Page 53 (1/2)

"I know," I said "But I wasn’t going to knowingly put you at risk Youtoward me, eyes suddenly sharp "And what does that mean, exactly?"

"I…" I shook my head "It doesn’t matter now"

"The hell it doesn’t!" he said "You nearly destroyed ot both of us killed, and none of this is over Who kno much tio He’s still out there, and as terrible as this sounds, I hope he gets what’s co to him before he can report back to anyone"

Daeto you?"

Heated blood crept acrossme do this? How I felt didn’t matter now "Daemon…"

"Answer me!"

"Fine!" I threwto --that made me…" My voice cracked "That made me happy You madetoI can’t really even put into words because everything seems too lame in comparison I’ve alanted you, even when I hated you I want you even though you driveup Not just for you and ht on a sob The words rushed from me, one after another "And I never felt this ith anyone else Like I’ every time I’m around you, like I can’t catcharound and lettinglike that with anyone else" Tears prickedso fast it hurt "But none of this matters, because I know you really hate o back and change everything! I--"

Dae my cheeks in his warathering in my eyes "But--"

"I don’t hate you now, Kat" He stared intently into ry, I can taste it I want to find Blake and rearrange parts of his body But do you knohat I thought about all day yesterday? All night? The one single thought I couldn’t escape, no matter how pissed off I am at you?"

"No," I whispered

"That I’et out of my head, the person who means more to me than I can stand, is still alive She’s still there And that’s you"

A tear trailed down hwas like taking a step off the edge of a cliff without seeing how far the fall would be Dangerous Exhilarating "What…what does that mean?"

"I really don’t know" His thuhtly "I don’t knohat to to be like Hell, westupid next week It’s a possibility But all I do knohat I feel for you isn’t going anywhere"

Hearing that onlythe tears away until he caught each of them with his breath Then his lips found mine and the room fell away The whole world disappeared for those precious moments I wanted to throwin air

"How can you still want ainst le you But I’m insane You’re crazy Maybe that’s why We just ether"

"That makes no sense"

"It kind of does, to ht have to do with the fact you finally admitted you’re deeply and irrevocably in love with h "I so did not admit that"

"Not in so many words, but we both know it’s true And I’ in what felt like the first real breath in months Maybe years "It’s the saain When he finally lifted his head, ere on his bed and I was in his arood his kisses were I had to wait untilI’ve done All of this is still my fault"

Daemon was on his side besidemy stomach "It’s not all your fault It’s all of ours And we’re in this together We’ll face whatever is waiting for us together"

My heart did a wild dance at those words "Us?"

He nodded, working on the buttons ofsoftly when he came to where they were buttoned incorrectly "If there is anything, there is us"

I liftedout of the sweater "And what does ’us’ reallyoff my boots "No one else"