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.430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ImAT5aDah
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDg91eXXsM
“Are we going to talk about this?” I asked, glancing over at him.430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmB6AlarFVV
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUqqAbOeKX
He blinked and said, “I think we should. We should have a special first date since you agreed to go out with me.”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDb7poKWzYn
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKS2SJPdyWM
“Since you badgered me, you mean? Wait, wait, that’s not what I was talking about. I hate when you do that.”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByJU2w5wof
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfXMvzJHOm
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.430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhiL8aX5K2
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SUb2kMcqU
“Do you even want to go out with me?”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsZXWMf1VF
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGfWSAd2sY
I stared at him, my eyes wide. “Why would you ask me that? If I didn’t I’d say so.”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFyPDkU1jq
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdCaiJVxT5
“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?”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3ok1WGyeL
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRioDnff5P1
“Why does any of this matter?” I snapped. “I said yes and you’re getting what you wanted. Aren’t you happy?”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWO43VES61
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGTFOjI5eq
“I just want to know―”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLouFE7K6T
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHznj1Ihwt
“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.”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmD5tI9NULl
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UCb2XdrFr
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.430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzefWZcw6F5
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUfpYChJlQ
“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.”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQQx862df8
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35UZKXNRPA
I closed my eyes as I laid my head against his chest.430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ166KAZtlN2
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vEYAQTAeH
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfdBDIcCE2
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ckugjnfFG
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.430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpVOFy7wMD
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8g3bS0qJks
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.430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeF9C1gkN7C
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMBiCS5zFR
“It’s okay,” a voice said. “Come on and sit down. Jesus.”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Vec5CQqvw
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRJ0ADrzWB
I could feel my body starting to shut down. I slid away from the shadow and fell onto the floor, trying to calm down.430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpkSdBvplE
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oxnoP95ya
“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.”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9BaMMKnhH
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmV7HeIzK8t
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.430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsqpOZjhrG
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEQ7oKlGCX
“You’re safe,” Christian whispered against my mouth. “I’m not going to let anything hurt you.”430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFYp3Ahdpk
430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftK98o2IKy
I wish he knew how false his promise was. 430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwGHqOhbma
