Page 78 of The Weekend Getaway

He wanted to pick up something blunt and heavy and bash it against Phil’s head, over and over, until there was nothing left except a fetid pile of bone, pulpy brain matter, and blood.

But then Phil slapped Sarah.

And now Phil was grabbing Sarah’s chin, moving her head left and right. Opening one of her eyes, peering at it. Lowering his ear to her mouth.

What the hell …?

Jason let out a slow breath. Phil was trying to make sure Sarah was alive. Jason shuddered at the thought that Sarah might be dead. That maybe she’d been stumbling and uncoordinated because she was dying. Because her heart was giving out. Or maybe she was having a stroke.

Phil stood.

Jason held his breath as Phil left the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Hands shaking, Jason pushed the closet doors open and stepped outside them. His steps cautious, he made his way toward the bed where Sarah lay. Trembling, Jason sat down next to Sarah, staring at the enflamed bruise on her pale skin.

He reached his hand toward her face but pulled it backbefore his fingers touched her skin. He wasn’t worthy of touching her. Wasn’t good enough to caress her beautiful face, and yet … her beauty called to him, spoke to him, touched something deep within him that possessed him, compelled him …

Before Jason knew what was happening, before he realized what he was doing, he dipped his head, eyes on her plump lips, and he kissed her …

Sarah didn’t respond.

People said Sarah looked like Snow White, and it was true, but now Jason thought of her as Sleeping Beauty. His sleeping beauty.

And he was the dashing prince.

His gaze traveling the length of her body, Jason focused on a red wetness between Sarah’s legs, staining her thighs. Blood. Panic raced through him. But then, for some reason, he thought of one of his female cousins. Remembered a family party where his cousin had stood up and there was blood on the back of her shorts. Menstrual blood, it turned out. His cousin had been on her cycle and bled through her clothes.

Sarah was getting her period …

His racing pulse slowing, along with his heartbeat, Jason stared at the blood. It made him feel strange, galvanized, and emboldened, for some reason, for some dark purpose he didn’t understand, but somehow knew he must carry out …

Propelled by an odd, enticing desperation, Jason kissed Sarah again, his shaking hands fumbling as he unbuttoned his jeans and unzipped his fly …

CHAPTER 69

Fifteen Years Ago

2:38 a.m.

Jason

“Something bad happened to Sarah,” Jason said, his voice low and shaky.

Panic and anxiety swirled through his veins, making him dizzy and strange, like he was floating outside his body.

Alex frowned, staring at him. “What the fuck does that mean?”

Jason bristled at Alex’s tone. He hated how Alex talked to him, like he was a stupid child, an ignorant idiot who didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground. Alex was a fucking malignant narcissist who believed he was smarter than everyone else and could get away with whatever he wanted. The truth was that Alex was bold and manipulative. He took risks and wasn’t scared of shit. He could fool you intothinking that he knew what was best for you even if what he thought was the worst thing in the world.

But, still, Alex was a good friend.

Jason could trust him with the truth and so he said, “We … were together. Me and Sarah.”

Alex asked, “Together? What do you mean?”

Jason blinked back tears, biting down on his lip so he wouldn’t sob, shouting his guilt and shame. “We had sex.”

Alex laughed. “How is that bad? Wait. Was it good? Did she like it? Did you like it?”

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