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"You can talk to ," I assure her "That’s what I’m here for"

"Is it?" she whispers, then lowers herself onto the pillow I figure she’s upset with ain, but then she rolls to her side and rests her arm across her stomach

I can’t help myself I pull her closer and breathe in the scent of her vanilla shampoo She buries her face in my chest and then presses a kiss to the scar on my neck My heart jolts to life, and I painfully realize soo down in flames I’m already on fire, and it’s only ato burn to death

Chapter 4

A Visit Frole one of my muscles throb My mouth feels dry as sand, ht strea my skin I’m so tired, too exhausted to open ht, and the bed feels so eh brief Ryler was so sweet, too, so sweet I ot who he works for If only he didn’t work for my father I’d ask him to run aith me I don’t even care how fairytale-ish that sounds I want to get the hell out of this life, far, far, ahere I’ll never be found again And if Ryler ith me, then my start wouldn’t be so lonely and maybe easier to face

"I’d open them if I were you," Ellis’s voice fills ?" I over or not, I don’t regret what happened last night For once, I felt like I was being nors to Ryler about being pretty

"E Get out before she takes you down"

My eyes snap open at the precise moment I hear the click of the lock from the front door Only four people have a key to my place; me, Ryler, my father, andshut "Where are you?"

I freeze, conte what to do next Maybe if I just stay put, she’ll leave

"That’s a stupid thought" Ellis appears in front of irl" He waves his hand at et the butterfly back on you before she finds out"

"The butterfly?" I ask, and then it clicks I push up fro as I reht "Shit Shit Shit"

"Eoing to punish you,"around infor h lance at my reflection in the mirror For my entire life, Mother has forced me to focus on my looks Beauty on the outside is all that ht now, I look like shit Plain and si to be majorly pissed off

"Good, let her be pissed," I rooman I shouldn’t have to be afraid of my mother"