Page 62 of Bound By Stars

“Oh no! I got you in trouble.” I press a hand to my forehead. “I’m so sorry.”

“It was only twelve days.” He props himself on one elbow, staring into my eyes. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“It wasn’t a big deal.”

He reaches over and gently smooths a tendril of my hair between his fingers.

I gulp past the sudden blockage in my throat. “I can’t understand why this Earther group would shut off one block of rooms. Why not the entire first class? And even then, what’s the point?”

He frowns at me, lying back on his hands and staring at the ceiling. “I don’t think it was them.”

I sit up. “They literally signed their work.”

“Or someone wants to put the blame on Earthers.”

That’s what I had thought in the beginning. When it was only paint in an elevator. But who could it be? Hale? I can’t imagine him being calculated or subtle enough to avoid getting caught. Meridian? She definitely hates me enough. I just don’t see her putting in that level of effort. Like at the pool. She wanted to watch me drown, but she didn’t want to get her hands wet.

When exactly did I start to consider it was other Earthers?

“You’re getting too comfortable up here, Wesi.”

“Hardly.” I tilt my head and glare at him, but the shred of truth tightens around my windpipe.

He sits up and moves closer. “That’s good to hear.”

“Without ILSA, I’m nothing to these people.” My voice is unsteady.

He leans closer and bows his head, so his face is inches from mine.

I freeze, my heart pounding against my rib cage.

He cups my face with his rough hand. Biting his bottom lip, he lets it slide out of his teeth while he stares at my mouth.

A breath catches in my throat. Is this really happening?

“I like you fine on your own,” he says through a breath before our lips touch and his fingers plunge into my hair. His mouth is warm and urgent. He tastes like toothpaste and strong tea, herby and comforting, like home.

Jupiter’s face flashes across my mind. The way he looked at me last night when we came up for air. His perfectly asymmetrical smile. Bursts of gold burning in his dark eyes.

Sucking in a breath, I press my hand to Reve’s chest and pull away. I lie back, staring at the ceiling.

Am I losing it? This is Reve. I’ve wanted to kiss him since we were twelve and here I am pushing him away. Maybe I am coming down with a case of space madness.

He lets out a breathy laugh, running a hand through his hair before resting back on his elbows.

A dull, insistent pain cuts through my rib cage. Like something inside of me is pulling away, tearing, changing. Part of me, a huge part of me, wants to be somewhere else. With someone else.

Oh god. This is really inconvenient.

“Where’s ILSA anyway?”

“Shit!” The presentation. I leap to my feet. “What time is it?”

Reve pulls his sleeve back. “Two forty-eight.”

I’m sprinting before I can finish calculating the minutes.

Chapter Twenty-Four

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