Page 124 of Chasing Ruin
I stare at her, facing her pensive yet steadily calm gaze.
“Ruin, I… the kiss…” she says, squeezing her eyes shut.
My whole body locks. “Listen—”
“No, I’m just…” She cuts me off, shaking her head. “I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry I jumped you.”
I give her a soft smile. “I was a willing participant.”
She throws a mild glare at me.
“Do you regret it?” I blurt out, mentally face palming for voicing the question.
She remains silent, scanning the compound behind my shoulder. Perhaps hoping she’ll gain some answers.
Then she lowers her gaze, frowning thoughtfully. Before she renders me absolutely stunned with a single word. “No.” Her voice is too quiet. But I catch the reluctance there. “I was…” She huffs a humorless sigh. “I was surprised at how easily I let you that close. I felt weak for letting it happen. But do I regret it? No, I don’t.”
“You’renot weak,” I tell her firmly, before softening my voice. “Charlotte, I… it was not a sign of weakness, okay? You were probably overwhelmed. And I get that. And I’m sorry for taking it too far—”
“God!” She groans. “You didn’t. I know you would’ve stopped if I told you—uh…” She abruptly cuts herself off, nodding behind me. Just as I feel a hand on my shoulder.
“Hey, Ruin?” I hear, turning toward Joe who is standing awkwardly.
“Yeah, you got something for me?” I ask, a bit irritated at him for interrupting my conversation with Charlotte.
“I do,” he smirks.
I don’t get to question further.
A frown barely forms on my forehead because—
A sharp pain shoots through the side of my head. I can’t feel my feet beneath me.
My hands are useless at my sides as my vision narrows to the muddied ground rushing up.
And then—
Nothing.
??????
Scream. A sharp guttural scream.
Charlotte.
God! No, no, no, no.
That’s the first thing I hear before my eyes even open.
“Fucking hell,” someone snaps. “Shut the bitch up!”
Suddenly, it dies. The familiar sound—even though terrified—it fucking dies.
My eyes feel like they’re glued shut. I pry my eyes open, and suddenly wish I didn’t.
Right there, in front of me, lying on the ground at an awkward angle, staring into nothing with lifeless eyes, is Heath.
A hole between his eyes makes me wince. But I still can’t move an inch.
