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.475Please respect copyright.PENANAMP6jMznxrJ
475Please respect copyright.PENANAXeijuJSx3S
"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?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1m8bSXFh5
475Please respect copyright.PENANAOMRQKppqgg
"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."475Please respect copyright.PENANAY2efEpNIjA
475Please respect copyright.PENANAkxkt144PzN
"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."475Please respect copyright.PENANA7EaFAkrqs3
475Please respect copyright.PENANASIAeD7II8f
"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."475Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4bbzvfk3H
475Please respect copyright.PENANALRI5aq3CVg
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAXrwuPchPcA
475Please respect copyright.PENANATNV18hBPYZ
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."475Please respect copyright.PENANAqx2yzitoZT
475Please respect copyright.PENANAYLh2wnGqId
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.475Please respect copyright.PENANA6CIR8LgMNX
475Please respect copyright.PENANAnmjH0fzMwr
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAc04JhkTN3i
475Please respect copyright.PENANA4Bf0neSqcW
"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."475Please respect copyright.PENANANwGO9NV5oM
475Please respect copyright.PENANAebsCkqq2vj
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?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAjARa3VrgQi
475Please respect copyright.PENANA63xVgPtBgZ
"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?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAPhUQSzooCV
475Please respect copyright.PENANA3Jmj9y6LCW
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."475Please respect copyright.PENANAJ28DmjGxjI
475Please respect copyright.PENANAioOC0A3x4o
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.475Please respect copyright.PENANAVKrasHfpVn
475Please respect copyright.PENANAfYO27I8F71
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.475Please respect copyright.PENANAUr6NX1frUg
475Please respect copyright.PENANAcz0syVZwWT
"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.475Please respect copyright.PENANALFW3HBSoLf
475Please respect copyright.PENANADjyTAYmzpx
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."475Please respect copyright.PENANAqdO4FpUNqy
475Please respect copyright.PENANAjaBwycm4v1
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?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAv7IXrPBf0w
475Please respect copyright.PENANAgpoIx0p6g7
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.475Please respect copyright.PENANAxBMxrgq6LJ
475Please respect copyright.PENANAsXMJoWPfjd
One New Message From: Unknown Number475Please respect copyright.PENANA67riocPqfW
475Please respect copyright.PENANAB4eS2QxFAk
Turn on the news.475Please respect copyright.PENANASZLCkK8XHh
475Please respect copyright.PENANA1YuvjDaPTI
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.475Please respect copyright.PENANADJ4OeJzpbd
475Please respect copyright.PENANAd6ZNKYWUiC
"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."475Please respect copyright.PENANAR5UStF80w3
475Please respect copyright.PENANACtmpQhUYtf
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.475Please respect copyright.PENANAy7a647mROU
475Please respect copyright.PENANA9G2aYqNKCk
Christian was gone.
ns18.191.187.74da2 475Please respect copyright.PENANAXeijuJSx3S
"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?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1m8bSXFh5
475Please respect copyright.PENANAOMRQKppqgg
"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."475Please respect copyright.PENANAY2efEpNIjA
475Please respect copyright.PENANAkxkt144PzN
"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."475Please respect copyright.PENANA7EaFAkrqs3
475Please respect copyright.PENANASIAeD7II8f
"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."475Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4bbzvfk3H
475Please respect copyright.PENANALRI5aq3CVg
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAXrwuPchPcA
475Please respect copyright.PENANATNV18hBPYZ
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."475Please respect copyright.PENANAqx2yzitoZT
475Please respect copyright.PENANAYLh2wnGqId
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.475Please respect copyright.PENANA6CIR8LgMNX
475Please respect copyright.PENANAnmjH0fzMwr
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAc04JhkTN3i
475Please respect copyright.PENANA4Bf0neSqcW
"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."475Please respect copyright.PENANANwGO9NV5oM
475Please respect copyright.PENANAebsCkqq2vj
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?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAjARa3VrgQi
475Please respect copyright.PENANA63xVgPtBgZ
"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?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAPhUQSzooCV
475Please respect copyright.PENANA3Jmj9y6LCW
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."475Please respect copyright.PENANAJ28DmjGxjI
475Please respect copyright.PENANAioOC0A3x4o
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.475Please respect copyright.PENANAVKrasHfpVn
475Please respect copyright.PENANAfYO27I8F71
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.475Please respect copyright.PENANAUr6NX1frUg
475Please respect copyright.PENANAcz0syVZwWT
"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.475Please respect copyright.PENANALFW3HBSoLf
475Please respect copyright.PENANADjyTAYmzpx
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."475Please respect copyright.PENANAqdO4FpUNqy
475Please respect copyright.PENANAjaBwycm4v1
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?"475Please respect copyright.PENANAv7IXrPBf0w
475Please respect copyright.PENANAgpoIx0p6g7
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.475Please respect copyright.PENANAxBMxrgq6LJ
475Please respect copyright.PENANAsXMJoWPfjd
One New Message From: Unknown Number475Please respect copyright.PENANA67riocPqfW
475Please respect copyright.PENANAB4eS2QxFAk
Turn on the news.475Please respect copyright.PENANASZLCkK8XHh
475Please respect copyright.PENANA1YuvjDaPTI
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.475Please respect copyright.PENANADJ4OeJzpbd
475Please respect copyright.PENANAd6ZNKYWUiC
"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."475Please respect copyright.PENANAR5UStF80w3
475Please respect copyright.PENANACtmpQhUYtf
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.475Please respect copyright.PENANAy7a647mROU
475Please respect copyright.PENANA9G2aYqNKCk
Christian was gone.
475Please respect copyright.PENANAYn8n2KL4Km