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.PENANAsmMV16RIHL
501Please respect copyright.PENANASIk21eOdwW
"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.PENANAjpWG2jlAJI
501Please respect copyright.PENANAsZTr7pH3MI
"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.PENANAJubQHnh00m
501Please respect copyright.PENANAa8hKbkCmL4
"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.PENANA8lhsrxrIvP
501Please respect copyright.PENANAW36y7K7Zyp
"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.PENANA6fWN4dBoq5
501Please respect copyright.PENANAcAgARq0WDA
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"501Please respect copyright.PENANA04vn1DGgEP
501Please respect copyright.PENANAIX5IsQqosZ
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.PENANAHhUDooF5dw
501Please respect copyright.PENANASL1WaA22WJ
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.PENANAhI7b9vcABn
501Please respect copyright.PENANApRqKQctgZW
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"501Please respect copyright.PENANAf2YADQuoSK
501Please respect copyright.PENANAzIRegJAe6F
"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.PENANAy9Tf6Jef5o
501Please respect copyright.PENANAm7DtNjZl8m
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.PENANAceZNRh35oV
501Please respect copyright.PENANAR5kmvFXi1p
"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.PENANAJmNParK5aX
501Please respect copyright.PENANA5yHnGB8mWy
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."501Please respect copyright.PENANAnAFrMEezq3
501Please respect copyright.PENANAEUha8kUUF9
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.PENANAKsPQYZ8wXL
501Please respect copyright.PENANAl7QVVyJdHC
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.PENANAKNwl4bKGe1
501Please respect copyright.PENANANnLZxqvWFx
"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.PENANANve4olnFMw
501Please respect copyright.PENANAsdZb3HOcab
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."501Please respect copyright.PENANAUcn2hdHTuR
501Please respect copyright.PENANAtLlQkdugLE
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.PENANAatfKwJFYr3
501Please respect copyright.PENANASgY88KAUTW
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.PENANA3kJhLoGuIy
501Please respect copyright.PENANAtQex7wOTsf
One New Message From: Unknown Number501Please respect copyright.PENANAKqPXdchs9H
501Please respect copyright.PENANA5hk7OsbW3i
Turn on the news.501Please respect copyright.PENANAvwT4oYXwxW
501Please respect copyright.PENANAUiwLSsiWRn
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.PENANA0Q56NsZspD
501Please respect copyright.PENANA2FVjtaUixL
"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.PENANA0CAUppMDUU
501Please respect copyright.PENANAFrEWgL3JAM
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.501Please respect copyright.PENANA4ZAj8vgUOI
501Please respect copyright.PENANAUII4L3PpN2
Christian was gone.
ns216.73.216.175da2 501Please respect copyright.PENANASIk21eOdwW
"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.PENANAjpWG2jlAJI
501Please respect copyright.PENANAsZTr7pH3MI
"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.PENANAJubQHnh00m
501Please respect copyright.PENANAa8hKbkCmL4
"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.PENANA8lhsrxrIvP
501Please respect copyright.PENANAW36y7K7Zyp
"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.PENANA6fWN4dBoq5
501Please respect copyright.PENANAcAgARq0WDA
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"501Please respect copyright.PENANA04vn1DGgEP
501Please respect copyright.PENANAIX5IsQqosZ
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.PENANAHhUDooF5dw
501Please respect copyright.PENANASL1WaA22WJ
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.PENANAhI7b9vcABn
501Please respect copyright.PENANApRqKQctgZW
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"501Please respect copyright.PENANAf2YADQuoSK
501Please respect copyright.PENANAzIRegJAe6F
"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.PENANAy9Tf6Jef5o
501Please respect copyright.PENANAm7DtNjZl8m
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.PENANAceZNRh35oV
501Please respect copyright.PENANAR5kmvFXi1p
"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.PENANAJmNParK5aX
501Please respect copyright.PENANA5yHnGB8mWy
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."501Please respect copyright.PENANAnAFrMEezq3
501Please respect copyright.PENANAEUha8kUUF9
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.PENANAKsPQYZ8wXL
501Please respect copyright.PENANAl7QVVyJdHC
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.PENANAKNwl4bKGe1
501Please respect copyright.PENANANnLZxqvWFx
"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.PENANANve4olnFMw
501Please respect copyright.PENANAsdZb3HOcab
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."501Please respect copyright.PENANAUcn2hdHTuR
501Please respect copyright.PENANAtLlQkdugLE
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.PENANAatfKwJFYr3
501Please respect copyright.PENANASgY88KAUTW
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.PENANA3kJhLoGuIy
501Please respect copyright.PENANAtQex7wOTsf
One New Message From: Unknown Number501Please respect copyright.PENANAKqPXdchs9H
501Please respect copyright.PENANA5hk7OsbW3i
Turn on the news.501Please respect copyright.PENANAvwT4oYXwxW
501Please respect copyright.PENANAUiwLSsiWRn
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.PENANA0Q56NsZspD
501Please respect copyright.PENANA2FVjtaUixL
"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.PENANA0CAUppMDUU
501Please respect copyright.PENANAFrEWgL3JAM
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.501Please respect copyright.PENANA4ZAj8vgUOI
501Please respect copyright.PENANAUII4L3PpN2
Christian was gone.
501Please respect copyright.PENANAowuCKQ6Y4M