Page 123 of Ruin Me Gently

But I knew better. I had that gut feeling, the one that comes alongside familiarity in a way I couldn’t explain. Like my body knew him, knew the space he took up in the world.

I glancedto the side, scanning for a reflection in a shop window, in the darkened glass of a parked car—something.

Nothing. No one.

My stomach tightened.

Don’t turn around. Don’t look desperate.

The footsteps quickened. Not following.Closing in.

My pulse slammed against my ribs, sharp and electric.

His hand locked around my wrist.

I barely had time to suck in a breath before I was yanked sideways, pulled into the shadows of a narrow side street.

Every nerve set on fire, and a manic giggle bubbled out of me, breathless, wild with adrenaline, half-relief, half-finally.

“Oh my God, what are you—”

Lemon and musk.

Not sage and sea salt.

Nothim.

The world tilted, reality pouring down my spine like ice water.

No. No. No.

Terror sank its teeth into my flesh, barbed wire wound itself around my lungs, static bubbling through my blood.

I couldn’t breathe. My vision narrowed. Glass scraped down my throat.

A voice curled around my ear—low, familiar, and so, so wrong.

“Hey, Angel.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

Pale blue eyes lockedonto mine as I spun around. His lips curled, but there was nothing close to a smile there. Just teeth. Something mean, bitter, and too familiar.

My limbs turned to stone.

He took a step closer, then another.

I took one back, my shoulders hitting the rough brick behind me.

Trapped.

“Clark, what the hell?”

“Lilith, I’ve missed you so damn much,” his voice was raw and cloying. “I’ve not stopped thinking about you.”

What? My pulse stumbled, cold dread sliding down my spine. “Clark, I—”

“Oh, don’t act surprised,” he cut me off, voice dripping with something sharp and sticky sweet. “You’re my girl, Lilith.”

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