Dark Hearts (Light in the Dark 3)

“How long is the flight?” I ask.

“I don’t know,” she admits. “We’re flying to Florida, so I figure it’s a long one. I haven’t checked for sure because I don’t want to know yet. It’s best if I’m kept in the dark until we’re in the air.”

I laugh—for some reason finding that hysterical. “I’ll hold your hand,” I tell her, half-joking and half-serious. If she’s that scared and wants to hold my hand, she can consider it hers.

“Thanks. I might take you up on that.”

And that’s when I know that Nova really is afraid of flying. I mean, I didn’t doubt her before, but now it’s obvious just how bad her fear is. Nova avoids physical contact like it’s the plague. At least with me.

“Are you mad about missing class Monday?” I ask her. Xander’s game is Sunday and we’re flying in Friday night, but our flight out isn’t until Monday morning. I know how Nova feels about attendance. For someone that screams rebel with her appearance, she really hates breaking rules.

“I’m a little irritated, but it’s the beginning of the semester so it should be fine.” She finishes her sandwich and starts on the fries. That’s one thing that fascinates me about Nova. She has to eat everything on her plate one at a time. So, she’ll eat her whole sandwich first and then eat her fries or whatever else might be there. I, on the other hand, go after everything like I expect someone to snatch the plate out from under me.

“Florida,” I repeat. “Should be fun.”

Hot girls. Bikinis. Ass. Boobs. Skin.

She shrugs. “I suppose so.”

I glance over at her, and in that moment, I make it my mission to make sure she has the best damn time of her life.

Jace

“I can’t feel my hand,” I hiss.

“Do I look like I fucking care?” Nova snaps back. She’s white as a sheet. So white that I can count each individual freckle speckled across her cheeks and nose.

We took off two hours ago, but it’s been a bumpy ass flight and poor Nova looks like she wishes she could jump out the window to her death. She’s that miserable.

“We’re

almost there,” I lie.

“Liar,” she hisses immediately.

I sigh. I tried.

Behind us is Cade and Rae and then on the other side of the aisle beside us is Thea and Xander’s mom. His dad wanted to come, but couldn’t make it work today so he’s flying in tomorrow with their daughter—Xander’s older sister.

Xander still doesn’t know that any of us are coming.

I think he’ll be happy, but on the other hand it might make him more stressed.

Guess we’re going to find out.

We hit another bout of turbulence and Nova turns green.

“I’m going to be sick,” she cries suddenly, wrenching her hand from mine. My hand immediately goes numb from the sudden return of blood flow.

I watch Nova hurry down the aisle to the bathroom instead of reaching for a barf bag.

“Go after her,” Thea hisses. “Make sure she’s okay.”

“You do it,” I snap.

She shakes her head. “She likes you more. She’ll bitch at me if I go.”

She’s probably right.