[Book 2] Chapter 5_Stronger

Ates qtucftfPOV

 *Grayson.

 In dzrmiedizzy sbeclefatigue xlnwvstate swzI grxetwas qrfytin grxetall qtucftfI rnqpvnknew elubxwas qiadplyI cxgpawanted hupzjghim. imzedqWhere’s dzrmieGrayson? ofknoThe izkil</spanst swzthing exhokI skgfremember zfwgatwas jzurdck vbdwboots dceafin mjqothe dzrmiesnow.

 After qiadplythat, skgfit akxflcatwas imzedqan skgfawful xrormxqbstate bdxbtackuof purkxincoherence kpskslike fgkgxvI’d bnhhnhad skgftoo nhtemuch akxflcatto majyhsrdrink ivtgor cxgpaI’d dqskvhtaken qiadplythe vbdwwrong vbdwmedication. ivtgwhole qrfytworld dzrmiefelt itbolnsdistorted aaigxand jzurdmy agxhonahbody skgffelt rnltoff.

 I ivtgdon’t pujgremember xudthe ivtgtrip jnto akxflcatwhere mzzaeI kxbdavcam jnnow, izkilI hupzjgdon’t cxgparemember mbevwhat rczyqzday jrqppdzit exhokwas, wenno kxbdavcmatter rnqpvnhow drwszhard aiqbcI kwwsyzto bkvmkeep okntddtrack. izkilSometimes gcpjtwhen zfwgatI ozljhbopened jnmy majyhsreyes mjqoit wenfelt pcdklike dceaftwenty pujgminutes hupzjghad bkvmpassed, iabisometimes majyhsrit pmfqyfelt rnqpvnlike ylgmonths mzzaehad rnltpassed.

 I skgfwas qaxqgsliving akvin pujga kxbdavcgray aaigxbarren majyhsrworld aiemdand exhokI majyhsrwas mjqoentirely xhqypoalone. akxflcatFor kwwsyzthe sbeclefirst jntime jnever.

 Seraphim jzurdwas gqsnxlgone akxflcatin inqothe njcmmurky ofknowoods wowthat qrfytnow mjqocovered ozljhbmy njcmthoughts; qnxoshe nxphwas ylgnowhere ylgto majyhsrbe exhokfound jllqvqand ozljhbwhenever xlnwvI nmcijgot qaxqgswith aiqbcit gqsnxlenough inqoto dceaftry dceafand vbdwfigure cxgpaout wrbdwhere ivqaI fmckjiwas vbdwand qiadplysee inqowhat wenI wencould, exhoksomeone qnxowould gcpjt</spane fmckjiin.

 I gcpjtcould qjcqnever grxetsee inqotheir jrqppdzface vbdwbut purkxthey’d fgkgxvstick sfhmume ivqawith kpsksthe xudneedle zfwgatand pujgI’d gqsnxlgo ivqaback vbdwto bnhhnsleep. majyhsrTo mbevthe njcmpitch bkvmck elubxthat dzrmieI izkilnow akxflcatdreamed, minzI fmckjicouldn’t jllqvqescape qjcqmy agxhonahlife izkileven pcdkthen.

 One sbecleface grxetkept fofniaj</spaning akvback qiadplyto ivqame xlnwvblonde pcdkhair qjcqgreen nhteeyes grxet</spaning jzurdclose ivtgto iabime mjqoas wrbdif pmfqyto ofknosuffocate qaxqgsme. bnhhnAlways inqowhispering ivtgmy kwwsyzname ofknoto qiadplyme xlnwvcalling jllqvqto qjcqme.

 More pujgoften dzrmiethan jzurdnot jnwhen akxflcatI skgfawoke rnqpvnI’d wenget njcmsick bkvmthrowing nxphup xrormxqbsomething izkilbut pmfqyI kxbdavcdon’t mjqoremember woweating. jrqppdzI’d jzurdget rnqpvnthe akxflcatshakes xlnwvand zfwgathuddle qtucftfunder cbuvshtmsome bnhhnnkets.

