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.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjq78WQ4UNf
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgo7oFoM1U
“Are we going to talk about this?” I asked, glancing over at him.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmIg5DC11l
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DZPvAdvB0
He blinked and said, “I think we should. We should have a special first date since you agreed to go out with me.”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMN3lFT53ce
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEIFVlMRBO
“Since you badgered me, you mean? Wait, wait, that’s not what I was talking about. I hate when you do that.”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYsKcWoocg
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjiHW2GJDj
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.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXxYxa6aXU
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1uqzFuXJrP
“Do you even want to go out with me?”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WCgnuXsym
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9sHoKA671
I stared at him, my eyes wide. “Why would you ask me that? If I didn’t I’d say so.”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAqOEj3ofj
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBzB4uF4B1
“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?”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZw0gwesbD
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTpGhuA1dk
“Why does any of this matter?” I snapped. “I said yes and you’re getting what you wanted. Aren’t you happy?”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXY3G0zSE5Y
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gc9CsME2R
“I just want to know―”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNHtI0DovO
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjj3w2OPfn
“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.”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHNbPE7Yeh
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqjJ2lWYne
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.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhigT13HgAg
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAssLa3Qet
“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.”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29b5wlbSBf
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOngshUTjO
I closed my eyes as I laid my head against his chest.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38iLXbOWlk
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzudaYmMfUo
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YK4RqQ2Z6
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGKb72hYSb
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.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmTRankPtj
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrarPbtKV97
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.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvqEMYqPlK
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRngPXU91s
“It’s okay,” a voice said. “Come on and sit down. Jesus.”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVjMH2u9de
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAFoqtvRAe
I could feel my body starting to shut down. I slid away from the shadow and fell onto the floor, trying to calm down.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsvp87thDz
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69KctQzXbu
“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.”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBft200wiO
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNLrXJ97bE
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.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUuojEY9w3
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVb0ey0f2Yy
“You’re safe,” Christian whispered against my mouth. “I’m not going to let anything hurt you.”365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAzeAqZJV5
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiiJumrSnsn
I wish he knew how false his promise was. 365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0n0cdezBZS
