Page 86 of Temptation
“No, it’s not. I shouldn’t have left. I should’ve stayed. I should’ve told you how I felt.”
“Which is?”
I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the panic that always seemed to sneak in whenever I wasn’t watching. But instead of panic, a weird kind of peace settled on me, wrapping itself around my bones.
“I love you,” I murmured, avoiding his eyes. “I think I’ve loved you from the first moment I saw you, but I couldn’t allow myself to be happy while living in this town.”
“Moonshine,” he murmured and pulled my head up with his fingers on my chin. “I know.”
“You do?”
He nodded. “I do. Because there was no way that only I felt this way. That only my heart bled for you. I knew you loved me because if you didn’t, you wouldn’t have been so angry with me. I know I fucked up. Hell, I fucked up majorly, but I do hope that you’ll find it in yourself to forgive me for lying to you.”
“I think it’s safe to say that I already did.” I smiled. “Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I can’t spend another day hating people I love. It’s tiring, and it never brings anything but more misery.”
“Thank you.”
“Ash,” I mumbled. “You need to know something though.” I gulped and pulled myself up. His eyes went over my naked body and back to my face. I plastered my eyes to the invisible point on the headboard, trying to find the way to say this. “I love him, too.” I looked at Dylan. “I don’t know how or why, and I know it shouldn’t be because I grew up knowing him as my brother, but I love him. Maybe it’s not the same kind of love like what I feel for you at the moment, but I love him.”
“Moonshine.” He sat up and took a hold of my hands. “Look at me.”
“Please don’t hurt him,” I cried. “I can take anything, but please don’t hurt him.”
“Look at me, Skylar.”
“I can’t.” I shook my head. “I’m afraid of what I’ll see when I look at you.”
“Sky, please.”
You can’t keep hiding, Skylar. You can’t keep avoiding things just because they’re too hard to swallow.
“Please don’t make me choose,” I pleaded. His fingers landed on my chin and softly, almost too carefully, he turned my head. A myriad of emotions played on his face, but one I focused on the most was love. His love for me. His determination to keep me, to save me.
“I could never do that,” he murmured and pressed his lips against my knuckles. “I know what I want and it’s you.” He looked at Dylan. “And for some reason, him too.”
My eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “Really. I don’t know what this is, but I’m tired of fighting who I really am. Since that night in the catacombs, there was something pulling me to both of you. No, wait, I’m lying.” He laughed. “Since the first time I saw your picture, something was pulling me to you. Some invisible force always guided me toward you. I thought it was hate, but I know it is so much more now. And him.” He looked at Dylan sleeping. “He’s a part of you, and in a way, a part of me. I can feel his pain as if it was my own. The need to be the leader, to always be the strong one—it’s tiring. It’s a lonely place to be, and I wouldn’t wish it for anyone.”
“Ash.” I trembled.
“No more crying, Sky. No more tears tonight. You need to take a shower, and so do I. Dylan as well. Then we can look for the things in Judah’s office.”
I gaped at him, my mind trying to connect with everything he just said. I launched myself at him, throwing us both back to the bed, and started kissing him all over his face.
“Did I tell you how much I love you today?”
“I mean,” he grinned, “I wouldn’t mind hearing it again.”
17
ASH
A blazinginferno illuminated the night sky, as I stood there as still as a statue, looking at the ember disappearing into the darkness. My hands itched from the need to reach out to them, but the heavy weight holding me in place, the hands on my shoulders, prevented me from doing so.
That and my little brother clinging to me, with tears cascading down his face. I couldn’t see Mom and Dad, but these people around us were their friends.
Just a month ago, we were at the dinner with Mr. And Mrs. St. Claire, and they seemed so nice.
