Page 52 of Autumn Ritual

“That joke is done.” I stopped in front of her. I would have reached out and run my knuckles down her cheek, but my fist was bloody. I wouldn’t stain her. Not until she chose whether a killer like me was enough for her.

“Why would Lucian tell me that?” Her eyes were wet with hurt.

If she shed one tear, just a single drop, I was going to glue the don’s eyes shut before I strung him up by his ankles and made him my own personal piñata.

So violent….

That wasn’t going to win me any points with this beauty.

“Lucian likes control, and he’s never been able to control you, angel.”

Sara tipped her head to the side, considering me. “So then why didn’t you want me to know it was you? All this time. You never revealed yourself. Why, Cam? Why?”

Her question was a dagger to my chest. I opened my mouth, but words failed me.

“I knew since the ball,” Sara continued. “I’ve waited weeks for you to be ready to tell me, and now—”

She lifted her hands and shrugged.

A broken plea left my lips. “Can I….” Fuck. I sounded pathetic. “Can I be in your story?”

I wasn’t in charge. This was her decision.

“Because—” I sank to my knees “—you are mine.”

Sara uncrossed an arm and reached for me. The Yankee’s cap fell to the floor. Her touch smoothed over my hair.

She took one deep breath. “I would have said yes, you know.”

I couldn’t breathe.

“But now, there’s a plot twist I need to work on, Cam. It needs to be revealed in a specific way.”

I gave her a confused look.

Kneeling on the pavers, heart thundering in my chest, I wanted to tell her that I didn’t care about any twists. I wanted the ending—now! We were the end game. Our happily ever after was right there.

“I don’t think I can take it, angel.”

Sara smiled, bent, and kissed my forehead. “I’ll let you know what happens in the next chapter.”

With that, she turned and slipped into the house. She didn’t look back as the lock on the glass door clicked in place.

Something inside me fucking shattered.

Chapter 19 – Sara

Ialmost told him.

The moment was heartbreakingly beautiful. The man who shouldn’t be out of bed came to me at sunset, trying to break the damn window because he was desperate to be with me. I ached to turn him away. But a fresh round of nausea sent me running back into the house last night, and I didn’t want that to be how he found out our story was changing.

I had a plan.

But first, I needed a coffee. Something sickly sweet and gooey. I stepped into the Salted Biscoff Café, waving to Ivry who’d been working here since high school.

We hadn’t had a chance to catch up since she’d lost herself in the haunted maze the first night I came to town. Dio…. That felt like ages ago.

“Sara! Your makeup is amazing,” she gushed, wrapping her arms around me. “A skeleton, how spooky! I love it.”