We drove home in silence, but I knew Christian wasn’t okay with what just happened. But this was better than him screaming at me like he had planned to before he realized how he sounded.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7mVST8BYI
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmRxdQHEei
“Are we going to talk about this?” I asked, glancing over at him.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnj6tGercw
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHP613Ij98D
He blinked and said, “I think we should. We should have a special first date since you agreed to go out with me.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkGbgFVecm
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcxItwoWFU
“Since you badgered me, you mean? Wait, wait, that’s not what I was talking about. I hate when you do that.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8RkdQcjZZ
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFiLmiGrW9
The smallest of muscle twitches in Christian’s jaw indicated what I knew was coming. I was prepared for the yelling, because he had this stupid short-temper. But what I wasn’t prepared for was him pulling the car over and stopping.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSBHPfPWjB
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RcC58gQkg
“Do you even want to go out with me?”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxh8vdN5RNH
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOItVSXXn24
I stared at him, my eyes wide. “Why would you ask me that? If I didn’t I’d say so.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡih0MzoVXQd
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncXipbIXNX
“Then why,” he started, his eyes connecting with mine, “did you say yes now? Why not days ago when you were going through stuff and I kissed you?”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmypZvw1SO
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUDiUystkZ
“Why does any of this matter?” I snapped. “I said yes and you’re getting what you wanted. Aren’t you happy?”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpEMU9NNAw
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6F77nW7HoL
“I just want to know―”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WiCU6Cv5B
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bjZzreEiN
“Fine!” I shouted, startling him. “Do you really want to know? I thought if I ignored how I felt about you that it would make things better, but it’s not. Every time you kiss or touch me, I want to cry; because I’m scared of what you’ll think of me when you know the truth.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrcIm4ZceW
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2cGdqv9Ag
All I could hear after the last word left my mouth was his breathing, even and paced, and the sound of my heart pounding in my ears. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe. I didn’t want him to go away. He was my only safe place.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwAoZBJ9TI
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2n4seU3S4b
“I told you I was going to help you,” he said softly, gazing at me. He undid his seatbelt and reached for me, crushing my body against his in a brutal hug. “You’re the only good thing I have, Kendall. I’m going to keep you whether you want to be kept or not.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHTM2O8fwr
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYANI0HqLa
I closed my eyes as I laid my head against his chest.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiaUICrUyz2
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436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FnfQ6os6r
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡva4q34Q3VC
The next time my eyes opened, I was screaming. I was screaming and crying into the darkness with no idea of where I was. Staggering up, I stumbled; panic seizing my chest, across what I hoped was a room. I felt out in front of me for a wall.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosyJZwRQEj
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyb9vl6z40m
Somewhere, a door let in footsteps. When it closed, the person drew closer. Hands reached out and pulled me close, holding me so that I stopped trembling. The screams had stopped but I hardly noticed.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6jp84YHcv
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbLTCZQ8ID
“It’s okay,” a voice said. “Come on and sit down. Jesus.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCuUNHZzhu
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsukf1E69uP
I could feel my body starting to shut down. I slid away from the shadow and fell onto the floor, trying to calm down.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIyyZW9LWV
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZYfjTImEO
“Kendall.” The voice was so full of concern, and as he wrapped his hands around me, I knew who he was. “You have to tell me what happened.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpFbT9kVu9
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS47X0bzk30
He was so close I could feel him, so I touched where his face was, and drew his lips toward mine. He didn’t resist as I kissed him, my fingers tangling in his dark hair. I heard him sigh contently as he kissed back.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1F8BGv90w
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHYOX0ykOR
“You’re safe,” Christian whispered against my mouth. “I’m not going to let anything hurt you.”436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrX2tcpfH7
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QS1sp1Sr5
I wish he knew how false his promise was. 436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfAROApUCW
