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.503Please respect copyright.PENANApRF3wAu3cc
503Please respect copyright.PENANAMmphUpnNt2
"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?"503Please respect copyright.PENANAEmIF5NxIw1
503Please respect copyright.PENANAtRKbJhtzaY
"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."503Please respect copyright.PENANAjHzg07QKSj
503Please respect copyright.PENANA7RCpdSOXSt
"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."503Please respect copyright.PENANAM48V446Gq0
503Please respect copyright.PENANAo5GMJoAuJb
"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."503Please respect copyright.PENANATni0odFrQN
503Please respect copyright.PENANArcl4ALAGCQ
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"503Please respect copyright.PENANAuvYGKXeVh3
503Please respect copyright.PENANAwDo6ocqu4l
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."503Please respect copyright.PENANAPi6Ed3NMHm
503Please respect copyright.PENANAXsO2yxcP0T
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.503Please respect copyright.PENANAnbJZzvHFY0
503Please respect copyright.PENANAQAnqzDAk5G
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"503Please respect copyright.PENANAwIVa6KcHe0
503Please respect copyright.PENANAAE2egDo1nQ
"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."503Please respect copyright.PENANAmK0z1bBZm7
503Please respect copyright.PENANAwHdfxzHbBf
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?"503Please respect copyright.PENANA9Zu1On1bLA
503Please respect copyright.PENANAQ34MkRQfH6
"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?"503Please respect copyright.PENANAK5dZA7MLRw
503Please respect copyright.PENANAIOsSiuAOV1
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."503Please respect copyright.PENANADsiaLKT99t
503Please respect copyright.PENANAKt76YSpYKH
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.503Please respect copyright.PENANA1hPuxaPcTC
503Please respect copyright.PENANAn0p4LXFGNA
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.503Please respect copyright.PENANAkX8GyqQJc0
503Please respect copyright.PENANAvB7MpYLmjF
"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.503Please respect copyright.PENANART9bbPigcA
503Please respect copyright.PENANAnVqcqHoz4V
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."503Please respect copyright.PENANA0NWF9l1Csj
503Please respect copyright.PENANAmjVHatmT26
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?"503Please respect copyright.PENANAA4BwkOBCaA
503Please respect copyright.PENANApRXE4ujSNq
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.503Please respect copyright.PENANAA0UGinEzcN
503Please respect copyright.PENANAovwblcCFPN
One New Message From: Unknown Number503Please respect copyright.PENANA9LFrAERlH6
503Please respect copyright.PENANAvuCVwS2bbL
Turn on the news.503Please respect copyright.PENANA4zn7a30aNx
503Please respect copyright.PENANA73jGlu1l79
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.503Please respect copyright.PENANAsO56UMjAkW
503Please respect copyright.PENANATUUUsQUmyo
"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."503Please respect copyright.PENANAu4gLRV6Tmj
503Please respect copyright.PENANAQkJCsM7dcY
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.503Please respect copyright.PENANAMG4A7atcI2
503Please respect copyright.PENANA3Pr5HUmmnO
Christian was gone.
ns216.73.216.239da2 503Please respect copyright.PENANAMmphUpnNt2
"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?"503Please respect copyright.PENANAEmIF5NxIw1
503Please respect copyright.PENANAtRKbJhtzaY
"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."503Please respect copyright.PENANAjHzg07QKSj
503Please respect copyright.PENANA7RCpdSOXSt
"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."503Please respect copyright.PENANAM48V446Gq0
503Please respect copyright.PENANAo5GMJoAuJb
"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."503Please respect copyright.PENANATni0odFrQN
503Please respect copyright.PENANArcl4ALAGCQ
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"503Please respect copyright.PENANAuvYGKXeVh3
503Please respect copyright.PENANAwDo6ocqu4l
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."503Please respect copyright.PENANAPi6Ed3NMHm
503Please respect copyright.PENANAXsO2yxcP0T
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.503Please respect copyright.PENANAnbJZzvHFY0
503Please respect copyright.PENANAQAnqzDAk5G
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"503Please respect copyright.PENANAwIVa6KcHe0
503Please respect copyright.PENANAAE2egDo1nQ
"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."503Please respect copyright.PENANAmK0z1bBZm7
503Please respect copyright.PENANAwHdfxzHbBf
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?"503Please respect copyright.PENANA9Zu1On1bLA
503Please respect copyright.PENANAQ34MkRQfH6
"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?"503Please respect copyright.PENANAK5dZA7MLRw
503Please respect copyright.PENANAIOsSiuAOV1
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."503Please respect copyright.PENANADsiaLKT99t
503Please respect copyright.PENANAKt76YSpYKH
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.503Please respect copyright.PENANA1hPuxaPcTC
503Please respect copyright.PENANAn0p4LXFGNA
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.503Please respect copyright.PENANAkX8GyqQJc0
503Please respect copyright.PENANAvB7MpYLmjF
"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.503Please respect copyright.PENANART9bbPigcA
503Please respect copyright.PENANAnVqcqHoz4V
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."503Please respect copyright.PENANA0NWF9l1Csj
503Please respect copyright.PENANAmjVHatmT26
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?"503Please respect copyright.PENANAA4BwkOBCaA
503Please respect copyright.PENANApRXE4ujSNq
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.503Please respect copyright.PENANAA0UGinEzcN
503Please respect copyright.PENANAovwblcCFPN
One New Message From: Unknown Number503Please respect copyright.PENANA9LFrAERlH6
503Please respect copyright.PENANAvuCVwS2bbL
Turn on the news.503Please respect copyright.PENANA4zn7a30aNx
503Please respect copyright.PENANA73jGlu1l79
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.503Please respect copyright.PENANAsO56UMjAkW
503Please respect copyright.PENANATUUUsQUmyo
"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."503Please respect copyright.PENANAu4gLRV6Tmj
503Please respect copyright.PENANAQkJCsM7dcY
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.503Please respect copyright.PENANAMG4A7atcI2
503Please respect copyright.PENANA3Pr5HUmmnO
Christian was gone.
503Please respect copyright.PENANAxpdvRTsdnV