Chapter 40

• ZARA POV
• His lips smashed against mine in a bruising kiss.
• My heart pounded in my chest like a drumbeat as he leaned in, his breath warm against my skin. My toes curled, and I instinctively reached up, my fingers tangling in his hair. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to stop, to pull away. I knew this was a terrible idea, a reckless move that could only lead to heartbreak. Yet, I was frozen, unable to move or think. The tension in my body was unbearable, as if I were about to shatter into a million pieces. I couldn't escape the fear, the pain, the overwhelming confusion that consumed me.