Page 7 of Forged in Flames (Made of Steel 2)

I couldn't breathe. I took a step back from the desk and hit the chair that I had been sitting in. It squeaked against the linoleum floor.

Detective Lewis looked a little more sympathetic. "Call me if you can remember anything, alright?" He handed me his card. "And get some sleep. I'm sure you'll feel better by tomorrow."

I had lost my mind. It felt like I was dreaming as I turned away from the detective. Summer Brooks was dead. In my heart, I already knew that. A part of me died when my parents' car crashed. Another piece of me died when my grandmother had a heart attack. But I took my last breath the first time Don had touched me.

But that wasn't in 2009. And it wasn't because of carbon monoxide poisoning. I stepped out onto the busy city streets. There were people everywhere. I felt claustrophobic. I needed to be alone. I needed to figure out what was real.

Again, I found myself wanting to call the vigilante. I shook my head. Don was trying to kill him. I couldn't risk leading Don right to him. Besides, I didn't know if I could trust him. How could I trust a man who was hiding behind a mask? He couldn't give me any answers.

I glanced behind me as I walked down the sidewalk. I could feel someone watching me. I could feel my sanity slipping away.

Chapter 4

Friday

I clenched my hand in a fist as I stared at the door. I didn't know what else to do. It really felt like I was losing my mind. He was the only one who could tell me what was real. I looked over my shoulder once more. Would being here really make things any worse? Joan already knew he was my friend. I had already put him in harm's way.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I knocked on the door.

Miles opened the door at the same time he was pulling his shirt on. I saw a quick glimpse of his abs. He was just wearing boxers and a t-shirt. No, he definitely wasn't the same boy I used to know. There was nothing at all boyish about him now.

"Hey, Sadie." He looked surprised to see me. "I was looking for you today..."

"Can I come in?" I walked past him before he had a chance to answer. His sheets and comforter were pushed back. I had clearly just disrupted his sleep. I knew I was fidgeting. I knew how crazy I looked. How could I explain why I was here without him thinking I was presumptuous? God. I turned back around to face him. He looked truly exhausted. What was I doing here? I couldn't keep harassing him like this. "I'm sorry, I woke you. I should just come back in the morning." I tried to step back around him, but he put his hand on my arm.

"It's okay. You can stay."

I swallowed hard. He had invited me in the other night. If I had taken him up on that offer, nothing bad would have happened. I would

have been safely in his arms all night. My memory would be intact. And I was scared to go back to my room. I didn't trust Kins. This was the only place I truly felt safe.

"I want you to stay," he added, when I didn't respond to him.

I quickly turned back to him. He wants me to stay? I didn't want to overthink everything. I didn't want to make this something it wasn't. I was here to get answers, not to drag him into a past that no longer made sense. But I needed him to hold me too. For years I had needed him and he was nowhere to be found. Just this one night, I wanted his arms around me. I wanted him to tell me it was going to be okay. I kicked off my shoes and pulled off my hoodie. So much for not being presumptuous.

He pushed his hair off his forehead as he watched me.

What was he thinking? I really never had been good at reading him. "Last night when I asked you to hold me, you invited me in. I thought maybe...that we could do that tonight."

A smile was toying at the edge of his lips. "If that's what you want to do."

I nodded my head. My heart stammered as he turned around and locked the door. And it nearly beat out of my chest as he walked toward the bed.

I could have easily gotten lost in this moment. But I came here for answers. I still needed to know the truth. I tried to control my breathing as he climbed back into bed. And I tried not to read into my racing heart as I lay down beside him. Or when he shifted closer and wrapped his arms around me.

He smelled like home. Tears welled in my eyes. I fit perfectly in his arms. And once, that was where I belonged. When I was still whole. Before my life was taken away from me. I closed my eyes tight, trying to prevent the tears from falling.

His thumb was making a small circle under my shoulder blade, somehow reminding me of my injured shoulder and at the same time numbing the pain. He calmed me. He grounded me. And he abandoned me.

Stop. I didn't know his side of the story. That's why I was here. I needed to know why he really stopped writing. "Can you tell me about Summer?"

His fingers stopped on my skin. "I'd rather not talk about the past."

"It's not the past if it still haunts you." I knew that better than anyone. If I couldn't let go of my pain, maybe I could help him let go of his. Maybe I could help him move on.

He shifted his hand and ran his fingers through my hair. It seemed absentminded, and it made me wonder how many girls had been in this same position with him before.

I bit the inside of my cheek. I needed this. And I'm pretty sure he needed it too. "Please."

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