Page 55 of Twice The Hate

7

Bree

“Come back. Come back.”

Who’s talking? I can’t open my eyes. They’re so heavy. Everything’s so heavy.

“Bree. Wake up.”

It’s Sebastian, but he sounds different from usual. Then again, I wouldn’t know what he usually sounds like. But he sounds different than he has with me.

That alone is the reason I fight to open my eyes. I need to prove to myself it’s really him.

It’s nighttime. We’re back in his house, in his bed. Both of us this time. It doesn’t bother me now. I no longer want to get away from him to keep from being touched.

I don’t know what’s changed, but something has.

It’s because he saved me. I remember everything now that the fog I was under while I was sleeping is clearing. He didn’t have to rescue me—it might’ve been better for him if he hadn’t. A neat little way to take me out of the equation.

He’s not getting any money out of me now, either.

There he is. Looking at me, his head next to mine. “There you are. You have no idea how worried you made me when you passed out like that.”

“I was exhausted. Swimming…” My cheeks get hot.

“It was exhausting, definitely.” Though it didn’t seem to hold him back on the beach.

The beach. I’ll never forget how desperately I wanted him. I would’ve crawled across broken glass for him out there. I would’ve done anything he asked.

I still don’t know what it says about me wanting him like this. Loving what he does to me. Craving more even now, when my muscles are still tight and sore from the kind of swimming I’ve never put myself through.

“You saved my life.” I still can’t quite believe it.

“Yeah. I did. I wouldn’t have needed to if—”

“I know.” There go my cheeks again. “You can’t expect me to give up on my friends. I understand why it’s smarter to stay here. I do. But there has to be a way I can contact them, too. To let them know I’m safe.”

He strokes my cheek with his thumb. The man is miles away from the version he’s already treated me to. “You believe you’re safe?”

There’s no question about it. “I do. I learned how far you would go to rescue me. I’ll try not to put you in that position again, but you’ve got to promise me we can contact my friends. You have all those phones in your safe.”

His dark eyes narrow. “You were looking?”

“Of course I looked over your shoulder when you opened it. Who wouldn’t?” He groans. “You have all those phones in there. Don’t tell me we couldn’t use one of them.”

“Right, and have the number show up in your friend’s phone.”

“Couldn’t you destroy it afterward?”

“You watch a lot of TV.” He groans again and rolls onto his back, flinging an arm over his eyes. For a while there’s only the slow rise and fall of his chest.

“Sebastian, please.” If I mean anything to him, he’s got to come around. “I couldn’t live with myself, knowing my friends and family are in pain. I’ll do whatever you want otherwise. Please, let me call one of the girls.”

His lips purse and he blows out a long sigh. “I’m gonna regret this.”

Hope blooms inside me. I could kiss him. “No, you won’t. It’ll be fine. I’ll keep it brief, and I won’t give any details. I swear.”

The thing is, I’m not lying. I have no idea what my life’s going to look like from now on. I only know I don’t want to be without him. It’s insane. I know it is. He’s done horrible things, and even if it was about survival, there had to be other options. He took the simple way out. No wonder he’s supposedly in legal trouble back home.

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