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He might do that.
He glanced over at Zoe. It all depended on what Zoe wanted to do. Where she wanted to live.
Ethan began typing, and the jingle of Zoe’s bracelet stopped. He glanced over and noticed her bracelet sitting on her desk beside her keyboard.
Zoe finished before he did. Ethan watched her save her work, close her computer and grab her books. She slid out of her chair and left the room without looking at him.
He was sure she wanted to but didn’t want to distract him. Zoe was thoughtful like that.
When Ethan finished, he spotted Zoe’s bracelet on her desk. He picked it up and slid it into his pocket.
She’d left it for him. He was sure of it. As a token of her love. So he’d keep it in his pocket. Close to him. A piece of Zoe, tucked away and safe.
Two days later, when his mother was finally passed out on the couch, the empty bottle of Jack Daniels lying on the floor, Ethan carefully dug the gun out from beneath the winter hats and slid it into his pocket. It was time. He’d seen that other guy kiss Zoe as they’d left school today. His blood was still boiling about that. It couldn’t happen again.
He and Zoe needed to be joined as closely as two people could be. He belonged to Zoe, and Zoe belonged to him. She’d left her bracelet for him, hadn’t she?
He tapped his fingers five times on the gun in his pocket, then slipped out the door to the sound of his mother snoring. Tapped the gun five times again. He had it just in case that other guy was at Zoe’s house.
He doubted he would be. Zoe knew Ethan wouldn’t like that. The weight of the gun felt right in his pocket. He needed it to protect Zoe. No one was going to steal her away from him. She belonged to him.
The Peyton house was completely dark. Silent. The door would be locked, but he’d been watching Zoe’s house for several weeks. He knew where they kept the spare key. After he retrieved it from the fake rock beneath the porch, he crept onto the porch and fitted the key in the lock. It turned silently, and he opened the door just wide enough to slip inside. Then he closed it behind him, slowly enough that he could barely hear the click of the lock engaging.
Zoe’s house was very similar to his, so he knew the bedrooms were on the second floor. The large bedroom on the right would be her parents’ room. Zoe’s room would be on the left. Zoe had an older sister, but Anneliese was away at college. So only one of the rooms would be occupied.
He was halfway up the stairs when a board squeaked.
Ethan froze, holding his breath. He didn’t care if he woke Zoe up -- he’d be waking her himself in a minute or two. He just didn’t want to wake her parents.
When he heard nothing after what felt like an hour, he continued up the stairs. Another board squeaked, and he sucked in a breath. Should he leave? Come back another night?
No. He couldn’t wait. He’d made all his preparations. It had to be tonight. That guy had kissed her today. He knew Zoe was just as eager to be with him as he was to be with her. He touched the pocket of his jeans. He knew she’d be impressed by his planning. He’d bought condoms for the occasion. They’d use them when they reached the secret place he’d prepared for them.
As he reached the top of the stairs, the bedroom door on the right opened. A man with light hair, wearing striped pajamas, stepped out of the room. He turned and frowned at Ethan.
“Who are you?” the man asked. “What do you want?”
Zoe’s father.
“I’ve come for Zoe,” Ethan said, standing straighter. “She wants to be with me.”
Zoe’s father cocked his head. “What’s your name, son?”
“Ethan.”
“Ethan, Zoe can’t go anywhere with you. She’s too young. She has a test tomorrow. So why don’t you go down those stairs and go home?” He held up the phone handset gripped in his fist. “I don’t want to call the police, Ethan. I’m sure you’re a nice kid. But Zoe isn’t leaving the house.”
As he was speaking, Zoe’s father had edged over until he stood in front of one of the bedroom doors. Zoe’s room.
“I can’t leave,” Ethan said, agitation tightening his chest. His fingers flew over his leg, one, two, three, four, five. “Zoe wants me. I have to save her.” He lifted the gun, his hand shaking as he pointed it at Zoe’s father. “I don’t want to shoot you. Move!”
Zoe’s father took a deep breath. Shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere, Ethan.”
“I know Zoe must have talked about me. Told you that we love each other. That we need to be together.”
Zoe’s father held out his hand. “Give me the gun, Ethan. Nothing good comes from waving guns around. Someone’s going to get hurt.”
Ethan shook his head. “I can’t. I need it in case someone tries to stop me and Zoe from leaving.”
