Page 90 of Forbidden Lessons

—Haven. Please!”

Another huge, spluttering breath. I tilt my face, gaping up at Kai.

I was so fucking close.

He flinches when I grab his wrist, but does nothing to stop me when I roll onto my back and shove his hand between my legs.

My voice sounds like a chain smoker’s when I rasp out, “I wasn’t fucking done.”

The shock on Kai’s face sends an invisible whip crack through me. He rips his hand away, staggers to his feet, throws a look around like he doesn’t have a fucking clue where he is, and then he runs.

He fuckingruns.

Chapter 25

Haven

Pulling into the small, tree-shaded alcove on the edge of Earl Avenue feels like coming home.

Every night for the past few weeks I’ve driven up here and parked in the same tread marks I left the day before. And every night, I’m filled with the same sense of calm. An ethereal reassurance, source unknown.

Everything’s going to be okay.

But this time, there’s a weirdness tainting my serenity. Something out of place, just off kilter. Like how you can feel a shirt is inside out the moment you pull it over your head.

It’s barely gone noon, maybe that’s why.

This is the earliest I’ve ever dared to come here. I probably shouldn’t have risked it, but this is the only comfort I have left. Plus, this route is ingrained in muscle memory by now. It would have taken more effort to figure out some other place to go, than just come straight here.

And there’s the view, of course.

Nothing quite perks me up like staring out over Agony Hollow and pretending I’m only visiting. That I live somewhere safe, and warm, and peaceful.

That beach house me and Kai dreamed about.

Ourhouse.

Ourrules.

Just…ours.

The sedan groans as I jam up the emergency brake, then there’s just the tick-tick-tick of cooling metal under the hood.

I swallow, grimace.

My throat hurts.

As do my shoulders, where the rough tree trunk scraped my skin.

I’m pretty sure I still have bits of bark and grass in my hair.

I refuse to even think about what’s happeningdown there.

It took me thirty minutes to get here after I fled Kai’s crime scene, and I’m still tingling.

A part of me wishes I was brave enough to reach between my legs and end my suffering. But a different part argues it’s exactly what Kai wants. That, then, he would win this game.

But he hasn’t won yet.

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