Read Ignite Me for Free Online Page B

knickknacks.
    But suddenly it all makes sense.
    His bedroom doesn’t mean anything to him. It’s little more than a place to sleep. But his closet—that was his style, his design. It’s probably the only space he cares about in this room.
    It makes me wonder what the inside of his office looks like, and my eyes dart to his door before I remember how he’s locked himself inside.
    I stifle a sigh and head toward the bathroom, planning to shower, change, and fall asleep immediately. This day felt more like a few years, and I’m ready to be done with it. Hopefully tomorrow we’ll be able to head back to Omega Point and finally make some progress.
    But no matter what happens next, and no matter what we discover, I’m determined to find my way to Anderson, even if I have to go alone.

NINE
    I can’t scream.
    My lungs won’t expand. My breaths keep coming in short gasps. My chest feels too tight and my throat is closing up and I’m trying to shout and I can’t, I can’t stop wheezing, thrashing my arms and trying desperately to breathe but the effort is futile. No one can hear me. No one will ever know that I’m dying, that there’s a hole in my chest filling with blood and pain and such unbearable agony and there’s so much of it, so much blood, hot and pooling around me and I can’t, I can’t, I can’t breathe —
    “Juliette— Juliette , love, wake up— wake up —”
    I jerk up so quickly I double over. I’m heaving in deep, harsh, gasping breaths, so overcome, so relieved to be able to get oxygen into my lungs that I can’t speak, can’t do anything but try to inhale as much as possible. My whole body is shaking, my skin is clammy, going from hot to cold too quickly. I can’t steady myself, can’t stop the silent tears, can’t shake the nightmare, can’t shake the memory.
    I can’t stop gasping for air.
    Warner’s hands cup my face. The warmth of his skin helps calm me somehow, and I finally feel my heart rate begin to slow. “Look at me,” he says.

    I force myself to meet his eyes, shaking as I catch my breath.
    “It’s okay,” he whispers, still holding my cheeks. “It was just a bad dream. Try closing your mouth,” he says, “and breathing through your nose.” He nods. “There you go. Easy. You’re okay.” His voice is so soft, so melodic, so inexplicably tender.
    I can’t look away from his eyes. I’m afraid to blink, afraid to be pulled back into my nightmare.
    “I won’t let go until you’re ready,” he tells me. “Don’t worry. Take your time.”
    I close my eyes. I feel my heart slow to a normal beat. My muscles begin to unclench, my hands steady their tremble. And even though I’m not actively crying, I can’t stop the tears from streaming down my face. But then something in my body breaks, crumples from the inside, and I’m suddenly so exhausted I can no longer hold myself up.
    Somehow, Warner seems to understand.
    He helps me sit back on the bed, pulls the blankets up around my shoulders. I’m shivering, wiping away the last of my tears. Warner runs a hand over my hair. “It’s okay,” he says softly. “You’re okay.”
    “Aren’t y-you going to sleep, too?” I stammer, wondering what time it is. I notice he’s still fully dressed.
    “I . . . yes,” he says. Even in this dim light I can see the surprise in his eyes. “Eventually. I don’t often go to bed this early.”

    “Oh.” I blink, breathing a little easier now. “What time is it?”
    “Two o’clock in the morning.”
    It’s my turn to be surprised. “Don’t we have to be up in a few hours?”
    “Yes.” The ghost of a smile touches his lips. “But I’m almost never able to fall asleep when I should. I can’t seem to turn my mind off,” he says, grinning at me for only a moment longer before he turns to leave.
    “Stay.”
    The word escapes my lips even before I’ve had a chance to think it through. I’m not sure why I’ve said it. Maybe because it’s late and I’m still