Page 51 of Savage Scream

I know what he was going to say, because I want to say it, too. I want to tell him that I don’t want to leave. I want to tell him I want to stay. For him. For me. For the Rogans who have put themselves out so much for me.

But Travis.

He’s not safe.

We can’t stay.

We have to leave.

My heart cracks open then. Pain that I’ve tried to shield myself from slices through me, and all I can do is hold on to Jared, take his lips again, and hope like hell that when I have to walk away next week, that it doesn’t actually kill me.

“Dee,” Jared whispers against my lips, easing back to look at me again when the song starts playing for the third time. “I need to tell you something.”

Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound good.

Jared must be able to tell by my expression what I’m thinking because he chuckles, walking us over to the speaker and he bends and turns the music off, still holding me, wrapped around his body.

“I saw Trav before.”

My brows shoot up, and I push back, wriggling against him until he lets me down.

“He’s ok, but he can’t contact you right now because his foster mum knows you’re in town. He’s worried about your safety, so you need to keep your distance for a couple of days.”

This isn’t good. I don’t care for my safety in this situation, only Travis’. His mum is a real piece of work, something that not many people know. I know, though. I’ve done my research on her. Most people that are close to her stay right by her side, or somehow end up dead. There’s no in between. Travis is the one in real danger here. Not me.

“Anyway, I spoke to Griffin, and he told me to stay with you at all times,” Jared shrugs, smiling about that, “so it looks like you’re stuck with me.”

I roll my eyes.

“I know. Tough gig, hey?”

I smirk and slap his shoulder as I pass by, heading out of the room.

The smart thing for Trav’s safety would be for me to stay away from him for now. That much I can agree to. The last thing I want to do is make things worse for him, so for now, I will bide my time.

Jared drives me home, coming inside for dinner, reminding me that Cynthia invited him over earlier today. When we enter the house, it’s loud with chatter, and I realise Cynthia invited all of Rhys’ fellas over for dinner, too.

It’s probably not a bad thing. It might help Jared to feel more comfortable with his mates here.

Charlotte is here tonight with her girlfriend at her side, and I take a moment to consider if perhaps it’s someone’s birthday.

“Do they normally have so many people here for dinner?” Jared asks, and I shrug, because hell if I know.

Rhys is surrounded by her four fellas, and they are all talking to an older guy, probably the same age as Cynthia and Will. Maybe a bit younger.

“Oh hey, Mr Foster. What are you doing here?” Jared asks the man, who turns to us and smiles.

“I’m not a teacher anymore, Jared. Call me Tyler.”

Jared scrunches his face up. “That’s just weird.”

Tyler chuckles, and Rhys giggles, her black lips spreading wide.

I study her for a moment, watching how her eyes roam over her four fellas, and then how her gaze shifts to the older guy, Tyler. The same intense heat that she sends towards her four guys is also directed towards the man, and I catch a very brief look of longing that the man returns Rhys’ way.

Holy shit.

Now I understand what I’m looking at.

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