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Didn’t feel safe enough.
Ari twisted the deadbolt. They both gasped for air as she led Bella up to the main level where she and Damon kept their keys. She quickly found the spare house key and shoved it into Bella’s palm. “Keep this. Whether you stay us or with Rita, you can get in here whenever you need to. Your parents are more likely to look for you there. They’d have no reason to think you’d be at our house. They don’t even know us.”
“They met you at the wedding.”
“We were one couple of many, and they don’t know where we live. They have no reason to look for you here.”
“Are you sure Damon won’t mind?” Bella trembled, nearly dropping the key.
“He’ll be happy to help. Trust me.”
Bella nodded. “What now?”
Ari checked her phone. “We’ll wait for Rita to call one of us.”
“I don’t have mine. I worried my parents would find a way to track me if I kept it, so I tried to use it as a diversion and left it at school. I guess they caught on pretty fast.”
“Not fast enough. You got here. That was good thinking on your part.” Ariana led her upstairs and showed her to a spare bedroom, the one farthest toward the rear of the house. Its location was extra security in name only — if Bella’s father or the man he sold her to made it inside, the back bedroom offered little more protection than any in the front. “This will be your room if you need it. If Damon and I aren’t here, let yourself in and make yourself at home.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. You don’t need to keep asking. We’re more than happy to help. I hate what Rita went through with Boone, and I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you don’t have to deal with the same thing.”
“I appreciate it.”
“It’s no problem.” Ariana pulled out her phone and called Rita. She put it on speakerphone.
Her friend answered right away, sounding out of breath. “I was just about to call you.”
“What’s going on?”
“My parents are already looking for my sister. Mom’s freaking out because she isn’t answering her phone.”
“Should I stay here?” Bella asked. “With Ariana?”
“No,” Rita said. “I told her I hadn’t seen you. I’m sure they don’t think you’d come here on your own. It’s too far to come without a car.”
“Aren’t you worried I’m going to put your stepkids in danger? And what about you? You’re pregnant.”
“It won’t be a problem. Our parents are already on the list of people not allowed inside the gate. The security guard would call the police if they tried to get in.”
Bella didn’t look convinced.
“We’ll come back over,” Ariana said. “I gave Bella a key to my place in case she needs it.”
“Thank you.” Rita sounded near tears.
“What are we going to do?” Bella asked.
Ari gave her a reassuring smile. “You’re going to help your sister and me plan our Halloween party while we gorge on candy and hot apple cider.”
“A Halloween party?” Bella’s eyes grew as wide as saucers.
“Yes,” Rita said over the speaker. “Regardless of what our parents taught us, it isn’t evil. These parties are actually a lot of fun — Ariana always makes sure of that.”
Ari couldn’t help smiling despite all the stress. “To be fair, I’ve been putting on Halloween parties since I could talk. My parents joke that ‘Halloween’ was one of my first words.”
Bella’s mouth curved up slightly.
