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.271Please respect copyright.PENANAeE4lL3hIjr
271Please respect copyright.PENANAtlS7GmvxC6
"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?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAZgY6BGBQt8
271Please respect copyright.PENANAVdelbV3RRZ
"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."271Please respect copyright.PENANAwNaPPH1lNl
271Please respect copyright.PENANA838sl1v5HZ
"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."271Please respect copyright.PENANA7C3oMKSnjl
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFXzKPfRt7O
"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."271Please respect copyright.PENANAifE32paFCe
271Please respect copyright.PENANAh7uS0E8jtl
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAkAY1wZ9ZMV
271Please respect copyright.PENANAud44rcudzg
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."271Please respect copyright.PENANA80Ht3iAGQv
271Please respect copyright.PENANAXwOy6JXv0T
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.271Please respect copyright.PENANA1Qq5mOWzpL
271Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZgHlH7RzJ
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"271Please respect copyright.PENANApqrdcXfqud
271Please respect copyright.PENANACahbFo0Pxl
"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."271Please respect copyright.PENANAGZkKABEXKv
271Please respect copyright.PENANAscQq5a5zff
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?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAezgJ6caMCl
271Please respect copyright.PENANAlO1ziJsFju
"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?"271Please respect copyright.PENANATK8ZVF8pWr
271Please respect copyright.PENANAa3v64RTQhJ
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."271Please respect copyright.PENANAmCzRyTlYLZ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAGoplaTGhaV
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.271Please respect copyright.PENANA9hMXB1K8I8
271Please respect copyright.PENANAaZWpe3CBwH
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.271Please respect copyright.PENANAqJJ6uM5TmT
271Please respect copyright.PENANAHXumfipD12
"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.271Please respect copyright.PENANA2dmXTFV4uy
271Please respect copyright.PENANAy5dpKhZ8a5
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."271Please respect copyright.PENANAjiyuDdy3KC
271Please respect copyright.PENANAvVxfJHstzA
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?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAP7GJGpIw9r
271Please respect copyright.PENANA0PAqXrsWlQ
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.271Please respect copyright.PENANAZHIbgx75Tl
271Please respect copyright.PENANAVHcy60H1Zf
One New Message From: Unknown Number271Please respect copyright.PENANA0hGVoZa50s
271Please respect copyright.PENANA483mR7r3qM
Turn on the news.271Please respect copyright.PENANAbJmZA5mpjk
271Please respect copyright.PENANAsgc3GM5D8G
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.271Please respect copyright.PENANAGqE7Li5rBP
271Please respect copyright.PENANAKP6BRccPg8
"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."271Please respect copyright.PENANAL7zLLybS4D
271Please respect copyright.PENANAPKL1zPKnut
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.271Please respect copyright.PENANAg1aO59NrZj
271Please respect copyright.PENANA8qbBRCHvH0
Christian was gone.
ns3.235.24.113da2 271Please respect copyright.PENANAtlS7GmvxC6
"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?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAZgY6BGBQt8
271Please respect copyright.PENANAVdelbV3RRZ
"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."271Please respect copyright.PENANAwNaPPH1lNl
271Please respect copyright.PENANA838sl1v5HZ
"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."271Please respect copyright.PENANA7C3oMKSnjl
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFXzKPfRt7O
"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."271Please respect copyright.PENANAifE32paFCe
271Please respect copyright.PENANAh7uS0E8jtl
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAkAY1wZ9ZMV
271Please respect copyright.PENANAud44rcudzg
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."271Please respect copyright.PENANA80Ht3iAGQv
271Please respect copyright.PENANAXwOy6JXv0T
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.271Please respect copyright.PENANA1Qq5mOWzpL
271Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZgHlH7RzJ
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"271Please respect copyright.PENANApqrdcXfqud
271Please respect copyright.PENANACahbFo0Pxl
"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."271Please respect copyright.PENANAGZkKABEXKv
271Please respect copyright.PENANAscQq5a5zff
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?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAezgJ6caMCl
271Please respect copyright.PENANAlO1ziJsFju
"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?"271Please respect copyright.PENANATK8ZVF8pWr
271Please respect copyright.PENANAa3v64RTQhJ
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."271Please respect copyright.PENANAmCzRyTlYLZ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAGoplaTGhaV
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.271Please respect copyright.PENANA9hMXB1K8I8
271Please respect copyright.PENANAaZWpe3CBwH
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.271Please respect copyright.PENANAqJJ6uM5TmT
271Please respect copyright.PENANAHXumfipD12
"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.271Please respect copyright.PENANA2dmXTFV4uy
271Please respect copyright.PENANAy5dpKhZ8a5
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."271Please respect copyright.PENANAjiyuDdy3KC
271Please respect copyright.PENANAvVxfJHstzA
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?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAP7GJGpIw9r
271Please respect copyright.PENANA0PAqXrsWlQ
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.271Please respect copyright.PENANAZHIbgx75Tl
271Please respect copyright.PENANAVHcy60H1Zf
One New Message From: Unknown Number271Please respect copyright.PENANA0hGVoZa50s
271Please respect copyright.PENANA483mR7r3qM
Turn on the news.271Please respect copyright.PENANAbJmZA5mpjk
271Please respect copyright.PENANAsgc3GM5D8G
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.271Please respect copyright.PENANAGqE7Li5rBP
271Please respect copyright.PENANAKP6BRccPg8
"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."271Please respect copyright.PENANAL7zLLybS4D
271Please respect copyright.PENANAPKL1zPKnut
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.271Please respect copyright.PENANAg1aO59NrZj
271Please respect copyright.PENANA8qbBRCHvH0
Christian was gone.
271Please respect copyright.PENANA4QW9ALwkaZ