"Jace are you okay? What happened?"
He didn't respond. He just strode towards me and engulfed me in a hug. I hugged him back taking in his scent and warmth. He pulled back and just as I was about to ask again what had happened.
He kissed me with an urgency that told me he didn't want to talk. Finally we parted and I brushed his hair away from his face. I gave him a concerned look.
"Jace are you going to tell me what happened?"
He sighed and wiped a hand over his eyes. He stayed that way for a few moments. After what seemed like an eternity he dropped his hand and looked at me.
He sighed. " I guess nothing else will satisfy your curiosity until I tell you. I went to the forest, which you already knew. This time though, I saw him, the killer. Actually I talked to him, well he talked to me. Then I shot him and made a run for it. When I looked back though he was gone."
Jace took a shaky breathe and stumbled back onto the window seat.
"Whats even worse is there was a dead girl hanging from a tree limb."
I blanched and sank to the floor my legs giving way from underneath me. I felt terror course through me. Suddenly I had a horrible vision. It was Jace lying on the forest floor bleeding to death.
The killer standing over him laughing. I lurched forward and grabbed his leg. Pulling myself up I sat next to Jace. I felt him all over the image of him dying still fresh in my mind.
"He didn't hurt you did he? I can drive you to the hospital if necessary." I couldn't keep the anxiety out of my voice.
I looked up when Jace laughed. My brows furrowed and I frowned at him.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
Even I could hear the hurt in my voice. Jace sobered quickly and hugged me again.
"Nothings funny its just your so concerned and I love it." He said.
I knew he was telling the truth because his voice was filled with love.
I relaxed and smiled. "I sometimes wonder how I got so lucky. " I said.
Jace raised an eyebrows. "What do you mean lucky?" He asked.
I looked out the window embarrassed. "You know, you're the most popular guy in school. Every girl wants to be yours. You're hot and have a great personality. All my other boyfriends wouldn't even amount to half of what you are."
I can feel Jace's eyes scanning my face. His finger touched my chin and turned it so I was looking into his eyes. His eyes were filled with so much warmth. I shuddered as desire coursed through me.
"You know, I think one of the many reasons why I'm attracted to you is the fact that you don't fawn over me like all the other girls do."
I rolled my eyes. "Please, I think we both know thats not who I am." I sighed.
Jace touched my arm. "Whats wrong?" He asked.
I shook my head. "It's nothing really, just that I'm sick of being stuck here." I looked into Jace's eyes.
He searched my face. "You mean you want to go back to school?" He asked his words stiff with tension.
I knew Jace was opposed to me going back to school. I highly doubted the killer would chase us at school. He seemed intent on staying in the forest. I looked away from Jace.
"I just feel like I'm going insane staying here. I mean I can't leave the house. If I went to school at least it will be thickly populated." I finally sneaked a peek at Jace's face.
It was filled with humor. I looked him dead on and even I couldn't deny the hurt that filled my voice. Losing my father had changed me alot.
"Why do you find this humorous? You are so confusing. One minute you're serious and the next you find something funny about a situation that really doesn't have anything funny about it. Honestly it's starting to piss me off. You know..."
I was cut off as Jace leaned in to kiss me. I sighed against his lips. Damn him for knowing it would shut me up.
I kissed Annie and felt my cock harden. I was crazy about her, I can't deny that anymore but it obviously came with a price. Being really protective, I wanted to give her the freedom she wanted but I couldn't control how I reacted to her wanting to go back to school. I was the one to pull back first. We were both breathless and her cheeks were flushed.
She shook her head like the kiss had made her forget our conversation. I watched her face carefully as I spoke.
"I don't blame you for wanting to go back to school, but a very big part of me would never forgive myself if you got hurt." I held up a hand as she started to protest.
"Yes I know that it's very unlikely that he will ever come to our school. Yet it's a chance I am not willing to make. Unfortunately for me, I think you'll be able to convince me to let you go back."
Annie raised a sardonic eyebrow.
" I didn't realize that you were in charge of me. I thought you were my boyfriend, my knight in shining armor. Not my father or my dictator."
I flinched at her tone of voice. Yup the true Annie could cut you in half with her words. She heaved sigh and that one glimpse of who she had been before her father died was gone.
"I'm not trying to be a pain in the ass or anything, but do you know how hard it is to sit here everyday and wait for you? Not knowing if you'll come back alive. I mean you still got to the forest and school. I mean of course you carry your gun but you saw how much good that did. The man is smart Jace but I don't want to due from insanity just because he scares you. There has to be something that can be done. A compromise or something."