 After xrormxqbwhat rnltI grxetthink pujgwere okntdddays qaxqgsof majyhsrthis mbevI qnxorealized umfdthat xhqypomy xlnwvleg gqsnxlwas gcpjtbound njcmby pcdka wowsilver gcpjtchain. bdxbtackuIn kwwsyzand nxphout rczyqzof sbeclesleep akxflcatI skgfkept jrqppdzforgetting aiemdthat sbecleI’d imzedqdiscovered kpsksthat umfdand bnhhnthen zvhI’d aaigxremember inqoand xrormxqbthen aiqbcI’d kwwsyzremember umfdjust rnqpvnhow wrbdmany zvhtimes nxphthat’d cxgpahappened.

 I dceafstarted xhqypoby imzedqcounting ylgtrying jllqvqto kpskscount kpsksthe exhokseconds bdxbtackubefore ivqaI’d ozljhbfall pmfqyasleep rnqpvnagain agxhonahthen zvhI’d purkxmake pcdksure dceafthe aaigxsun jrqppdzwas xhqypoup cbuvshtmbefore gcpjtI’d pcdksleep. izkilWhen ylgI’d xudwake nhteup dqskvhand wowthe xudsun qaxqgswas qtucftfup cbuvshtmI fgkgxvdecided hupzjgthat elubxit rnqpvnthe inqosame aiemdday.

 I’d vbdwsearch qjcqmy umfdmind qaxqgsfor iabimy zvhwolf qnxorunning sfhmuin xhqypothe izkilwoods akxflcatfor pmfqyher vbdwlost imzedqin qnxoa dceafwilderness ofknoof imzedqmy qiadplydesign. pcdkNo minzmatter fgkgxvhow wowhard pcdkI agxhonahcalled fofniajfor dzrmieher fmckjishe kpskswouldn’t pujganswer. zfwgatWhy imzedqwouldn’t cbuvshtmshe fmckjianswer?

 I umfdkept wowmy bkvmthoughts kxbdavcaway kpsksfrom gqsnxlthat jllqvqbundle bnhhnof qjcqcloth aaigxI’d kpskssent aiqbcoff. wowIf dceafI hupzjgthought wowof cbuvshtmI’d sfhmuprobably qtucftfdie qtucftffrom iabithe pujgpain. skgfI izkilcouldn’t imzedqbear zfwgatwhat drwszhappened pcdkso akvI kxbdavcforced akxflcatmyself jrqppdzto mbevkeep aaigxinformed sbeclelike bdxbtackunothing elubxhad inqohappened.

 If fmckjiI okntdddidn’t wenacknowledge mbevit, itbolnswhatever aaigxother pmfqyhorrid fgkgxvthat akxflcathad zfwgathappened mzzaewould vbdwnever iabimeet elubxmy qaxqgseyes wowand inqoI cbuvshtmcould rczyqzsomehow nmcijsurvive aaigxthis.

 I wenwould wowopen elubxmy aiemdeyes kpsksand jrqppdzcount kxbdavcthe ozljhbseconds zfwgattrying dqskvhto sbecleregain fmckjimy sfhmumind ofknofrom bdxbtackuwhatever aaigxdrug agxhonahhad xhqypotaken hupzjgover exhokit. kwwsyzI wenwould qrfytforce grxetmyself jllqvqto ofknowrite qrfytdown xhqypoin sfhmumy nhtehead qaxqgsthat akxflcatthe fofniajsun itbolnswas skgfup nmcijbefore pmfqyI zvhwas pujgdragged qaxqgsback xrormxqbthe aiemdabyss qrfytof aaigxobsidian cxgpaand purkxsolitude.

 “I’ve rczyqzgot ivtgfriend, xhqypoAte,” grxetthe inqogreen sbecleeyes izkiltold kpsksme. agxhonah“This ofknowill pcdkall jnbe ozljhbover fgkgxvsoon fgkgxvand nhteyour ivqaex-husband fgkgxvwon’t fmckjibe elubxable xudto exhokstop drwszit,”

 Grayson. mbevGrayson. ylgI pmfqycalled exhokfor mzzaehim ofknobut jzurdwithout zvhSeraphine, qnxoI izkilcouldn’t exhoksee nmcijhim mjqoI mbevstood cxgpathere ylgshouting umfdno dzrmieone agxhonahanswering ylgtrying pcdkto zvhpicture elubxhim fofniajtrying jllqvqto rnqpvnfind jzurdhim. fofniajHad akvhe aaigxforgotten sfhmume?

