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"Dexter," she says, and I melt at the mention of my name on her lips, just like I always do. "Please don't leave me in here again."
"I have to," I murmur. "You know I have to. It's too dangerous for you out there."
Her eyes meet mine, looking more lucid than they have in months as she whispers, "How much longer?"
"Until the plan is completed," I say in return. "Until he's paid for what he did to you, and he can't hurt you anymore."
Her finger moves in circles on my chest, and I groan at the touch. She still makes me hard, except now I feel guilty as fuck because of it. I've never taken advantage. I have girls to take care of my dick. She knows they mean nothing to me. She knows she's the only one.
But she doesn't know how I’m starting to feel about Pandora.
"Say my name," she whispers, laying her head against my chest. "It's been so long since I heard you say it..."
I struggle with my feelings as she says it, eager to give her what she wants and torn between my love for her and the budding feelings I have for the girl I promised I’d never care for.
I kiss her forehead, her name a whisper on my lips as I lean down to mutter it in her ear.
"Lily Anna..."
Four
Pandora
I walk into the main hall of Prep fully expecting the manhunt to begin.
I stand there, with my eyes firmly closed, waiting for them to descend upon me like the vultures they are. But nothing happens. I peek out of one eye, staring out at the hall before me. Nobody's even looking at me.
My brows knit together in confusion. How can this be possible? Surely everybody knows by now. But nobody says a word to me as I make my way to my first classroom of the day. There is no snickering, no whispered gossip. I make my way to the right wing of Prep uninterrupted, and slide onto a seat with a heavy sigh of relief.
"Girl!"
I turn around to find Araminta bending over the desk behind me, popping her gum.
"What?"
My heart speeds up, making me panic again. Shit. Does she know something? Please, please, don't let anybody know. Father would kill me if news got around. I stare at her, trying to discern whether she knows my secret, but her face gives nothing away.
"Is that..." Araminta reaches up to my neck, touching the silk scarf I've wrapped around my throat to hide the bruises Dexter has given me. "Is that Lily Anna's scarf?"
I touch my fingertips to the silk self-consciously.
"Yeah," I mutter. "I couldn't... find anything else."
Araminta smiles at me. It's a reaction I wasn't expecting. I was sure she'd get upset and call me out for trying to imitate her best friend, but that's not the case at all. Instead, she seems almost pleased I'm wearing it.
"Daring." She winks at me. "I like it. So, you've noticed what happens when you try and act more like her, huh?"
I laugh in surprise. She's caught on, just like I have. Before I can answer her, Araminta speaks again, reaching into the depths of her Prada handbag.
"That reminds me, I got you something. I think you'll like it a whole lot."
I narrow my eyes as she pulls out an old-fashioned diary with a lock dangling from it. I take it from her hands, weighing the purple notebook.
"What's this?"
"Lily Anna's diary," Araminta responds nonchalantly, as if it's nothing. "I thought it would be about time you got it."
"You've had this all this time?"
