Read Online Ignition Point by Kate Corcino - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kate Corcino
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so he could feast his eyes and give her a soft, breathless laugh while he skimmed the fingertips of one hand over her wide, peachy nipple. “I love you , Merry. I love you.”
And he did.
They weren’t just words. They hadn’t been from the beginning. He’d never loved anyone like this, with this depth. With…such devotion.
Except Grandfather . The whisper of thought made him shiver. His hand stopped.
“Lucas,” Meredith stopped, her hand curving around to his cheek, “what?”
His eyes had filled. He blinked back the moisture. “I love you,” he said, his voice rough.
Meredith’s lips curved up in a smile, but her eyes filled with tears, too. “I love you, too,” she managed to choke out. “And I will marry you, Lucas.”
Lucas’s head swam. He lowered his head to rest his forehead against hers in gratitude. She was meant for him. It was the only explanation for the instant connection they’d both felt when they’d met on his first day back in the Zone. Grandfather always spoke of the divine hand touching lives.
Meredith was proof of that touch in his life. She was his reward for not giving up after being abandoned by everyone else. He could make this work. He had to. But first, he had to finish. Lucas closed his eyes so he could focus on what he was doing.
When he lay next to her again, gasping and puffing, he managed, “Okay. Okay. We’re getting married.”
Meredith laughed beside him. He joined her, giddy and happy. The sound died away, leaving just the two of them curled around each other in the leaves. Long before he was ready, she pushed at him, sitting up with mischief on her broad, happy face. She buttoned her shirt and straightened her clothes, nudging at him with her hip to do the same.
“Come on, lazy bones. Come on.” She jumped up. “If we’re going to be married—”
“Wait.” Lucas sat up, buttoning his pants. “Merry, it’s—this is a secret for now. This is just for us.” He had to tell her. They needed to make their plans to run. They’d have to go soon. Maybe in the morning?
How long do I have?
Instead of being upset, she just laughed and nodded. “I know. But you’ve trusted me with so much. Telling me about your Spark. Talking to your grandfather. If we’re going to get married, it’s time for you to know our secret, too.”
“Our secret?” They had a secret? He racked his brain. Was she pregnant?
“No, silly. Not our secret, you and me. Our secret, my family.”
Lucas went cold. Her family had a secret?
Pay attention, Lucas. This is important.
The voice in his head sounded different. Deeper, heavier, like Grandfather’s voice, but more solemn. His breath slid between his lips like the last gasp of a dying man.
Meredith took his hand and dragged him deeper into the forest.
The world went silent. He was certain she was still talking. She turned back to him as she led him through the trees and brush. Her lips were moving. She even laughed, but he didn’t hear any of it. He didn’t hear the wind or the insects or the sound of their feet moving through the undergrowth.
He tried to focus again on that inner voice, to call it back. He needed to question it.
Instead, all he heard was the memory of Grandfather’s words, “You mustn’t disappoint me, Lucas. So much is riding on you.”
I have to pay attention.
He stared at Meredith’s back. She’d spoken of a family secret. Was she a traitor?
How did her father know about me?
There was only one way. He tried to find calm. He failed. “What secret?”
What does it matter? We’re running away together. The thought was like a desperate scrabble inside his head, so different from the authoritative boom of moments before.
It mattered. If there really were secrets and plots, it meant Grandfather might not be wrong. It meant that voice in his head might not be his own. He’d asked for proof, after all.
Meredith wove them through the trees as they headed downhill now, gathering speed until
And he did.
They weren’t just words. They hadn’t been from the beginning. He’d never loved anyone like this, with this depth. With…such devotion.
Except Grandfather . The whisper of thought made him shiver. His hand stopped.
“Lucas,” Meredith stopped, her hand curving around to his cheek, “what?”
His eyes had filled. He blinked back the moisture. “I love you,” he said, his voice rough.
Meredith’s lips curved up in a smile, but her eyes filled with tears, too. “I love you, too,” she managed to choke out. “And I will marry you, Lucas.”
Lucas’s head swam. He lowered his head to rest his forehead against hers in gratitude. She was meant for him. It was the only explanation for the instant connection they’d both felt when they’d met on his first day back in the Zone. Grandfather always spoke of the divine hand touching lives.
Meredith was proof of that touch in his life. She was his reward for not giving up after being abandoned by everyone else. He could make this work. He had to. But first, he had to finish. Lucas closed his eyes so he could focus on what he was doing.
When he lay next to her again, gasping and puffing, he managed, “Okay. Okay. We’re getting married.”
Meredith laughed beside him. He joined her, giddy and happy. The sound died away, leaving just the two of them curled around each other in the leaves. Long before he was ready, she pushed at him, sitting up with mischief on her broad, happy face. She buttoned her shirt and straightened her clothes, nudging at him with her hip to do the same.
“Come on, lazy bones. Come on.” She jumped up. “If we’re going to be married—”
“Wait.” Lucas sat up, buttoning his pants. “Merry, it’s—this is a secret for now. This is just for us.” He had to tell her. They needed to make their plans to run. They’d have to go soon. Maybe in the morning?
How long do I have?
Instead of being upset, she just laughed and nodded. “I know. But you’ve trusted me with so much. Telling me about your Spark. Talking to your grandfather. If we’re going to get married, it’s time for you to know our secret, too.”
“Our secret?” They had a secret? He racked his brain. Was she pregnant?
“No, silly. Not our secret, you and me. Our secret, my family.”
Lucas went cold. Her family had a secret?
Pay attention, Lucas. This is important.
The voice in his head sounded different. Deeper, heavier, like Grandfather’s voice, but more solemn. His breath slid between his lips like the last gasp of a dying man.
Meredith took his hand and dragged him deeper into the forest.
The world went silent. He was certain she was still talking. She turned back to him as she led him through the trees and brush. Her lips were moving. She even laughed, but he didn’t hear any of it. He didn’t hear the wind or the insects or the sound of their feet moving through the undergrowth.
He tried to focus again on that inner voice, to call it back. He needed to question it.
Instead, all he heard was the memory of Grandfather’s words, “You mustn’t disappoint me, Lucas. So much is riding on you.”
I have to pay attention.
He stared at Meredith’s back. She’d spoken of a family secret. Was she a traitor?
How did her father know about me?
There was only one way. He tried to find calm. He failed. “What secret?”
What does it matter? We’re running away together. The thought was like a desperate scrabble inside his head, so different from the authoritative boom of moments before.
It mattered. If there really were secrets and plots, it meant Grandfather might not be wrong. It meant that voice in his head might not be his own. He’d asked for proof, after all.
Meredith wove them through the trees as they headed downhill now, gathering speed until
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