Page 28

His jaw works and his teeth grind. For a second, I think he might swing again. I wish he would. Instead, he turns away and keeps moving faster now. I follow, refusing to let him go. I’ll keep following his stupid, stubborn ass until we sort this shit out.

The city looms in the near distance, everything dead quiet except for the wind, until a groan cuts through the air and we both freeze. A rotter stumbles out into our path. Its flesh is a gruesome rainbow of decay and its arms twitch when it lurches toward us.

Jace holds out his hand to me. “Knife.”

I curse, patting my empty belt. “Didn’t bring one.”

He shoots me a glare. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“Hey, where’s yours at, hot shot? Yeah, that’s what I thought.” I check my pockets, and my fingers close around a small box of matches. Well, it’s not ideal, but it’s better than nothing. I strike one and hold out the flickering flame. “This’ll do.”

The rotter stumbles closer. Its clothes catch in an instant. Flames race up its body with a sickening whoosh. The smell of burning rot makes my stomach turn.

Jace jolts back. His breath stutters. His face goes pale as ash.

I frown. Shit. He’s not moving. “You okay?”

He stares ahead, frozen, his breath stuttering, at the fire-engulfed rotter flailing in front of us.

Shit.

Moving fast, I spin into a roundhouse kick that catches the rotter’s neck with enough force to snap its vertebrae. Its charred corpse crumples in a heap, fire still licking at its limbs. Jace remains frozen in place.

I yank off my shirt and beat out the flames until all that’s left is a smoking pile of charred flesh and bones. I turn to face Jace. “What the hell was that?”

He doesn’t answer right away, unable to tear his gaze from the blackened mess. When he speaks, his voice is rough. “Do you remember my adopted father?”

I blink, confused, then the memory slams back.

Malcolm. The man who meant everything to Jace. The one who chose him when the rest of the world turned its back. His father in every way that mattered. Until the colony fell under the grip of a maniac.

Until Eugene, the maniac leader, a bastard with enough cruelty to rival the ones who created this damn virus, burned Malcolm alive to teach Jace a lesson.

A brutal reminder that loyalty could be twisted.

That getting too close to anyone came at a price.

A lesson that broke Jace in ways no fists ever could.

Fuck. How could I forget?

I let out a slow exhale. “Yeah. I remember.”

Jace’s voice drops. “He died because of me. Because Eugene couldn’t stand connections. He said it made us weak.”

He looks straight at me then, defeat evident in the lines of his face, something I’ve never seen from him before.

“Someone I cared about was ripped away from me, and I couldn’t do anything about it.” His voice cracks, and his Adam’s Apple bobs. “But finding Autumn’s sister? That’s something I can still do. That’s something I won’t fail at, because she doesn’t have to suffer the same fate if I can help it.”

“So, now you think letting Autumn in means she’s a target?” Everything makes so much more sense now. He’s not a total asshole. He’s an asshole with a charred heart.

His jaw clenches. He doesn’t deny it.

I take another step closer. “Eugene’s gone, and no one left in this hellscape cares enough to torment you with that kind of cruelty. No one’s taking Autumn from you, Jace. Not me, not Caspian. No one’s taking her from any of us. That’s a choice only she can make herself. ”

Finally, something inside him cracks. And this time, I see it.

Night falls harder than expected. When Jace and I finally make it back to camp after our fight, I see Autumn curled up. Even with the fire and Luna’s warmth pressed to her side, she still shivers, and something tightens in my chest.

I don’t think it. I just move.

Crossing to her side, I settle behind her and wrap my arm around her body, pulling her against my bare chest. She startles, and her muscles tense beneath my touch. “What are you?—?”

“I figured we’d save time and share,” I murmur, my arm tightening around her middle. “Body heat. Efficiency. Avoid another rotter slumber party.”

“Efficiency,” she repeats in that flat tone, but I catch the slight tremor in her voice.

I press my lips to the back of her neck and smirk. “Don’t worry. I won’t bite.”

There’s a beat between us that’s charged with something electric.

“…Unless you want me to.”

