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.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTmY2BYIFI
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZCwpayScF
"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?"501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnDq15bjSF
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyr0Bk40Cf2
"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."501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBxKZjjQRv
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomWOHJBJIv
"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."501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EYnrIhvGd
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTwXvpkDcK
"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."501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LCxFJgvuC
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4big5bqAt
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwmewI7Btz
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8vcpFFFlR
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."501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKCpHkh6xD
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrpVlg4Qxb
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.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBn3MyNVUTm
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4COgE8cylq
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxa6QSwLbDN
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvgiNOdSwt
"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."501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuITUH6bGm
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVrCj35PRn
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?"501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2gP9Tjg9n
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQphbekcsxG
"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?"501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡza3AQDhw8Y
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJORAzGwBH
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnyh4ZxjJc
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3y7I1aPvor
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.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy09hopLxmD
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVcr5Wjo8b
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.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2dOe6umcV
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oLV8jIaWK
"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.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmS3nvNHd09
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSSMA35mNQ
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmiD8kqjej
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYPynpTqPc
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?"501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7kgMDJbKj
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOEK2jjfjP
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.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oT8xHRH4f
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8w740lktG
One New Message From: Unknown Number501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdYl6PoF8c
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6l4pnwSAT
Turn on the news.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jjq1KSY5V
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO32gkb3U0Q
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.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDxIai96Fx
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7cyV6qWKmW
"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."501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLD9dO9aLCX
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gdYle4L03
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHSZMGgk5E
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OSnvisfyK
Christian was gone.