Chapter 16

Tessa

I went home with excitement and nervousness coursing through my veins.

Was I not supposed to be scared? Being in the room with a man who wanted to eat me alive, despite being my stepfather, was terrifying. But I was happy that my mom wouldn't be back home on time.

I got out of the taxi in front of the house. I would have come home with Carter, but he had a short meeting to attend, which made me come home earlier than him.

I paid the cab driver and turned to leave when my phone suddenly beeped. It was a message from my mom instructing me to buy the necessary ingredients to make dinner.

I groaned inwardly at the fact that I was already home and would have to turn back.

I walked down to the next store to get some ingredients. It wasn't far from my house, so it only took me a few minutes.

I purchased what I needed and turned to leave when I suddenly heard someone calling my name. I turned around, my gaze met Leah's. She was in the middle of buying a cucumber.

She walked toward m