Ignite Me (Shatter Me, #3)

by Tahereh Mafi

“Because they’re dead, love. They’re all dead.”

“I am going to kill your father,” I say to him, “and I’m going to destroy The Reestablishment.” He’s still smiling. “I will.” “I know,” he says. “Then why are you laughing at me?” “I’m not,” he says softly. “I’m only wondering,” he says, “if you would like my help.”

“There are three things you should know about me, love.” He steps forward. “The first,” he says, “is that I hate my father more than you might ever be capable of understanding.” He clears his throat. “Second, is that I am an unapologetically selfish person, who, in almost every situation, makes decisions based entirely on self-interest. And third.” A pause as he looks down. Laughs a little. “I never had any intention of using you as a weapon.”

There’s a strange kind of freedom in the dark; a terrifying vulnerability we allow ourselves at exactly the wrong moment, tricked by the darkness into thinking it will keep our secrets. We forget that the blackness is not a blanket; we forget that the sun will soon rise. But in the moment, at least, we feel brave enough to say things we’d never say in the light.

Warner nods, unimpressed. “You should get a dog, love. I hear they share much the same qualities.”

“You want me,” he says softly, his hands moving up my back, “and it’s killing you.”

“Come back to life, love. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Come out here, love. It’s rude to eavesdrop.”

But the most obvious answer,” he says, exhaling, “is that I stayed because I was able to see you every day.”

“Be very careful how you speak to me, Adam. I won’t tolerate your insults again.”

You go girl!!!!!!!

“I love you,” I whisper. “I love you exactly as you are.” Warner is looking at me like he might be going deaf and blind at the same time. “No,” he gasps. One broken, broken word. Barely even a sound. He’s shaking his head and he’s looking away from me and his hand is caught in his hair, his body turned toward the table and he says “No. No, no—” “Aaron—” “No,” he says, backing away. “No, you don’t know what you’re saying—” “I love you,” I tell him again. “I love you and I want you and I wanted you then,” I say to him, “I wanted you so much and I still want you, I want you right now—”

“Ignite, my love. Ignite.”

“Juliette, love,” he says to me, still holding my eyes. “You have just started a war.”