Page 118 of Cinder

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I’m desperate to increase my pace.

My body begs for it.

But I force myself to control it.

Because this isn’t about the end game. This is about right now. What is happening between us. Something more than the crash of ecstasy ripping through us.

My breathing quickens.

So does his.

And when we both unravel, we unravel together in a moment of intense emotion.

Pain and heartbreak collide with pleasure.

I know this is probably goodbye.

I won’t be able to come back after tonight because I’ve fallen in love with him.

And that puts him in danger.

I need to put him in the past to keep him safe and go do what I need to do.

Which is to kill Luca.

Tomorrow I will visit the mansion and either leave a king slayer or die trying.

I collapse against Lars and sink into the warmth of his chest, finding peace in the rapid beating of his heart against my cheek.

It’s done.

We are done.

And it’s time for me to go.

But I don’t want to leave the comfort and safety of Lars’s embrace.

I slide off him and he secures his big arms around me.

Just a few more minutes.

My eyelids grow heavy, and I give in to the pull of sleep. It pulls me under its soft waves, and in Lars’s arms I fall into adeep and content sleep.

My eyesflick open in panic, and they dart to the clock on the nightstand. Glowing green letters tell me I well and truly missed my curfew.

No, no, no, no.

Beside me, Lars is deep asleep.

I can’t wake him because he’ll want to know why I’m leaving in the middle of the night.

And why I am so panicked.

Fear burns in my chest when I think about walking out the door, not knowing what awaits me, but knowing this is the last time I will see Lars.

If it wasn’t for Lucretia, I would have told him everything.

Maybe I should’ve anyway.

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