SIXTEEN

Alecia lay on her bed and reread the novel Ryder had bought for her. She smiled, feeling a warmness spread through her. As she remembered the day he had bought it for her. She loved him with a fierceness that hurt. It had been three days since she had last seen him and every part of her longed to be wrapped in his arms. How could love take complete control over someone?

 He had kept his word and called every night, and they would talk for hours, losing themselves in each other’s voices, planning their lives together. She set the book down and picked up another book she was reading. The vibrations of her phone interrupted her. She picked up her phone and answered. She smiled closing her eyes, waiting for his smooth voice to soothe her. “Hey.”

“Hey, pretty thing,” Ryder said in an almost quiet voice.

“Ryder?” She sat up, and brushed a tendril of hair from her fac