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I swallow hard, trying to find my voice, but all I can focus on is the warmth of his breath on my cheek, the intensity of his gaze, and the solid presence of his body so close to mine.
It’s too much.
Too close.
Too—everything.
“I-I can’t,” I manage to whisper, hating how weak I sound. “Please, just—let me go.”
Even as I say the words, I don’t want him to let me go, and judging by the look in Blaze’s eyes, he’s not sure about it either.
Blaze’s eyes narrow, his jaw clenching. “You’re holding back. I see it in your eyes. There’s something you’re not telling us, something critical.”
I shake my head, averting my gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
In my world, snitches die slow, agonizing deaths, and I want nothing to do with that.
He leans in closer, if that’s even possible. His scent permeates the air, making it hard to think straight.
“Don’t lie to me,” he murmurs, his voice a low rumble that I can feel in my chest. “I’ve seen enough people try to hide the truth. You’re not as good at it as you think.”
The chemistry between us crackles, an almost tangible force in the small space. I try to press myself further into the wall, but there’s nowhere to go.
He’s everywhere, overwhelming my senses.
“I’m not hiding anything,” I insist, but my voice lacks conviction.
Blaze’s hand comes up, gently tilting my chin so I’m forced to meet his gaze. The touch sends sparks through my body, and I hate myself for reacting this way.
“Listen to me,” he says, his voice soft but intense. “I’m not going to let you get away with this. Whatever you’re holding back, it could be important. I expect more from you. You’re stronger than this. Smarter too.”
His words hit me like a blow. The faith in his voice, the expectation—it’s suffocating. I’ve spent so long being no one, invisible, that the weight of his belief in me feels like it might crush me.
“You don’t know me,” I snap, my voice sharper now. “You don’t know my world, the things I’ve seen, what I’ve had to do.”
Blaze’s lips twitch into a small, knowing smile. “Not yet. But I will. You want me to see you.”
I open my mouth to argue, but something about how he says it stops me cold. His voice isn’t a threat. It’s a promise—one that feels dangerous and reassuring all at once.
SIXTEEN
Ember
Blaze knows.He knows how badly I want to be seen, to be something more than the street rat I’ve always been. To be someone who matters, someone worth protecting.
“You’re not the only one familiar with growing up on the streets.” He keeps his voice low like he’s letting me in on a secret, and then he leaves it there, dangling in the air, leaving me guessing what it means.
Before I can process, Blaze steps closer, the space between us shrinking. His gaze locks onto mine, intense and unyielding, like he sees straight through every wall I’ve ever built.
He leans in so close I can feel the heat of his breath against my skin. My heart races, my body frozen, caught between fear and something else I’m not ready to name.
For a second, I think he’s going to kiss me. The moment lingers, thick with tension, like the world’s holding its breath, waiting for what comes next.
Blaze pulls away, jaw tight, breaking the moment with a force that leaves me breathless. He turns, fists clenched, stepping back like he’s trying to rein something in.
My heart stumbles as I force a shaky breath, willing myself to focus.
It didn’t happen.