Ashes to Flames by Nichelle Gregory Read Free Book Online Page A

into the wall, punching easily through the painted surface.
    “Jai!” Sabria rushed to his side, took hold of his bruised, bloodied hand. She lifted her other hand to touch the side of Jai’s face. The moisture glistening in his eyes brought tears to her own. “I’m so sorry, Jai. I’m so, so sorry.”
    “She died because of me, Sabria.” He met her gaze and Sabria wondered if she’d ever see the familiar light and joy in them again. “She died because of me.”
    Sabria let go of Jai’s injured hand to cup his face with both hands. “Jai, listen to me…what has happened is beyond tragic. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain you are in right now, but you’ve got to know this isn’t your fault. It was an accident, a terrible accident.”
    “One that never would’ve happened if she’d never gotten involved with me .” The storm in his eyes hurt her soul.
    “Jai, please listen to me. Meeting and connecting with Melanie was a chance encounter you both found mutual pleasure and joy from. You didn’t know our secret. Your relationship was a series of unexpected happenings that you and she could not be held accountable for. The moment you knew it couldn’t work you went to her.” She searched his face for understanding, but only saw emptiness in his eyes.
    “I let her down,” Jai said, pulling away from her.
    He went into the kitchen, took out a clean dish towel and wet it beneath the faucet. Sabria went to his side, took the towel from his hand and wrung it out. She carefully wrapped the cool towel around his hurt hand.
    “Melanie wanted you in her life. That was her choice. Always her choice.”
    “A choice she wouldn’t have made had she known the truth.”
    “ You didn’t know the truth.”
    “That doesn’t make me blameless, Sabria!”
    The fury in his voice made her jump. He pulled from her grasp and went over to stand in front of his fireplace. Nothing but the crack of the wood in the fire could be heard for several long minutes.
    Sabria wiped away the tears she hadn’t even known had fallen before shedding the shawl around her shoulders. “Jai, you couldn’t have stopped Melanie from falling for you when you had no idea who or what you are.”
    “She needed me.”
    Sabria crossed the hardwood floor to place her hand on the corded muscles in Jai’s back. His skin felt dangerously hot beneath her fingertips “She needed you and you were there for her. We don’t get to choose our destiny, Jai.” She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face against his back. “I’m truly sorry Melanie is gone and I hate to see you in so much pain. I know you probably need some space, but we’re running out of time, Jai, and I need you.”

Chapter Five
    Jai felt Sabria’s tears on his back before he pulled away to face her. “Melanie’s funeral is taking place in less than an hour. I need to be there.”
    Sabria gave him an understanding nod. “Okay. I’ll go with you.”
    “No. I need to do this, say goodbye. Alone.” Jai saw the hurt in Sabria’s eyes when his words came out harsher than intended, but he was in too much pain himself to even attempt to smooth things over. “I’m going to take a shower and go.”
    “All right,” Sabria said, stepping back from him. She tore her gaze from his to glance at the timekeeper, but not before Jai saw the sheen of more tears in her eyes.
    “How much time is left?” Jai asked, wishing he could just hold her the way he wanted to if guilt and heartache wasn’t weighing every inch of him down.
    Sabria glanced at her watch and shrugged. “This thing never gives the precise moment we’re out of time, but I’d say roughly less than twelve hours, maybe less. We’ve never waited this long to reignite our bond. I’ll just go back to my hotel.”
    “Stay here and wait for me,” Jai said, not wanting her to leave. His ravenous desire for her and the conflicting sadness making him want to push her away was tearing at his mind, driving him a