Page 32 of Encounter

“I killed the scum that went after you. Didn’t seem to have a problem with that,” Chast quipped, giving me a brief, annoyed look. I knew he was going to bring it up, and he had a point, but— “Look, I get it,” he said in a different, more understanding tone. “They were criminals who wanted to hurt you; she ain’t. So to you, killingthemseems justified. Killing her doesn’t.”

I noticed how he tightened his grip around the wheel. Clearly, I was way out of my depth with this moral dilemma. Up until a few weeks back, I was totally removed from having to think about such things, and the frustrated tinge to his voice showed he knew that, too.

“Ah. Doubt you’d get it, so forget ‘bout it,” he said, shaking his head.

I hardlycouldget it, but I wanted to. Understanding this way of living and thinking so different from mine seemed intriguing, albeit dangerous. “Then explain it to me,” I whispered.

Meeting my eyes for a moment, I felt the tension, and knowing how close we were to my house, there was hardly time for any valuable conversation. Smacking his lips and rubbing his beard, Chast put a blinker on out of nowhere and parked the car next to the sidewalk. Looking at him with worry, I wasn’t sure if he wanted me to get out or stay.

“People have real funny ideas about what is, and isn’t, moral.” He turned to me like he was about to school me. “I ain’t no philosopher, or a particularly intellectual person, alright? All I know is that if you kill one person, outside of the law, you’re a criminal, but if you do it in some foreign country, backed by Uncle Sam, you’re a hero.”

The bitter smile on his face and something dark clawing out of his brown eyes gave me a pause.

“That don’t seem to make much sense to me, so all I do is follow my own moral compass. As long as you don’t kill ‘cuz the act of it makes you feel good, it has a purpose. Unless they’re worse people than you are—then it’s a fair game. Every single creature on this planet goes about their day, knowin’ they can die. That’s just how it is.”

Turning away, he tapped on the dashboard with his fingers and looked around the street while I sat there, speechless.

You knewexactlyhow this chat was going to make you feel, Galen. No one to blame but you.

“Shouldn’t even be talkin’ to you about this,” Chast snorted after a long pause. The air in the car was starting to get heavy. That was probably my cue to get out. “Go home and have an actual fucking meal. Start runnin’ again if you can.”

I nodded and got out of the car. “T-Thanks,” I mumbled before closing the door, and instead of facing him again, I walked off before making everything worse with even more of my babbling.

Right as I got into our driveway, I noticed Dad’s car.

Unusual for him to be at home this early. Again.

I walked through the door and immediately heard his chair move in the study, followed by steps. “Where have you been for so long? Did you walk here?” he asked, fixing his firm, serious gaze on me while he stood in the hallway, still in his suit. He probably wasn’t home long.

I tried to tell myself there was worry behind those words. I was kidnapped, and it was his fault, after all—it would be natural for him to be overprotective.

“I... went shopping after school. I needed to relax,” I said, lowering my head, hoping he wasn’t going to break into a lecture about wasting my time instead of studying. “I only walked a few blocks. Fresh air makes me feel better.”

Studying me, he narrowed his eyes.I really hope he can’t smell the gym off me. Or cigarette smoke.“Mhmhm...” He finally hummed and walked off to the kitchen. Relieved I got away with it without a fight, I aimed toward the stairs—collapsing into the bed and listening to music was all I wanted to do for the rest of the day. “Galen,” he called my name in a worryingly serious tone as I was about to disappear.

I froze, wondering if he could’ve known I went into his desk. Could he noticed I checked the book? No... If he did, he would’ve mentioned it days ago. “Yes?” I held my breath, balancing at the last step.

“We are going for dinner with your grandparents at the end of next week.”

I raised my brows with a quiet, thankful sigh. Bad, but not ‘got caught’ bad. “Great. I’ll keep it in mind,” I shouted in a hurry and rushed into my room. There was already an uncomfortable, rigid sensation spreading through my torso only thinking about it. Another godawful, depressing evening where I wouldn’t be able to breathe and would only get berated and criticized.Maybe Ishouldstart running again.

With a book in my hand, I sat on the bed, hoping some reading would calm my fractured mind. It wasn’t just what Dad said; there was something... else. The buzzing in my hands and that unsettling, intrusive sensation at the bottom of my stomach. They were too strong for me to focus on anything.

Quickly succumbing to my carnal desires, I went to lock my door and laid on the bed, facing the wall.

Something’s wrong with me. Something’s really, really wrong.

Knowing there was only one thing that would make me better, I closed my eyes and ran my hand underneath my boxers. Feeling a little shameful but too horny to care at that point, I touched myself, picturing Chast pressed against me in that gym, his muscles glistening with sweat.

I pictured his massive, manly hands over my crotch, almost like he did in the bathroom. Only this time, he wouldn’t stop at my thigh, and he wouldn’t pull away. He would keep going, keep touching, keep grabbing and listening to my desperate, needy whimpers.

This is bad... Really, really bad.

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