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CHAPTER 1

~MARI~

I run I run out the front door ofI don't knohat I think or what I need I just know that I want Trystan, but when I get to his house, so When Trystan pulls the door open, it seee since he's not wearing a shirt and his hair is dalance at his face - his blue eyes are wild They're too big, like he has no idea what to do, like I'm the last person he expected on his doorstep

Trystan hesitates He looks over his shoulder with panic in his eyes He tells me to leave in a rush of air I can hardlyMy skin prickles So, but I don't understand Before I have a chance to ask, someone slams into Trystan The door snaps shut as their bodies collide and fall into the wall

I scream My hands fly to my face as the sound rips out of the back ofhim Now it makes sense Now the look on his face, the fear in his eyes,to run out the front door, but I was standing there blocking his way If he tried to run past, whoever is fighting with Trystan could have come after me instead

Trystan threw himself in the middle He knew someone was behind him

Glancing around frantically, I try to figure out what to do I', but I knohat I saw So Trystan I pull my cell phone fro I repeat myself and say the name of the condo unit one more time They ask me too many questions They try to keep me in place, but I can't just stand there I put the phone doithout hanging up They can find me

That's when things get worse I hear Trystan's voice through the frontIt's a strangled yelp and then a crash Glass shatters inside the house Horrors are taking place behind that door My heart thuht crack et h that door, but I have to I can't leave him in there I can't wait for the police Trystan needshim

I can't just stand here and cower But I have nothing to fight with I glance around and see a busted up brick in the parking lot I run and grab it Then, I do the stupidest thing I've ever done in o inside

The sight apes open A man in a white dress shirt has Trystan by the throat and is pressing hihtly around the ht, like they could snap at any second His face is acolor He can't breathe Trystan doesn't seeat Trystan, bla that I can't understand Every time the man screams, he shoves Trystan back into the wall, harder and harder, choking him

Rage courses through my veins Mya hole in my hand I feel the pull toward the man's back, as if the broken brick wants to collide with his head I launchmy arm My hand comes down hard and the brick slams into the man's head But, I realize my mistake too late I'h

Instead of falling to the ground, the man drops Trystan to the floor and rounds onwith hatred I know I' to die The way he looks at me, the way his hands float up so slowly, makes every hair on my body stand on end I slide one shoe back My senses are all hypersensitive, but it doesn't help I knohat he's going to do I see hi his focus onMy lips are parted, but I can't speak Someone has stolen my voice

"What the fk gives you the right to attack ravel and nails Venoh every word His shoulders are hunched forward like he's ready to pounce and bury round

My heart hah I don't want to takehih he's already choking me

"It's none of your damn business what I do to him" The rabs my wrist I scream and he shoves me back into the wall I claw at my ar enough

The man hisses in my face, "He's my kid, not yours I should break your hand for this You came into my home and attacked me No one would blame me, you know No one would knohat happened here They'd say you were lucky that I didn't shoot you" He twistsit farther and farther

My heart pounds frantically, as pain shoots up my arm I try to pull away fro hs It's like I' to stop hi hurting me, like he'll really do it

I freak out My brain snaps Trystan is battered and bloody on the floor and this lunatic is his father This is the person responsible Before I knohat I', my mouth lands on his shoulder and I bite He screams and throws me back The floor hits me hard and I roll onto my side There's no time - there's no time to run or craay Before I can blink, his foot connects with h me as tears burst from my eyes A raw scream rips from my throat I try to curl into a ball, but the man doesn't stop It's like he can't stop, like he has to finish this I screaain, but it doesn't connect