Page 50 of Letters to the Lost

‘She’s mine! Enjoy your

time with her while

you can. She’ll be back

with me soon enough!’

Dropping the note like it’s burned me, I gather Autumn in my arms and gently rock her.

How did the note even get into my bag or my car? How did they even get close enough without me noticing?

My fingers jerk, the urge to grab my laptop to track my own movements to see if I can find this person. To figure out how they got so close without me noticing.

It’s too angry to be Jane. She wants Autumn dead, not back with her. And why would she give me a note and not just message Autumn’s phone like she has been?

“It’s ok. Do you want to go home?” I ask Autumn, not wanting to keep her here surrounded by people that we don’t know.

“No. I want us to have this date and to forget all about that note until we’re home.”

“Are you sure? You’re shaking,” I ask her again, wanting her to be ok as I pull her to me tighter.

“I’m sure Sebastian. J-just hold me like this, please? It’s soothing.”

“Of course,” I reassure her, as I lay us back against the pillows and pull a blanket over us both.

Gladiatorstarts as we get cuddled up under the blankets, our snacks surrounding us. There’s a small bite of cold in the air tonight, something I’m incredibly thankful for as Autumn presses herself further into me.

“Do you have any more fun facts about this movie?” she asks me softly, her head resting against my shoulder as she plays with my fingers, entwining them with her own.

I do, of course I do. Films have always been my escape into another world, where I could ignore being a disappointment to my parents when I didn’t overload my schedule with AP classes and extracurriculars.

They weren’t bad parents; they loved me, but they always expected more from me. To be a doctor like my dad or a lawyer like my Mom.

Shaking away those thoughts, I know Autumn loves me for who I am, and she’s told me she loves the facts I tell her, so that’s what I do for the remainder of the movie.

At some point, Autumn maneuvers herself between my legs, her back against my chest as she snuggles in.

“So…” I drag out, gaining her attention as she tips her head back to look up at me.

“Yes?”

“That nickname?”

“Ughhh… I was hoping you had forgotten about it,” she groans, the sound strangely erotic making me nearly groan too.

“What if I could convince you to tell me?” I ask her, my voice turning husky as I imagine torturing her clit in the back of the car.

I’ve never been more thankful than I am now for having parked so far away from everyone. The closest person to us was two rows away.

“How could you convince me?” She asks, her eyelashes fluttering as I stroke my hand down her arm.

“Do you trust me?” I whisper into her ear, kissing just behind the earlobe.

She nods her head.

“Can I touch you?”

Again she nods her head, my hands trailing further down until I reach her jeans. Flicking open the button to her trousers, I waste no time and push my hand into her panties.

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