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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpu7ne86kkB
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xEOUbru1d
“Are we going to talk about this?” I asked, glancing over at him.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6Q0jyhxrB
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86G4lykceP
He blinked and said, “I think we should. We should have a special first date since you agreed to go out with me.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxDoFOo3hW
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmsAMt7npa
“Since you badgered me, you mean? Wait, wait, that’s not what I was talking about. I hate when you do that.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PtDU4VYgJ
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRoLaPG1UQ
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEuvDSGuf6
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9RvdFzuJF
“Do you even want to go out with me?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2LlYBc2zT
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdiPGm5zrW
I stared at him, my eyes wide. “Why would you ask me that? If I didn’t I’d say so.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvognE9JQcD
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2r272Q6QZ
“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?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQBiqwH297
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8UHq01z1qv
“Why does any of this matter?” I snapped. “I said yes and you’re getting what you wanted. Aren’t you happy?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgs7SLop0g
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡma46mOpJIb
“I just want to know―”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01Q64RHwag
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0QfLol7vz
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgCTMGtRSi
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqHRDraag9
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNIDn3iMLU
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKryreAHCi
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWAXPtFNlZ
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFx4K9Gxno
I closed my eyes as I laid my head against his chest.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqN2OvqCTR
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlV0qHsqIwL
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5aGnaNDaV
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeS0tYIqo8
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dz81KmZjK
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmnU0fyY1G
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWn1yxFnivf
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeGPvxJVT4
“It’s okay,” a voice said. “Come on and sit down. Jesus.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCvgm2McuX
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasKqGsZjsH
I could feel my body starting to shut down. I slid away from the shadow and fell onto the floor, trying to calm down.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUOFs8AoxG
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIjIyQdcns
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMyvL4IacR
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF47Ye2Abby
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNjqN6hE8b
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oNMMDiaco
“You’re safe,” Christian whispered against my mouth. “I’m not going to let anything hurt you.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VQPXz06qG
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeHFHaEfbp
I wish he knew how false his promise was. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIE5t7vbUbe
