Page 76 of Forged in Flames (Made of Steel 2)

I grabbed my purse off the dresser. I'd start by telling Eli tonight after our double date. I knew he wanted a second chance, but what was the point? He should be focusing his efforts on someone who still breathed life.

I walked out of the bedroom. I was hoping V wouldn't be there when I left for my date. Unfortunately he was sitting at the kitchen counter. He looked up as I walked past him. I kept my head down, hoping he'd ignore me.

"Stop," his voice rumbled.

My feet reacted before my brain, immediately stopping at his command. I didn't look back at him as he approached me. His fingers brushed the back of my neck, as he pushed my hair to the side. He slowly zipped up my dress the rest of the way. His touch sent a chill down my spine.

"Why have you been crying?" he asked.

"I haven't."

He grabbed my arm and turned me toward him. "Talk to me."

"It's nothing."

He sighed. "You don't have to go with Eli if you don't want to."

"How do you even know about that?"

"He informed me about the change in schedule. I don't think it's necessary for you to go out of your way to keep up the facade that you two are dating. You don't have to go."

"What does it matter? You said we weren't going to end up together. You've made it clear that all this is between us is just physical."

"That's not what I said." His fingers loosened their grip on my arm.

"Yes it is. You said we were doing this on borrowed time."

"Sadie, please don't push me away right now. Not for him." He lightly touched the bottom of my chin.

"Eli Serrano is at the entrance," Athena's voice said smoothly through the speakers.

I was about to step away, but V grabbed my waist and pulled me against him.

"My heart beats on borrowed time," he whispered, as he pressed his forehead against mine.

I believed he thought that was true. That he thought he loved that small piece of me. Because it would have been easy for me to stay in this moment.

He breathed in my exhales like I was the one that could somehow give him strength, when in reality he was the one that took away my pain.

There was a loud tapping against the window that made me jump. "I'll be back later," I said.

He reluctantly let go of my waist and stepped back. "I meant what I said, Sadie. My heart beats on borrowed time," he repeated, as if the first time he said it hadn't reverberated through my soul.

I didn't turn back to him. If he meant it, he would have called me Summer. If he meant it, he'd love all of me. If he meant it, I probably would have stayed. But it wasn't enough. I needed to feel love for that part of me that was broken. And that part of me that was once whole. I'd never become what V wanted me to be. I didn't have enough time.

The window slowly rose. Eli was standing there in jeans and a blazer with his hair slicked back slightly.

I stepped outside, feeling the last few rays of sunlight on my skin. "You look different."

"This is me." He smiled at me, almost shyly. "I'm Eli Serrano." He put his hand out. "And it's really nice to meet you, Summer."

I turned my head as the window started to whirr closed. V was staring at me with the most piercing gaze. It was almost as if he could see it too, the parts of me that were Summer. And it felt like he hated her. Like he despised her.

My skin felt cold as the window shut. I looked back at Eli. His hand was still outstretched, the smile still on his face. Seeing his smile warmed me somehow. And it wasn't because of the flames lapping at the surface. Eli wasn't bad. He was good. So good. Maybe the fire I felt when our skin touched wasn't because of him at all. Maybe I was the one that was burning.

I reached out my hand. "I already like you, Eli Serrano. I don't want to start over." We don't have time to start over. Instead of shaking his hand, I intertwined our fingers, and let our hands fall between us.

His smile grew even wider. "We should probably get going. Our reservation is at 7 and it's a pretty long walk."

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