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.432Please respect copyright.PENANALl54KG9Bao
432Please respect copyright.PENANAY0iwzEOZVa
“Are we going to talk about this?” I asked, glancing over at him.432Please respect copyright.PENANA9B9ZaxF4KR
432Please respect copyright.PENANAh7n11VaxK3
He blinked and said, “I think we should. We should have a special first date since you agreed to go out with me.”432Please respect copyright.PENANAxGzvJlXSQl
432Please respect copyright.PENANAgra2pkaYYj
“Since you badgered me, you mean? Wait, wait, that’s not what I was talking about. I hate when you do that.”432Please respect copyright.PENANAJqGQqDDGx1
432Please respect copyright.PENANAP1khNZuYvf
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.432Please respect copyright.PENANAsyEqjwYMIt
432Please respect copyright.PENANASnQaeSyGFh
“Do you even want to go out with me?”432Please respect copyright.PENANAgbYP5UjIY5
432Please respect copyright.PENANAXEGmLKllyY
I stared at him, my eyes wide. “Why would you ask me that? If I didn’t I’d say so.”432Please respect copyright.PENANAh8Hpg43Nba
432Please respect copyright.PENANAeJJ1R9gouW
“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?”432Please respect copyright.PENANAO53rVtQNyq
432Please respect copyright.PENANAFiYo44RErQ
“Why does any of this matter?” I snapped. “I said yes and you’re getting what you wanted. Aren’t you happy?”432Please respect copyright.PENANAsJB0hcGPlL
432Please respect copyright.PENANAMT1S7b6lhZ
“I just want to know―”432Please respect copyright.PENANAkEED77rIcn
432Please respect copyright.PENANA0zB1NptYkT
“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.”432Please respect copyright.PENANAOlPPhDUZ2W
432Please respect copyright.PENANA7qL9zbhHrM
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.432Please respect copyright.PENANAl8UtNiSOvf
432Please respect copyright.PENANAmUW9pBGgZo
“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.”432Please respect copyright.PENANA4zrqjvyyYn
432Please respect copyright.PENANAn5KwYmiqCf
I closed my eyes as I laid my head against his chest.432Please respect copyright.PENANAMLKftbSqzS
432Please respect copyright.PENANAq6o996IGZq
432Please respect copyright.PENANAYdi039HTk5
432Please respect copyright.PENANAkvtW4ufhp4
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.432Please respect copyright.PENANAhbMXfwpQRu
432Please respect copyright.PENANA9Md09hp53X
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.432Please respect copyright.PENANA7nMAlOfsQl
432Please respect copyright.PENANAiwUyea7giu
“It’s okay,” a voice said. “Come on and sit down. Jesus.”432Please respect copyright.PENANAuUhy4pKj4g
432Please respect copyright.PENANApmcufrMFoW
I could feel my body starting to shut down. I slid away from the shadow and fell onto the floor, trying to calm down.432Please respect copyright.PENANA95ZubZN2vI
432Please respect copyright.PENANAoKY4qa0I0F
“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.”432Please respect copyright.PENANAwyJxYdnN3D
432Please respect copyright.PENANA0l4NKtR7EF
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.432Please respect copyright.PENANAVjZv4fp11n
432Please respect copyright.PENANA00X0Ri8C2c
“You’re safe,” Christian whispered against my mouth. “I’m not going to let anything hurt you.”432Please respect copyright.PENANAgYIHiTR8W0
432Please respect copyright.PENANAcUQs5Mjztb
I wish he knew how false his promise was. 432Please respect copyright.PENANAO0ahmmDMRa