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I closed my eyes and listened to his heart for a er?"

"Helene?" I know this sounds crazy, but I wasto kill irlfriend Last year, I thought she was the one for ht I loved her"

I tried to suppress the sudden jealousy that sprung to life inside of me "What happened?"

"Well, the summer after junior year, I went to France and lived with ot incredibly close that summer I would have sworn then that I loved her But now I know I never did Love is sohow she looks beside ie I even tried not to I thought if I never touched you and stopped flirting with you, nothingFroet you out of my head When I realized I was hopelessly screwed, Iin Katie She called e for a plane ticket back to France My dad told elene was on a plane for Silver City My dad said I had to be sure I didn’t still love Angelene before I changed my mind about her She would have been the ideal match for me, in my parents’ eyes So my father and I made the deal I mentioned earlier I wouldn’t see you for teeks, and during those teeks I would resuelene where it had left off Boyfriend and girlfriend At the end of those teeks, if I wasn’t ain, which my father was certain I would be, I could pursue … you"

He looked down at ie?"

"What?" I whispered

"Will you forgiveyou about Angelene?"

I stared into his dark eyes and nodded How could I not forgive hiie?"

"What?"

"I never want to be away froain Does that scare you?"

I looked away froainst a sudden shortness of breath "I’hed and sank onto the sofa "Good Because, like it or not, I’m bound to you until one of us dies"

"Wait You’re what to me?" I asked

He shook his head and clahed "It has to do with uide If I fall in love, I can’t fall out of love If you die before me, I will live with a broken heart for the rest ofyou until the day I die Does that scare you?"

For the first time in my life, someone ould love me forever? I s to change between us"

One of his eyebrows shot up "What?"

"Can I kiss you whenever I want to?"

For an answer, he kissedhis forehead against ,the sense of safety that had been forer’s hand

"They’ve foundmy haunted eyes to him

"They won’t come in They can’t"

"How do you know?" I peered out the tall, s into the dark night and gli into the trees

"The security system I turned on electric shock wires e drove in"

"Why do they want me?" I whispered

"Because of me"

I whipped around to look at him, absolutely shocked

"What does this have to do with you?"

Bridger’s face hardened "They are trying to find a way to hurt me because of who my father is--because of who I will becoed into my problems I can’t believe it has corab his shoulders and shake hielene?"