Igniting Cinder (The Lost Girls, #3)

by Holly Roberds

“But you aren’t alone, Cinder,” he says. “I’ll help you find out what happened. You can trust me.” “Trust.” The wry laugh sucks the energy from me again and I sink further back into the bed. “You know trust is earned right? And I don’t think there is enough time in this lifetime for that to build between us.” The exhaustion and weakness make my tongue loose. “We can make a good team,” he insists. Kai takes my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. I meet his gaze. For a moment, I almost believe him. I almost let myself hope that he means it. But then I snort, pulling my hand away. “I doubt it,” I say, my voice hard. “You're the playboy prince, remember? You don't do commitment or trust.” I bite into the second spice roll though the sugar is making my teeth tingle. Kai's jaw tightens, but he doesn't argue. He stands up, running a hand through his hair. “Get some rest,” he says, his voice clipped. “We'll talk more tomorrow.” He turns to go, but pauses at the door and looks at me over his shoulder. “You're wrong about me, Cinder,” he says softly. “I'm not who you think I am.” Something about the way he says it makes me think he doesn’t even know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. And with that he's gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts, a red hue, and the growing realization that when it comes to Prince Kaison Charming, I might not know anything at all.