Chapter 17

• The world tilted beneath me as my vision blurred, but his face pulled me back into focus. His green eyes—wild yet strangely soft—studied me like he was searching for something he could not name. I didn’t know what frightened me more: the ache in my chest or the realization that I knew him. That I remembered the curve of his mouth, the sharp line of his jaw, and the quiet danger that surrounded him like a storm waiting for release.
• I tried to pull away, but his hold was firm, almost protective. I hated that my body recognized the comfort in his touch. He was someone I had tried to forget.
• My attention drifted to the way his auburn hair caught the light. He was too composed for someone with such wild eyes. It made no sense that I could notice those details while my body screamed in pain. Maybe it was shock. Maybe my mind was trying to protect me by focusing on something other than the agony.