Let the Storm Break (Sky Fall #2)(55)

“Me either,” Gus agrees.

We all push our senses as far as they can go, but everything is quiet.

A little too quiet.

“Where are the Gales?” Audra whispers.

“They went to find my father.” Gus’s voice hitches on the word, and he has to clear his throat before he continues. “The Stormers made a false trail, and I guess the Gales haven’t figured it out yet. I’ll use the emergency call to get them back and bring them up to speed.”

“Do you want us to stay with—”

“No,” Gus cuts me off. “I really need some space.”

I nod.

Audra nods too. Then she wraps her arms around me, sending tingling waves of heat through my aching shoulders as I tangle us in Westerlies and fly us back to my house.

All the windows are dark as we touch down on the grass, so my family must still be on the move like I thought. I know I should call them and tell them to come home, but they’re probably safer out there. Plus, Audra and I could use some time alone. We have a lot to figure out.

“So . . .” I say after I’ve tested the air to double-check that we’re safe. “Now what?”

“I don’t know.”

She stares at her feet and tucks her hair behind her ear.

It’s bizarre to see her look so shy. Even more bizarre to think that she’s here, standing outside my house, holding my hand.

We’re not broken up.

In fact, I’m pretty sure we’ve never been more together.

All that’s left to figure out is “Your place or mine?”

Her nervous laugh rings through the night.

I pull her closer, wrapping her arms around my neck, and I suck in a breath as the heat of her body sparks against me. I sorta forgot I was shirtless—but I’m very aware of it now.

Very aware of how tiny her tank top is too.

I clear my throat. “Seems like a pretty simple decision to me. On the one hand, your place has scratchy palm leaves. And bugs. And dead things.”

“Dead things?”

“Gavin’s been busy. He’s pretty pissed at you, by the way. He may tear out some of your hair when he sees you.”

“I wouldn’t blame him.” She leans her head against my chest, triggering a new wave of sparks that makes it very hard to breathe.

“So then . . . my place?” I whisper. “No psycho bird. Everything we need to get cleaned up. Then a nice soft bed . . .”

She leans back to look at me. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Actually, I think it’s a very good idea. Pretty much the best idea I’ve ever had.”

She smiles and steps up to her tiptoes, pecking me on the lips before she pulls away.

I grab her hands to stop her from leaving. “I promise, I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

She doesn’t look convinced.

I drop my eyes to our hands, twisting our fingers together. “I just . . . I feel like if I let you out of my sight, you might disappear again.”

Sadness seeps into her features and she lifts my hand to her lips, kissing the center of my palm. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Then stay with me.”

I can hardly believe it when she nods, and my legs get all weak and wobbly as I lead her toward the house.

I forgot to bring a key to the front door, so we head toward my bedroom, and I can’t help turning toward the date grove—where Feng will never wait for me again.

I swallow the lump in my throat as I try to open my window. It’s locked too.

Audra laughs and nudges me aside, sending a draft under the sill that clicks the lock and slides open the window in one go, like she’s done it a thousand times before. I smile when I realize she has.

But this time is different.

This time I’m not asleep, and she’s not sneaking around.

She climbs in first and I copy her steps, for once making it inside without scraping my skin on the thorns. And as soon as my feet hit the rug, I pull her against me, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, her—

“I thought you were going to be the perfect gentleman,” she whispers against my lips.

“Well, maybe not perfect.”

I feel her mouth twist with a smile as she slides her hands up my neck and tangles her fingers in my hair. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

She kisses me then, and the sparks are so hot, so bright, I swear they almost blind me—but when I open my eyes, I really am blind and it has nothing to do with the kiss.

The lamp by my bed is now switched on, and as I squint through the glaring light, I see a movement in the covers.

I have just enough time to think, Craaaaaaaaaaaaaap.

Then Solana tosses her hair and says, “I guess this is the real reason why you canceled our betrothal.”





CHAPTER 28


AUDRA





I

don’t know what to feel as I watch Solana untangle her long, tanned legs from the covers of Vane’s bed.

She’s prettier than I remember. Soft curls and bright eyes and toned, graceful limbs.

And Vane only seems a little surprised to see her.

Mostly, he looks guilty.

I try to pull my hands away but he tightens his grip. “It’s not what it looks like.”