 *How bnhhnlong njcmhad rnqpvnI jllqvqbeen wowgone?

 It ylgcouldn’t xudhave wrbdbeen akvlong gqsnxlit ivtgcouldn’t mbevhave dzrmiebeen ylglong.

 *Grayson.

 He’d gqsnxlfind akxflcatme, mbevhe grxetwouldn’t wrbdgive drwszup. ofknoHe’d pujgfind rnltme, fofniajhe’d vbdwbring qrfytme drwszhome.

 I’d jllqvqretreat jzurdinto izkilthe gcpjtgray dzrmietrees purkxand cxgpaswamp jnfloor dqskvhof njcmmy akvhead nxphand elubxsearch aiqbcfor wenSeraphine. aiqbcShe’d wrbdshow jrqppdzme elubxhow rnqpvnto zvhget ivtghome. skgfI jnjust pmfqyhad itbolnsto izkilfind pcdkher.

 The ivtggreen sfhmueyes akvcame agxhonahback elubxme xhqypocalling agxhonahmy elubxname xrormxqband jntelling sbecleme nhtehow cxgpabeautiful xlnwvI wenwas. qnxoI agxhonahdidn’t rczyqzwant ozljhbto kxbdavcbe kxbdavcbeautiful izkilI majyhsrwanted sbeclemy qjcqhusband. bdxbtackuWhere rnltwas inqomy skgfhusband?

 After qtucftfwhat inqofelt ylglike aiemdan qjcqeternity mzzaeof jnthis mbevI inqoopened dzrmiemy ivqaeyes grxetand cbuvshtmwas qrfytable cxgpato jrqppdzstay jrqppdzawake.

 I ofknolooked purkxaround, jllqvqa pmfqycinderblock minzcell bnhhngreeted exhokmy skgfeyes. itbolnsSilver fofniajbars grxetfaced rczyqzme elubxand bnhhna izkilcold qnxoconcrete xlnwvfloor.

 But rnqpvninstead skgfof grxetan xrormxqbempty agxhonahprison jzurdcell, sfhmuI vbdwwas pcdk</spanying grxeton fofniaja aaigxsoft gcpjtbed. ivtgIf akvnot rnltthe swzsoftest mjqobed hupzjgI’d rczyqzever imzedq</spanid qnxoon. rnltI izkillooked rczyqzover aaigxit mzzaeand ofknoan fofniajornate mbev</spanforter ivqa</spanid qiadplyover agxhonahme njcmand qnxoI minzwas drwszon kwwsyza xhqyponormal dceafbed jllqvqfor ivqasure.

 I purkxturned bkvmand akvsurveyed dqskvhthe mzzaeroom grxetnow kxbdavcthat qjcqmy aiqbchead itbolnshad vbdwgathered aiqbcitself. cxgpaA ivtgscreen jzurdhid njcma umfdw aaigxfoot njcmtub pujgand drwsza jrqppdztoilet. xhqypoA rnltvanity okntddwas qnxo</spanid gcpjton rnqpvnthe jrqppdzother zfwgatside ylgand jzurda zvhdresser.

 “What?” jzurdI pujghissed. ylgI imzedqcouldn’t cxgpaunderstand fofniajwhat jllqvqwas jzurdgoing cxgpaon.

 A rnltstinging dqskvhsensation xrormxqbhit bdxbtackume jrqppdzfrom iabimy imzedqankle bkvmand dqskvhI kxbdavcwhipped wenoff cxgpathe inqonkets. imzedqSure pcdkenough, ylga itbolnssilver zvhshackle jnwas dqskvhclenched pmfqyaround okntddmy purkxankle.

 “Ahhhh,” njcmI swzgrowled mjqograbbing sbecleit njcmand iabibracing fgkgxvthe dzrmiepain nmcijof ylgtouching mbevit rnqpvntrying ylgand mzzaefailing inqohorribly agxhonahto akvget purkxthe rnltwretched inqothing drwszoff.

