Exodus (The Ravenhood #2)

by Kate Stewart

There’s a scene in one of the Twilight movies where Bella remains unmoving in a chair—riddled in heartbreak—while staring out the window, watching the seasons pass before her eyes. And on my balcony, as the trees shed and deaden before giving new life to fresh blooms, I realized I’d lived the past three seasons of my life much the same way she did when she was deserted by love.

“There’s something you need to know.” He swallows, his frame rattling as he covers my hand on his chest, the beat beneath quickening, smashing against my palm as if trying to break free. “Your heart is not your weakness, Cecelia. It’s mine

I’m falling in love with my enemy.

“Yours. I was always supposed to be yours,” I say as he nods and crushes me with his kiss.

“After this, you want to watch a movie?” Dominic asks. “You can make that cheddar popcorn I love. We can crowd under that blanket that smells like . . . what’s that smell?” I choke on a fresh wave of fear. “Lavender,” I say as more tears stream down my cheeks. “Yeah. And I’ll let you watch a chick movie because all I really want to do is watch you watch it. Your face gets all dopey when you get love drunk.”

“We love rainy days, don’t we, baby?” Dominic’s voice drifts up as he takes a step toward Matteo.

We both know I was never going to make it to thirty, brother. Take care of her.

“I’ll find you again. I’ll find you in my dreams. We’ll have so many rainy days. I’ll find you—”

I’ve never known that kind of love before you and haven’t experienced it since. And every single day, I wonder if it meant as much to you. I couldn’t face the end of us. I still haven’t recovered from losing you, and I never will.

Wait for me my love. Until we meet again. Until we can feel the rain on both our faces. There has to be a time for us in the next life. I don’t want any part of a heaven where I don’t see you.

“I’m new in town, and I was just wondering if you knew where I could find some trouble to get into around here?”

“If you leave, I’ll come after you. If you change your mind, I’ll change it back. I’ll fight so fucking hard for you every single day, so you never question if you made the right choice.”