Torn Read Free Page B

him.
    “It is as the Princess wishes.”
    Duncan looked skeptically at Finn, probably thinking that this was some sort of trick, much as I was. There had to be something I wasn’t getting because Finn wouldn’t just leave me here. Sure, that’s exactly what he had done a few days ago, but that’s because leaving then was what he thought was best for me.
    “But Finn-” Duncan tried again, but Finn waved him off.
    “We must go. Her ‘brother’ will notice us soon,” Finn said.
    I glanced at my closed bedroom door, as if Matt would be lurking right there. The last time Matt and Finn had a run in it had not gone well, and I was not eager to repeat the experience.
    “Fine, but…” Duncan trailed off, realizing too late that he had nothing to threaten either of us with. He gave me another quick bow. “Princess. I’m sure we’ll meet again.”
    “We’ll see,” I shrugged.
    Duncan climbed out my bedroom window, practically falling onto the roof. Finn went behind him, helping Duncan through the window so he wouldn’t accidentally kill himself.
      After Duncan was out, he half-jumped half-fell off the roof. Finn watched him apprehensively for a moment, holding my curtain open, but he didn’t follow after immediately.
    Instead, he straightened up, looking over at me. My anger and resolution were fading. Part of me believed that Finn wouldn’t really leave things this way.
    “Once I’m out this window, lock it behind me,” Finn commanded. “Make sure all the doors are locked, and never go anywhere alone. Never go any place at night, and if at all possible, always take Matt and Rhys with you.” He looked past me for a moment, thinking of something.
    “Although neither of them are really good for much of anything…” His muttering trailed off and his dark eyes rested on mine once again. His expression was imploring, and he raised his hand as if he meant to touch my face, but he lowered it again. “You must be careful.”
    “Okay,” I promised him.
    With Finn standing right in front of me, I could feel the warmth of his body and smell his cologne. His eyes were locked on mine, and I remembered the way it felt when he tangled his fingers in my hair and held me so close to him, I couldn’t breathe.
    He was so strong and controlled. In the brief moments he allowed himself to let go of his passion with me, it was the most wonderfully suffocating feeling I’d ever had.
    I did not want him to leave, and he did not want to leave. But we had both made choices we were unwilling to change. He nodded once more, breaking eye contact, and then turned and slid out the window.
    Duncan waited by the tree, and Finn dropped gracefully to the ground. Duncan still didn’t want to leave, and Finn had to convince him to move away from the house.
    When they reached the hedges separating my lawn from the neighbors, Finn looked around, checking to make sure no one was there. Without even looking at me, he and Duncan turned and disappeared.
    I closed the window, locking it securely the way he’d said to. I felt a terrible ache watching him go. Even though he had done this kind of thing before, I couldn’t wrap my mind around Finn really leaving and convincing Duncan to leave me too. If he was so concerned about the Vittra, why would he leave me so unprotected?
    It finally dawned on me. Finn had never left me unprotected, no matter what I or anybody else wanted. As soon as he had realized I wasn’t going with him, he hadn’t wanted to waste any more time arguing. He would wait in the wings until I changed my mind or …
    I shut the curtains tightly. I hated being spied on, but I also found it strangely comforting that Finn was watching over me. After having my window open for so long, my room felt chilly, so I went over to my closet and pulled on a heavy sweater.
    The adrenaline rush from seeing Finn had left me wide awake, but I was looking forward to curling up in bed, even if I wouldn’t be able to sleep.
    I settled into