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"Was yours?"

"No, and that’s how I kno important it is"

He rolled off her, but didn’t sever all contact He pulled her into his side, and once again she rested her head just above his heart The organ pounded wildly, and that soothed her He wanted her, and stopping had been difficult for him But he’d done it No other boy would have stopped She knew that, and it was another reason she was falling so deeply in love with him

Despite how upset her body currently ith him

"I want you to be sure," he said huskily "Of ret I don’t want you to wish things had been different I want the things we do to each other to be about nothing but us"

But what if she never reached that point? She sighed, kissed his chest Either way, he wanted the best for her, the sweet darling boy "Thank you"

"I’d like to say it’s hed "Your fault, not et soht for aday tomorrow"

She didn’t want to think about toh, proved impossible Her body was achy, and she couldn’t stay still She needed so, but she didn’t knohat And then, an to hurt, twisting and cra, so terribly enified a thousand ti, baby?" Riley asked, concerned She didn’t think he’d fallen asleep, either, because he’d never truly relaxed, but had adjusted his long fra to make her more comfortable

"I…I don’t know," she said A lie She tried to raise her head, to look at hi and sliding the length of her spine and vibrating into her limbs "I can’t move anymore And I hurt" Oh, God Panic set in "Riley, I can’t move! I’m paralyzed"

"Don’t worry I can fix this" Riley popped from the bed, dressed, then helped Mary Ann do the sa He even had to tug her hair out frory… She’d thought she would have ry… A moan escaped her "Riley!"

"Calm down, just cal her to the side of the bed and propping her up "I’ll make it better" He strode to the door that connected his bedroo? Did she care? No Another ain Finally, the door swung open and a frowning Victoria glared up at him "You’re the hundredth person at my door I know You sense Aden So did they But to prevent upheaval, I didn’t lie to theht," she ra to sleep--I commanded him to sleep actually We’ll deal with the consequences in thebecause I won’t have him disturbed"

"Are you finished?"

She hissed at hi hilad you’re finally standing up for what you want Now, enough about you, brat I need you to take us to the cabin"

The cabin, where the witch was being kept Understanding dawned Riley was going to feed her Mary Ann wanted to protest, but she also wanted to feel better She’d never been this weak, never been this helpless

"All of us?" Victoria looked back at her bed, and Aden sleeping there "Why?"

"Just Mary Ann and me, and because I said so Leave us in the cabin and then coo to Mary Ann’s house and convince her dad she’s there tonight and in the o to the cabin?" she asked again, gaze sliding to Mary Ann

Starved, dying, scared, agonized…

"I need your blind trust," Riley told the vaiven you"

Victoria nodded without hesitation "All right Yes, of course Who first?"

"Me, but be careful with Mary Ann She’s…ill"

A second later, the two disappeared Mary Ann could only sit there, herher hand, the bed was falling away, and she was floating, spinning, stopping, then starting all over again Finally, solid ground appeared She wanted to vo, intensifying the pain in her body

"What’s wrong with her?" Victoria asked

"Like I said, she’s ill"

"And you think the witch will cast a healing spell? I assure you--"

"Thanks for your help Now go back to Aden," Riley said, scooping Mary Ann in his arain, only this tinificent Riley "Out I’rowled, but disappeared

"What’s going on?" a familiar voice asked The witch

Suddenly warer, her pain She sighed in ecstasy, drinking in every molecule she could Yes Yes This hat she’d needed, what she couldn’t live without Strength returned to her liain