Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1)(10)
Author: Cambria Hebert

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“This isn’t your fault, Hev.”

“Help me up?”

He lifted me up and onto my feet with ease. When he pulled back I swayed a little, and he came back, anchoring his arm around me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

My eyes went back to Kimber and Sam. I watched as he gently tried to detangle himself from her and then push her aside. The pain in my chest eased considerably when they were no longer touching. Sam seemed more interested in my conversation with Cole and was staring between us with that unreadable expression he did so well. I looked up at Cole. “I’m fine.”

“Need a ride home?” he whispered.

I nodded. “I want to go.” I was extremely sorry I came at all.

Kimber was beside me instantly. “You know I didn’t mean to push you.”

“I know.”

“I would have died if you’d gotten hurt! Thankfully, Sam has some bad ass reflexes and pulled you out of the way.”

Sam saved me from the fire? It happened so fast that I wasn’t sure what had happened.

I pulled Kimber’s keys out of my pocket and stepped out from beneath Cole’s arm. I held them out to her. “You’ll be okay to drive?”

She stared at me for a few seconds like she couldn’t believe I wanted to leave. I wasn’t sure what I would have done if she’d said no. But I knew I couldn’t stay here, but I would worry if I left and knew she wouldn’t be safe…

“I’ll make sure she gets home safe.” Sam’s husky voice made me shiver and then he touched me. It was a simple, insignificant brush of his hand as he took the keys from my palm, but I would remember that one second contact with him like it was my first kiss.

Every single nerve in my arm tingled, and my skin burned. Every coherent thought I might have had completely faded away. I stared at him, entranced by his hazel stare, caught by the golden highlights that sparked through his eyes. “Uh…”

His mouth opened and broke the spell. “You okay?”

I just knew that my face was glowing from embarrassment. Geez, he said two words, and I practically fell at his feet drooling. He must think I am pathetic. I let my head fall so my hair would curtain my face. “Thanks,” I mumbled, as my eyes focused on something…I gasped and grabbed Sam’s arm. “Are you all right?”

“It’s nothing,” he said, gently trying to pull his arm away.

I wouldn’t let him. I stared at his leather jacket, which was burned all the way through. I brushed my finger over the hole; the fabric was still hot. My fingers grazed the skin of his arm. I sucked in my breath and dared a glance up at him. He was watching me intently, and I forgot what I was going to say. “Y-y-your shirt is…the fire burned through your jacket and shirt.”

He grasped my fingers and removed them from his arm. “Forget it.”

Did he reach into the fire to get me? Would I be burned right now if he hadn’t put his arm in the way of the flames? “Are you all right? Are you burned?”

He cleared his throat and shot a nervous glance to the people gathered around. “I’m fine. No burns.” He held up his arm, pushing back his ruined sleeve. His skin was completely unmarked.

“Oh,” I mumbled, feeling embarrassed yet again. How many more times would I humiliate myself before I left? “Well, thank you–” I took a step back toward Cole. “–for pulling me out of the way.”

It seemed like he might say something, but Kimber spoke first. “It’s a shame Jenna wasn’t as lucky.”

I turned and watched Jenna being led away by her henchmen and dismissed her. She would be fine. Girls like her always were.

“Heven?” Cole asked, touching my shoulder. “Ready?”

He and Kimber completely ignored each other. “Yeah, just a second.” I turned back to where Sam was standing, hoping to hear whatever he might have said.

He was gone.

The interior of the truck was dark and cool. I didn’t mind either. It gave me an excuse to huddle into my jacket and not worry that my facial expressions would give away my sour mood. It bothered me that Sam and Kimber were together right now. I wondered what they were doing…

“Sometimes I wonder why I bother.” Cole said quietly.

I glanced over his way. The dashboard lights cast a glow over his strong features. His jaw was set, and his brow was creased but even so he was attractive. His dark hair was mussed, but not the kind of mussed that guys do now on purpose. His was like that because he didn’t care what it looked like. His brilliant blue eyes were staring out at the road, slightly squinting when he looked at a sign. I found that little detail endeared him to me. It kind of reminded me that we were all human and we all had flaws. The skin of his face was pulled taunt over strong cheekbones and a square jaw. His lips were pressed into a flat line.

“Bother with what?” I asked just as quietly as he had.

“With Kimber.”

“I’m sorry about the way she’s treating you, Cole.” I probably shouldn’t say that or anything else against my best friend, but then I got a vivid flash of Kimber pressing herself into Sam and him lowering his face towards her…I squeezed my eyes shut and blurted, “She really is acting like a bitch.”

As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them. Talking trash behind Kimber’s back made me as bad as her. “I didn’t mean that.” I rushed out.

Cole glanced at me and laughed. He had a dimple in his cheek. “I won’t tell.” He winked at me before returning his eyes back to the road. “Besides right now I would have to agree.”

“You really hurt her.” I said, trying to make amends with my own guilty conscience for what I said.

“Do you think I like seeing her with that other guy?”

“I guess not,” I mumbled. He turned onto my street and I felt a wave of relief.

“Sometimes I think it might be easier just to date someone who isn’t so…” his words trailed off.

“You’ll never find anyone like Kimber.” I said loyal to my friend even while I asked myself why I should since she was with Sam. Clearly her loyalty to me wasn’t as strong as I thought.

He pulled up to the curb at my house and shifted in his seat to look at me. “I’m not so sure about that.”

Something about the way he said it and the look on his face made me swallow hard. “I should get inside.”