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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2ugk5wF8i
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0cS7Ddnmb
“Are we going to talk about this?” I asked, glancing over at him.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbTfOpv2nk
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEgZjDldDs
He blinked and said, “I think we should. We should have a special first date since you agreed to go out with me.”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjX0FIMcNwP
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUI0k0pQAW
“Since you badgered me, you mean? Wait, wait, that’s not what I was talking about. I hate when you do that.”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtI0h7yGHB
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjMhrLvHq6
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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGN7Ao7b4j
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJh6AXIJt7
“Do you even want to go out with me?”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyQt7E0udg
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4tkECYwrq
I stared at him, my eyes wide. “Why would you ask me that? If I didn’t I’d say so.”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjysqZGD58H
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6Z0wLX6p3
“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?”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSLNoOelYh
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEpo4M0XC5
“Why does any of this matter?” I snapped. “I said yes and you’re getting what you wanted. Aren’t you happy?”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3w2n7yexy
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXztCY9YlvN
“I just want to know―”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVr67QKUBi
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAXk4gEfQS
“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.”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ399GcWLsT2
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUfSP7e0di
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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Jn1oMvsU1
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sxwHSW0hF
“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.”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2plX2Yxez
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hHzK8rIOu
I closed my eyes as I laid my head against his chest.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLTZyWQ77J
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncHp9AmL1N
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsVfDRcdSn
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW60utPqkx
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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgofWEuAXLs
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kzkdXEBcQ
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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJT7f1rQBA
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLFh2JRsv6
“It’s okay,” a voice said. “Come on and sit down. Jesus.”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wHlYuPEd9
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvUVwGUqmd
I could feel my body starting to shut down. I slid away from the shadow and fell onto the floor, trying to calm down.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUChA5KQUti
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVuiyZxryc
“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.”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0msI9XBe0O
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMLrTbr1ok
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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsLsyeT1CH
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtD53fB0ico
“You’re safe,” Christian whispered against my mouth. “I’m not going to let anything hurt you.”444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGl9npPgI9J
444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBiDwnSTZp
I wish he knew how false his promise was. 444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0xkikwsZt
