I go completely still, my mind not processing this – Because, I mean – It’s impossible – He doesn’t take his time to say anything else now that he’s stopped me from screaming, let me know that he’s here. Instead, he just shoves – hard – at Bruno’s legs, freeing my body. I don’t move, just star
I don’t even bother to close the door behind me, because Christian’s already in his seat, already hitting the gas. I just scream and duck my head down as low as I can, and the movement of the car peeling away from the house slamming my door behind me. But…we drive. Which mean’s Christian’s alive,
“What are we doing?” I ask, a little afraid at the change. Honestly, if we’d kept driving for hours – weeks, years – I might have felt better. “We’re getting those cuffs off you,” Christian murmurs, pulling into a spot towards the empty back of the parking lot. “Oh,” I say, sitting up a little –
As Christian sees me put the pieces together, he slowly nods. “Yeah, Iris,” he murmurs. “It’s bad.” “Christian,” I whisper, leaning forward and reaching for him. But he tightens his jaw and my hand falls limply between us as I shake my head. “Why did you do this? I’m – I’m not worth it, Chris –“
Even though it is a big deal – the kind of trauma that will probably follow me for a lifetime? Christian knows that this is what I need. And he knows because…he’s my best friend. Because he’s known me all my life. Because he’s read every stupid email I’ve sent him for thirteen years, and probabl
Christian nods, smirking a little. “Frankie and Nico are fine, except…well, they’re going to want to kill me too,” he murmurs. “But they’re fine.” “Do they know…what you did?” “They’ll have figured it out by now, probably,” he says, a bit dry, looking over at me with a sad little smile. “Everyon
When I wake up hours later, I blink in surprise to see the sun setting, the sky all around us a pretty pink and purple instead of the stunning blue it was when I last opened my eyes. “You like the beach, right?” Christian asks, his voice surprisingly cheerful. I blink in surprise, looking at him a
Christian waits for me at the front of the car as I gather myself together and open the door, stepping out. I wince a little as I stand up straight, unsure if the stiffness I feel is the result of sleeping in a car for hours or of the very literal beating I took. Either way, as I shut my door and