tmore Books-eyes locked on the door, her puls

en the tip

spotted slipping into the back alley thre

bled as she rai

swung open be

e he

a

staring at her like he hadn't brea

e said,

idn't

t bre

ed inside

the door b

e sliver of sunset pouring in through the cra

rned t

e fire on

It wasn't supposed t

ved two

I'm hidin

s across her chest

gh his hair. "I did

r a boy who vanishes every time

le

verything, Jace. No half-truth

ll like the weight was to

nally-h

st saw you, it w

ows fu

rettiest girl in the room. I laughed. Didn't care. Until you walked in.

eath h

me. Said it'd be easy-'good girls a

the floor drop

" he continued. "I followed you ins

s stinging. "So this

s. At

ice cr

you apologized to the barista when he got your ord

a step

know you. Because you weren't a p

led down h

were something real-whe

y. "You made me want to be more than th

hy did

dn't think I

them snapped l

eave. Her hand

ice stoppe

sleep without hearing your voice in my head. I can't touch anyone

tu

ront of her

n-they

ss was

t this time

gry. Raw.

in his hair, bodies pressed tight enough to hurt. She pulled h

hing tangle

he whispered agai

di

ound his waist. She tugged his belt loose. He moaned

want this?"

ou," she

was all

room fell silent but glowing, Ava lay cur

y circles on

coming back?" h

ed. "But I don't

onest. Wreck

what happens n

she replied. "Maybe we just

he said it, h

knew what

ext d

nce letter to Johns Ho

't tell

on the corner of her de

ding. Reality

s terrifie