She makes a noise halfway between a laugh and a scandalized gasp. “Your entire existence is inappropriate.”

And yet, she still lets me in. God, I love her fire.

My breath brushes her ear when I lean in closer. “And yet, here you are.”

She turns her head to look at me and the firelight dances across her face. “Here I am.”

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I whisper.

Luna yawns wide and moves a couple of feet away to give us some privacy. I tuck a stray strand of purple hair behind Autumn’s ear, and her head leans into my touch. Firelight flickers shadows across her collarbone. Her pulse flutters against my thumb that’s resting at the side of her neck.

Her hand reaches out and her fingers graze my bare chest. She pauses, brow furrowing. “Where’s your shirt?”

“Got rotter blood on it,” I say. I keep it vague, not wanting to explain the fight with Jace or how we tore at each other like animals or what happened with the rotter and the fire. Now isn’t the time for that. Not now, not when she’s looking at me like that.

Her tongue darts out to lick her lips, and my eyes follow the movement. My hand slides down her body to settle against her waist, thumb brushing the bare skin where her shirt rides up. She draws in a quiet breath but doesn’t move away.

I lean in. Her mouth meets mine before I can close the space. It’s soft at first, then deeper. Hungrier. Like she wants this as much as I’ve been craving. As though she’s been holding back as much as I have.

Her fingers curl into my bare shoulders, nails leaving half-moon imprints that I hope stay there for days.

Her hips thrust against me and she bites my lower lip, sending heat coursing through me.

She always sets my body on fire. I shift, pressing her back enough so I can look at her, really look at her.

“You sure?” I whisper, not wanting to push things farther than she’s ready for.

Her breath fans over my skin. “I want…”

She doesn’t finish the sentence, but her body arches into mine, telling me everything I need to know. I slip my hand beneath the shortened hem of her shirt.

Her skin is smooth, warm, and perfect. My thumbs brushes the underside of her breast and she lets out the softest moan. I feel it all the way down to my dick.

I cup her breast. She arches into my palm. I want to take my time, but there’s no telling how much longer we have to ourselves here.

“Mars,” she gasps. “Make me feel. Please.”

I kiss her lips. “Your wish is my command.” I dip my hand lower, sliding along her stomach, the muscles there tensing beneath my touch. When I reach the band of her shorts, she shifts her hips, and I flick open the button and ease my fingers past the waistband.

She gasps, and one hand fists against my bare chest. I kiss her gently. “That’s right, Autumn. Let go for me. Feel.”

She bites her lip, and I see her eyes cloud with hesitation. “Mars, I…I kissed Caspian, too. More than once.”

I pause, searching her eyes. Then I lean forward and smile against her lips as my finger slips through her folds, slow and deliberate and teasing.

“That’s fine. You’ll probably want to kiss Jace at some point, too.

Regardless, I’ll still make sure you come on my fingers, even if you’re thinking about them. ”

Her eyes widen, and a flush creeps up her neck at my words. Her mouth opens to say something, but then her jaw slackens when I circle her clit.

I slide one thick finger inside her, and her other hand digs into my shoulder, her nails biting deep. I smile against her lips. “That’s right, purple. I’ve got you.” I insert a second finger, and her legs tremble.

“Mars.” My name slips from her lips in a broken whimper as I stroke her soft and slow, building her up while the rest of the world falls away.

“Say my name again.” I press my palm against her clit, and she gasps.

“Mars.”

My other arm tightens around her when her body shakes. Her hips thrust, chasing her release while riding my hand. She buries her head against my chest and emits soft whimpers. “Come for me, purple. I want you to feel good. ”

She whimpers again, and I pump my fingers faster until she can’t take it anymore, then I press my palm against her clit. Her head lifts and her teeth sink into my shoulder to muffle her cry.

She’s fucking gorgeous.

The bite marks that are about to be on my shoulder tell me I succeeded in making her feel, and despite my painful erection, this is all I really need right now.

She’s everything. Mine, in this moment.

Right here. Right now.

And when she breaks in my arms, trembling and breathless and burying her face against my neck, I hold her through every second of it.