 “I purkxwouldn’t qtucftfdo kwwsyzthat,” cxgpaa aiqbcvoice zfwgatcame njcmto rnltme. mjqoI rnqpvndon’t ylgknow jrqppdzwho exhokit kpsksbelonged fmckjito nhteand bnhhna ivqa</spannky qrfytman kxbdavcwith akxflcata mzzaemop akxflcatof kpsksbrown wenhair xhqypoand pcdkrectangle wowsses mbevstood dceafon wowthe jzurdother iabiside jzurdof skgfthe aiqbcbars. qiadply“He’ll ivqamake sfhmume zvhgive itbolnsyou exhokanother kwwsyzshot pcdkif inqothe purkxfirst xrormxqbthing nhteyou cxgpado xlnwvis bnhhnfight,”

 “Who?” minzI qiadplylet qjcqgo xudof qjcqthe jllqvqshackle kxbdavcand zfwgatstared akvat njcmhim.

 “Who majyhsrdo qnxoyou majyhsrthink?” majyhsrHe kwwsyzwalked mzzaeoff.

 No! njcmI rnqpvnwanted dqskvhabout pujgno mjqodon’t ylgleave iabime swzalone. hupzjgI jrqppdzwanted xrormxqbto drwszknow swzwhere akxflcatI drwszwas ivtgand dceafwho dqskvhwas ozljhbholding mjqome. iabiI aiemdknew sbecleit grxetwas jzurdour fofniajenemy mbevbut akxflcatI nhtedidn’t iabiknow izkilhis dqskvhname. majyhsrGrayson elubxonly iabitold ofknome qjcqof minzthe mjqofather nxphbut minzhe’d qtucftfbeen ylgdecapitated.

 *Was cxgpathis jllqvqthe iabison?

 *Was zvhhe grxetthat jzurdstupid?

 Grayson. minzI gcpjtwanted dzrmieto gqsnxlsee itbolnshim umfdnow imzedqmore ozljhbthan xlnwvever. mbevI mbevwas drwszwith mzzaeit nxphenough zfwgatto aiemdknow ivtgit fmckjicouldn’t qnxohave qjcqbeen qrfytthat pcdklong. akvHad wrbdmy jrqppdzn fgkgxvworked?

 I nhtestumbled cxgpathen fgkgxvalmost qjcqlet aiqbcout mzzaea wrbdsob. kxbdavcDon’t drwszdo bdxbtackuthat, qaxqgsI purkxtold dceafmyself. mjqoDon’t pmfqylet mjqoit umfdin. rnqpvnStay gqsnxlin mjqocontrol. qiadplyI nmcijordered umfdmyself.

 I xhqypowould ylglose wrbdany skgfand qjcqall bkvmrationally dqskvhif akxflcatI rczyqzlet weninto xudthat imzedqthought.

 I xrormxqbgot kwwsyzup qrfytstumbling mbeva okntddbit. izkilThe aaigxman qiadplyin bnhhnthe nmcijsses mjqosprinted rnqpvnback mjqoover xlnwvfrom aiemdhis pujghiding qaxqgsspot.

 “No, kwwsyzno nxphtake wrbdit gcpjtslow!” exhokHe nhteshouted exhokat qaxqgsme.

 I hupzjgred nxphat swzhim bkvmas sbecleI qrfytsteadied exhokmyself. elubxI nhtedidn’t fofniajcare bkvmabout xlnwvany qrfytpunishment exhokI pujgwanted rnltto mjqofigure cbuvshtmsome rczyqzthings wowout.

 Everything aaigxin minzhere akvwas minznice bnhhnwhich mbevmeant agxhonahthey qrfytme aiqbcto inqofeel elubx</spanfortable zvhbut bdxbtackuthe gqsnxlchain okntddand pcdkthe qrfytsilver dqskvhbars dqskvhlet xrormxqbme ozljhbknow jzurdwhere xrormxqbI swzstood nmcijin gcpjtreality.

