Page 121 of When Hearts Awaken

Charles

And reason number infinity: Your vulnerability, hidden behind your fierce attitude, makes me want to protect you, but then you have this strength that tells me you’ll be fine all by yourself. I’m floored you chose me to share your vulnerable side with.

The warmth in my chest becomes an inferno and I exhale to keep myself from calling him and blurting out everything I’m feeling.

Biting my lip instead, I start typing.

“You’re texting Charles, aren’t you?” Grace snickers as she plops on the seat next to me.

I pause and slip my phone back into my pocket, cursing myself for not having a better poker face.

“Just giving him an update. He wants to make sure we’re having fun.”

“I like this look on you.” Grace smiles. “You seem so much happier. It’s what Mom would’ve wanted for you, but we just never knew how to reach you. It always seemed like you were hiding a part of yourself from us.” She reaches over and grabs my hand. “You know, whatever it is, we’re always here for you. But regardless, I…I’m glad you have him.”

Suddenly, my dress seems too tight on my body and I swallow, trying to dislodge the lump forming in my throat. I want to let her in, to let all my girls in. I want to trust people again.

Maybe it’s time to tell them.

Looking up, I see Lana laughing with Belle and Olivia chatting with Millie.

Not right now, though.

“Later, Grace, I want to tell you something. Something few people know about.” I squeeze her hand.

She freezes, her eyes sharpening. “Everything okay?”

The scars on my thighs itch and the tendrils of the monster buried inside me struggle to get out. I breathe in deeply. The past is in the past, and it’ll stay that way if I can help it. But I want to let my girls in.

I nod. “I’m fine. It’s something I should’ve told you a long time ago.”

Grace nods slowly, her dark blue eyes trained on mine. I give her a soft smile. For the first time in a long time, I finally feel like things will turn out all right.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and warmth floods my chest. It must be Charles. He’s behaving like Maxwell already and I’m not even married to him yet.

Smirking, I take it out and swipe to my messages.

Blood leaves my face as a sudden surge of nausea and horror pulls the rug out from under me.

Unknown Number

You and your boyfriend need to stop investigating or this will be splashed all over online. And there’s more where they came from.

A photo is attached.

A close-up of my face and naked chest, my dress ripped, eyes glazed, and mouth opened. My cheeks are wet with tears. A man’s arm is in the frame.

The horror from that night, permanently captured in a photograph.

I drop the phone and hurl the contents of my stomach onto the floor.

Chapter 50

Moonlight streaks across myvision as I spin, spin, and spin on this nightmarish merry-go-round of my twisted mind. Cold sweat breaks out on my back as my pulse scatters in my veins. My calves scream in pain, my toes swollen in my pointe shoes, but I don’t stop.

I. Can’t. Stop.

I can’t stop. I can’t stop. I can’t stop.

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