The Last She by H. J. Nelson

Author:H. J. Nelson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Published: 2021-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Eighteen—Ara

The next day, I stood beside Addison in the kitchen, kneading my bread and staring into the flames of the kitchen fire. I’d lain awake all night thinking about Gabriel’s kiss, and his promise. I knew exactly what Gabriel wanted from me, and there was no way I was going to give it to him. But I also wondered if it were a coincidence that the same day he promised me my freedom he also kissed me. Was this the catch I was looking for? Because the longer I stayed here, and the more I gave to Gabriel, the less I felt like myself. First it was a kiss, but what came after that? How far was I willing to go to buy my freedom? Maybe I was a fool to trust him and instead of waiting for spring I should make my escape now.

And maybe, strangest of all, was the thought that when Gabriel kissed me, I’d wished that it had been a different man kissing me, one with green eyes and an easy smile. If I left this place, I wouldn’t for a moment look back, but I thought often of Kaden, Sam, and Issac. I hoped they were well, and together, laughing and joking in some place better than this hellhole.

“Something wrong?” Addison’s voice surprised me; I’d almost forgotten she was there.

“No, of course not. Why would you say that?”

“Because it looks like you’re trying to murder that bread.”

My hands paused, abandoning the bread for a moment. “Addison, your brother told me that he would let me leave when spring comes, what do you think of that?”

She shook her head slowly, a confused look in her gray eyes—striking even in this sunless place. “But why would you want to leave at all?” she finally said. “We’re safe down here.”

“Because there’s more to life than being safe,” I nearly shouted. Like the wind running through your hair or the smell of pine on a cold mountain breeze. Like the gaze of a man who made you tremble.

“What about you and Gabriel?”

I froze, and now I was the one who couldn’t make eye contact. “What about us?”

“Aren’t you guys . . .” She gave a suggestive tilt of the head.

I shook my head fervently, not believing I could blush this much in front of a child.

“So you’ve never . . .”

I regretted bringing this up at all. “Well, he kissed me, but—” I was almost knocked sideways by Addison crashing into me. She wrapped her arms around my middle, crushing me.

“I knew it! It’s so obvious from the way he looks at you! I always wanted a sister!” Heat flooded my face, and I tried to push her away.

“Addison, stop, please, it’s not like that.”

A sudden determined look came over her face. She grinned. “Oh really? Come with me.”

She pulled me out of the kitchen, and I laughed, a bit flabbergasted. We practically ran down the hallway, and this time she took me into a small closet. The back of the closet was paneled wood, but she dug her fingers into the paneling and pulled.

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