No secrets to uncover if you know how to properly bury a body.”

His statement sends a shiver up my spine. And not because of what he said, but how he said it. How he’s changed. How I remember him spilling blood for me, and I have no doubt that bloomed this chaotic energy I sense spilling out of him.

It should scare me, but it doesn’t.

Why can I never seem to resist trouble?

“Fine, have it your way.” I start pushing the cards into one pile.

“Why do you care? My fate is irrelevant. Shouldn’t you be more worried about your own right now?”

If only he knew. “No point when I already know mine.”

“How’s that?” he asks, sounding genuinely curious.

“I saw the future.”

“Again?” He smirks, looking at me like he thinks I’m ridiculous, just like he did the first time I told him that.

“Yes,again.”

“And what did it tell you? Seeing as it was so on point the last time.”

He’s probably referring to the fact that I told him we were destined to be together, and then I ran away for eight years.

“Just because things didn’t happen the way you might have expected doesn’t mean the cards lied.”

He shakes his head, not believing me.

“You wouldn’t get it.”

“Try me.” He tilts his head, watching me shuffle the cards around. “What did the cards tell you this time?”

“For your information…” I roll my shoulders back. “They told me how I’m going to die.”

Sage’s jaw clenches. “And how’s that?”

I push the cards in one neat stack then place my elbows on the table on either side of them. Lacing my fingers together, I rest my chin on my knuckles.

“By falling in love.”

Sage smirks. “You’re kidding.”

I know it sounds insane, but I’ve seen the proof. And unlike Sage, I trust the cards.

“Wish I was.” I rest my hand over them. “Don’t worry. I learned my lesson. I’m smarter now than I was back then.And as you pointed out,things have changed. I’ll never fall in love.”

“Ever?”

“Ever.” No matter what kind of flutters I get in my chest. No matter how good the temptation is. I’ve only been close once, and the man sitting in front of me is proof that it only goes bad.

“Whatever you say, Lyla.” Amusement brightens Sage’s face. “Enjoy being immortal then.”

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