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“Can we talk?” He stepped closer and took one of my hands in his. “Please.” It was like a time machine. I wasn’t in a gym in the North anymore, but back in the forest. Back to stolen kisses and hands that wandered over peaks and valleys. And my heart ached. I ached for what we had, and for what we had lost.

I opened my mouth to tell himyes. To tell him I missed him, that I remembered what once was ours, but I hesitated. Something inside of me pulled on my heartstrings, told me that I would ruin everything, that Matias was the past and something else waited for me in my future. “I—”

“Sorry, bub.” Edith snaked in between us, grabbing our clasped hands, pulling them apart, and then snuggling her hand in mine. She turned and patted Matias on the cheek. “You know I love ya, buddy, but have you seen this girl’s face? She’s got less than twenty-four hours to get this mug cleaned up,andshe has to help me buy my dress tomorrow. So, heart-felt confessions of dying love will have to wait.”

Matias flushed red as he looked away nervously, and I couldn’t blame him. I could feel the heat burning on my face too—or maybe it was swelling?—as I instinctively turned to look at Wes. But he looked busy examining his cuticles. No hint of any emotion whatsoever.

“Edith,” Matias protested.

“Nope, nope, nope,” she sang back, each word getting progressively higher as she tugged me toward the door of the arena. “I’m taking her for the night, Wessy-Boy,” she added over her shoulder. “I’ll bring her back home before party time!” Shedidn’t even wait for a response. With one hand, she pushed open the door while the other dragged me out. I looked back over my shoulder and felt my chest squeeze because all it took was one look to understand what my heart was trying to tell me.

They were both there.

Matias stood, feet shoulder width apart, blackish-brown tousled locks framing his deep chocolate brown eyes. And then there was Wes, standing just a foot behind him, his blond hair swept cleanly back into his low ponytail, eyes like freshly cut grass glistening in the golden rays of the sun. They both watched me as I walked away from them.

My past and my future.

And my heart yearned for them both.

***

After a long stay in the infirmary, I was given instructions to ice my face, take an assortment of pills, and was given a few injections, all with the promise that my bruising would be much lighter than normal—easily covered up with make-up—and that the swelling would be gone by morning. From there, Edith had me call a limo to pick us up and take us to a hotel in town. She was all too happy to announce that I was the First Daughter of Telvia on a diplomatic errand for the Dissenters, and that they should charge our room to President De’vor. When the concierge questioned her, the stink she put up—along with the limo bearing the Calvernon family crest—shut him up, and he assigned us a room.

I wondered what Sasha was going to think when she got the bill.

The room was nice enough. Edith was a glutton, ordering almost everything off the room service menu. And after pigging out, we washed up and got ready for bed.

“Ooo! I’m so excited!” she gushed, gripping her pillow. “I asked Jeremiah to be my escort for tomorrow.”

“Who’s that?”

“What? You don’t remember?” Edith looked at me like I had grown a third eye. “He’s the guy who was standing outside the medical tent when Chelsea got back.”

The memory of the gorgeous Black soldier standing outside the medical bay, refusing to let us in, fluttered through my mind. “That guy? He survived the attack?”

“Yeah, he did. And he’s got a sexy ass scar across his cheek to prove it,” she purred.

Jeez.Leave it to Edith. I smiled. “Are you guys dating now?”

“He doesn’t know it yet, but absolutely,” she declared confidently.

I laughed, and then winced as my whole body protested against the contractions of my abs. “Ow,” I moaned through the laughter. “Don’t make me laugh anymore. It hurts too much.”

Edith giggled. “You earned every one of those sore spots, baby.Damn!You kicked so much ass today. I just loved it!”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know if showing up the chick that’s supposed to keep me alive was such a great idea. She’ll probablyhelpthe REG just to get me out of the picture.”

“Nah,” Edith waved me off. “Calista’s a total evil B.I.T.C.H., but I doubt she’ll risk pissing Wes off and destroying her chances of getting back with him. They’ve kept this whole engagement thing under super wraps.”

“Well, the cat’s out of the bag tomorrow,so…”

Edith’s eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. “What!For real?”

I rubbed my face and moaned as I was reminded that touching my face was the worst idea ever. “Yeah. Charles wants Wes to propose at the gala. That’s the big announcement.Surprise,”I deadpanned.

Edith folded her legs, eyes still wide. “Oh, never mind what I said then. You might as well paint a giant bullseye on your back. Once Calista figures out she’s out of the game because he put a ring on it, she’s going to want youout.”

“Wait. Are you serious? You really think she’d…” I couldn’t even finish the sentence.