Page 64 of Celestial Combat

For what he did four years ago. For every reason I had sworn to keep my distance.

I should hate him.

But I didn’t.

I wasn’t supposed to feel this. But I did…

Fuck it.

My pulse roared in my ears as I closed my eyes, tilting my head up just slightly – waiting.

Just waiting.

For him.

For Zane to close the distance, to do what we both knew was inevitable.

The seconds stretched, and then…

The warmth disappeared.

I opened my eyes, and sure enough, Zane had pulled back. His expression had shifted, the tension erased so quickly it almost felt like I had imagined it.

He was staring ahead, not at me anymore, his features cold, hard and angry.

Like he hadn’t just looked at me like I was something he wanted to devour whole.

A slow ache spread through my chest, something sharp and unfamiliar.

Then it hit me.

He had noticed my hesitation.

Of course he had.

He noticed everything.

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling too hot, too restless. I needed to move. To breathe. To be anywhere but here, drowning in the weight of whatever this was.

Clearing my throat, I pushed myself up, ignoring the tightness in my chest. “See you around,” I muttered quickly,turning before he could say anything – before I could embarrass myself even further.

And then I walked away.

Ran.

Chapter 20

Present

Manhattan, New York City

THE CITY WAS RESTLESS TONIGHT.

Midtown gleamed with the honking of cabs, the distant wail of sirens, the steady hum of life – it all blurred together as I walked, hands shoved into the pockets of my jacket, trying to outrun my own thoughts.

Then I saw Tao.

He was standing on the corner like he’d been waiting for me. Leaning against a lamppost, cigarette pinched between his fingers, his sharp eyes tracking me the second I noticed him.

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