“What are we doing?” I ask, a little afraid at the change. Honestly, if we’d kept driving for hours – weeks, years – I might have felt better. “We’re getting those cuffs off you,” Christian murmurs, pulling into a spot towards the empty back of the parking lot. “Oh,” I say, sitting up a little –

Even though it is a big deal – the kind of trauma that will probably follow me for a lifetime? Christian knows that this is what I need. And he knows because…he’s my best friend. Because he’s known me all my life. Because he’s read every stupid email I’ve sent him for thirteen years, and probabl

When I wake up hours later, I blink in surprise to see the sun setting, the sky all around us a pretty pink and purple instead of the stunning blue it was when I last opened my eyes. “You like the beach, right?” Christian asks, his voice surprisingly cheerful. I blink in surprise, looking at him a

Christian comes close and places his hands on my shoulders as I turn my head to look again out the window. And that’s it, I suddenly realize – the beauty of this place is just so shocking, jarring, in comparison to where I was less than a day ago. Being beaten by men who didn’t care if I lived or di

Perhaps sensing my humor, the smirk on my lips, Christian flicks his eyes up at me. “What?” he murmurs, a smile starting on his lips as well. I just shake my head at him. “Christian, what are you going to do?” The smile falls away from his face and he drops his head again, not looking at me. “