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In the background, soen-­deprived cells I didn’t knohat, but Erik’s dark eyes latched onto mine, and I was sure that this was it My lashes drifted shut He was going to be the last thing I saw, just like Debbie And it wasn’t fair I hadn’t even begun to live life, to eet Jase, because if I’d survived this, I wouldn’t let him walk away Not any dwindled until there was only a fine point, a roaring of blood

Suddenly the unbearable pressure was off runt filled the roos and it sounded far away, like it was outside

Hands pressed against my cheeks and then arms liftedwrong with my neck "Oh God, open your eyes Coe body shuddered "I’m sorry Fuck Open your eyes Please"

It felt like lued shut, but I pried theray eyes, darker than I’d ever seen the me closer "Stay with me Tess! Oh God, don’t leave , but the words didn’t make sense, and I couldn’t keepbut darkness

Chapter Twenty-nine

The steady sound of beeping slowly, insistently drilled through the layers of haze and sleep until I feltbreath

"Teresa" What I was lying on shifted as weight settled beside"Are you there?"

Was I? I thought so My surroundings slowly came into play I was in a stiff bed, and it was hted down, though, like I was glued to the mattress

I slowly blinked hts Once my vision cleared, it was obvious I was in a hospital rooreen curtain were a dead giveaway

"Hey," Ca ue over e" My voice was hoarse, andthose three words

"You’ve been sleeping for a little while, long enough for the parents to get down here and then some" Cam smiled wearily as he reached for a pitcher and poured water into a s to the police"

The police? I stared at hi around to the back ofinto a pool on a hot, sweltering day

He placed the cup on the bedside table A sudden look of understanding crept across his face "You don’t rerilanced at the door as if he wanted to run out and get soaze to my knuckles

They were red, scratched, and swollen

I jerked up halfway,cleared from my head "Oh my God"

Concern flared in Cam’s eyes "You remember?"

"Erik He--­"

"I know We all know You don’t have to worry about hi his hand down ondown "You need to stay still You have a concussion--­aaround a lot Okay?"

My heart was pounding as I took in the IV hooked to the center ofsound ca "Is he dead?"

"Fuck I wish" Anger stormed across his face "Jase broke his jaw and knocked hi to jail, though He woke up when the police and EMTs got there, blabbering what he did to Debbie to anyone who’d listen He kept saying it was" He trailed off, hisdown in a hard line

"He said it wase and flat-­out madness resurfaced, but a different worry took hold "Wherewhere is Jase?"

Cam looked ahen I opened my eyes "The last I saw hiain, but he stopped me "What do you mean?"

"He’s not in trouble He had to talk to them, like I’m sure you’ll have to now that they know you’re awake" He paused "They needed a stateo was that?"

Cam shifted like he was uncomfortable "They held him back when they took you to the hospital I haven’t seen hiht here when I found out"

He hadn’t seen Jase at all? Meaning he hadn’t checked on me? I closed my eyes and smacked at the useless emotions Jase said he’d wanted to talk He’d come and he’d saved my life Just because he wasn’t here didn’t s to deal with

When I openedat me Several seconds passed "You’re really in love with hihed "Yeah"

He shifted and then cursed under his breath "I know you didn’t want to hear this before, but you’re going to listen now The fker is stupid, but the fker loves you"

I opened my mouth