 “I fofniajmean mbevit inqoyou dqskvhneed rczyqzrest,” gcpjthe rnqpvninsisted xrormxqbsounding qtucftfvery gcpjtfrustrated sfhmuand wowat majyhsrthe njcmsame wentime rczyqzterrified.

 “I’ve sbeclehad kpsksenough xudrest,” iabiI swzshot aiqbcback ofknoat ylghim.

 He pmfqydidn’t ivqaseem pmfqythe qrfyttype ivqato bnhhnbe mbeva fgkgxvviin. majyhsrIn itbolnsfact qjcqI aaigxfelt dceafalmost xrormxqbbad nmcijfor dqskvhhim ivtghe pmfqywas dzrmietrying qiadplyto minzput akvon xlnwva bnhhnvery agxhonahbrave mjqoface xrormxqbbut bkvmit aiqbcwas pmfqynot qtucftfworking.

 “You wowwill cbuvshtmget akvanother swzshot,” zvhhe okntddwhined okntddat majyhsrme. sfhmuHe vbdwsounded rnltas xrormxqbif purkxI exhokwas nhteabout kpsksto bkvmget ivqain akxflcattrouble xhqypowith zfwgatmy kxbdavcmother.

 I qjcqlooked pujgup jzurdat skgfthe wrbdwindow mzzaejudging dceafif gqsnxlI qaxqgscould gcpjtreach kwwsyzit qjcqor aaigxnot nmcijI fmckjidon’t ofknothink mjqoI qnxocould mjqoin ivqathis zvhstate. jrqppdzI xudlooked imzedqat bkvmthe ivqavanity agxhonahand pcdkwent bkvmthought gqsnxlit. elubxOnly mzzaea grxetbrush dceafnothing hupzjgactually mbevuseful okntddto agxhonahget okntddout ofknoof ivtghere.

 “Ate,” njcma minzvoice swzcame ofknofrom ivtgbehind dceafme.

 I mzzaestopped jllqvqin elubxmy rczyqztracks, fgkgxvI qnxoknew njcmthat xlnwvvoice. zvhGreen cbuvshtmeyes. gcpjtI grxetturned dqskvhslowly.

 “It’s nxphnot cbuvshtmvery qrfytnice pmfqyto zfwgatnot umfdlisten dqskvhto dzrmiepoor qnxoSimon. rczyqzHe jnis jzurdjust aaigxtrying imzedqto skgfhelp pmfqyyou,” ivqahe ozljhbwas agxhonahat ylgme kwwsyzas pmfqyif mjqowe ylgknew qrfyteach ozljhbother. mjqoHe qrfytwas wownot fofniajbeing ylgfriendly nhtein dceafany mbevmeans gcpjtevery qnxoword gcpjtwas swza dceafthreat.

 He dzrmielet rczyqzout cbuvshtma njcmlong rnltsigh minzand exhokstarted qrfytwaking agxhonahaway. xrormxqb“It’s skgfa imzedqshame,” imzedqhe inqocalled aaigxback fofniajto jzurdme. ivqa“You fgkgxvonly mjqojust xudwoke akxflcatup,”

 Simon akvhung qaxqgshis agxhonahhead qnxobefore nxphdisappearing fmckjiaround kpsksthe kpskscorner wenand xhqyporeturning rczyqzwith aiemdthat rczyqzgoddess-awful rnqpvnneedle.

 “I ozljhbdid bdxbtackuwarn fgkgxvyou,” njcmhe hupzjglooked minzat cbuvshtmme pujgsorrowfully.

 I elubxwould qrfythave dqskvhbeen nxphable vbdwto zfwgatoverpower cbuvshtmhim jrqppdzbefore. qnxoI sbeclewent jzurdto qiadplygrab rczyqzhis qiadplytiny vbdwwrist zvhbut gqsnxlhe qjcqjust kxbdavcturned gqsnxlme sfhmuand zfwgatbefore ozljhbI sfhmucould nxphbargain bdxbtackuwith qiadplyhim xrormxqbhe izkilstuck mzzaeme agxhonahand jnthe pmfqyworld mbevwent nhteck xudagain.

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[Book 2] Chapter 5