Page 330 of Axis of Fire

“Honestly…” I exhaled slowly. “I think I’m afraid of reliving the same story.”

The rain continued falling around us.

Steady.

Patient.

“I’m afraid of opening my heart to someone again. Of forming a connection with them.” A tiny pause followed. “Whether it's physical or emotional. Both require trust. And both have the power to destroy me.”

I lowered my gaze.

“Because then I could lose them again.”

Another pause.

“And once again be left questioning whether any of it had been real in the first place.”

Airis remained silent.

And for once, there was nothing left inside me to say either.

But for some reason, I liked it.

It felt as though I had finally laid down a burden I'd been dragging around for far too long.

“So you decided to start with the easier part,” Airis said at last.

“The physical part.”

I nodded.

“I already felt like the biggest idiot in Magicslan just saying it. If I'd admitted anything more than that, I probably would've burst into flames on the spot.”

Silence followed.

But this time, I refused to let it settle between us.

“Can we just pretend none of that happened?” I asked.

And before he could answer, I continued.

“Maybe I just chose the wrong person to say it to…”

Airis cut me off immediately.

“What do you mean, the wrong person?”

I could feel his gaze burning into the side of my face, but I couldn't bring myself to look at him.

“What else am I supposed to think? Most guys wouldn't turn down a girl who made that kind of offer if they were genuinely interested in her.” I swallowed. “And from the moment we met, you made it pretty clear I wasn't your type.”

“You should think very carefully before saying something like that.”

“I have.”

I lifted a brow, trying to project confidence.

“Then your powers of observation need work.”