Christian was still fuming by the time we got back to his house. His dad was gone for the week, which was good for us, because we needed some time alone to talk about things.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ppF51RfFs
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6WIKJS1VI
"I cannot believe her, your own mother," he snapped as he put me down on the couch. "How could she say all those nasty things to you, and then go and hit you like it was nothing? I mean, fuck, Kendall! Aren't you even mad at her?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszFcf7gts4
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCwRc9cIC8
"Of course I'm mad at her," I said, glancing at him. "I'm just choosing to not express it as volatile as you are."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmaTx5rgTv
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGK66pRy7s6
"It's frustrating to see you go through all of this and not react," he said as he sat next to me. Then he hugged me close, his lips pressed into my hair. "I think your session with Dr. Alder tomorrow is going to take longer than usual."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kz74ivtOK
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPURgOFeClc
"I don't think I'm going," I murmured. "I don't want to have to see her, take up her time, with every little bad thing that happens. She can't help with my mom, or the dreams, or even what happened with Jude."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ397Ls6MZDK
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaynIijIRDh
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmnrqMCTII
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7A5iZRB497
I bit my lip, mentally cursing myself, and took a breath. "He's been watching me." No use telling him about the kiss. "He said he was paid a lot of money to get information on me. I didn't meet him on accident."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHwUwBhvTh
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnGSaHNsKd
For a few minutes, Christian didn't speak. His silence was sometimes worse than his words, and this time I didn't blame him for being quiet. I wouldn't have known what to say if I were him. I closed my eyes and waited. Waited for him to start cursing and screaming. Waited for his horrible temper. Waited for him to break something.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHZSxQh2W0
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRvxQBWWEF
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEXjUecHIB
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpHO7uysGe
"I really wanted to." I shrugged, glancing at him. I reached out and gripped his hand, squeezing his fingers. I was grateful when he returned the gesture. "But I was too stunned to do anything, especially after I found the pictures."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJw2GshT0o
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXd8dpKfEnp
This time he looked at me, his eyes narrowing, darkening. His grip on my hand tightened before he growled, "What pictures, Kendall? What the fuck is going on?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YaNlFX71u
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHT4hif6SXC
"They're just of me. Nothing too creepy. But whoever wanted information on me probably wanted to know what I looked like, too. Ugh." I placed my head in my hands and shook it. "This is all so weird. First the letters, then this. What's next?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvtq5zrPcq
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3aBBj6WSe
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdoVbOkrkN
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeC0lLXOJa
I looked away from his face, unable to tell him the biggest secret. The wounds I'd suffered through all of this had been too much, and I just needed to calm down before I told him anything else. I laid my head against his chest and closed my eyes, said I needed a minute, and tried my best to relax.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiUPwLAMUZ
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYLYF2V5Ny
The next time I opened my eyes, it was dark out. I lifted my head and looked around the quiet room. When I didn't feel him beside me or hear him breathing, I started to get up. Since it was pitch black, I didn't see the ottoman in front of me, so I tripped over it, landing on the floor. I let out a shriek and watched one of the lights in another part of the house turn on.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyEIpETKPt
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwKvR0rflX
"Are you okay?" Christian's shadow loomed in front of the light from the kitchen, and as he bent down, his body swallowed the glow. He touched my head, my hair, my cheeks and lips. Then he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Oc03bZGGw
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BbQ2HsoXk
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSeRdo957G
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1pti6P5Xkh
Even in the darkness, I could feel him smiling when he said, "That's typical of you. Are you ready to tell me your other secret now?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAcREnBl5B
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6iioOlXJA
Before I replied, I heard a soft vibration. My phone. I could see it trembling, the light from the screen illuminating the other side of the couch. I reached for it, flipped it open, and read the message.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISrdthumGb
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPxbZAQVbQ
One New Message From: Unknown Number530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnIQufms6O
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxblcMWGoLn
Turn on the news.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6rR0m4IPv
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy75Foh2LGy
When I found the remote and hit the power button, the TV flooded with white light at first, then a voice spoke. It sent chills down my spine.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpamuTC1MwQ
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGO1KAonpp
"The body of a local teen was found in this clearing behind me. Authorities believe the body to be that of missing boy, Jared Davis. No further details can be provided at this time."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QYrSC2raN
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GR5xW45fn
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkWEzwaDoc
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74H4TS0RZd
Christian was gone.