AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I shut that thought down. The desire to do something has my hands trembling and sweat beading at my brow.
I’m not known for my self-restraint. It’s probably how I managed to end up like this in the first place.
If I’d fought the darkness harder when I was a teenager then maybe falling into the darkness now wouldn’t be so easy.
I crawl onto my bed with a bottle in one hand and that notebook in the other.
One of them excites me more, and it’s not the one that promises a whole world of pain as I bleed out my thoughts through ink, letting them stain the paper before me as if they’re real things.
But I promised Alana that I’d try. And right now, without her, I’m fucking desperate.
Settling back against my pillows, I look at my cell sitting on my nightstand.
I tried calling Reid more times than I’m willing to confess to. But the line just cuts. I’ve no idea what it means that it’s not even going to voicemail, but it can’t be good.
I’ve no way of contacting Alana and Mav. As far as I know their cells are—
The pen in my hand drops.
“In the safe.”
Without a second thought, I race off the bed and down the stairs, storming into Reid’s office with one single destination in mind.
Curling my hand around the bookcase that hides all our treasures—okay, Reid’s treasures. I have fuck all to my name—I pull it open.
If you didn’t know this one moved, then you would never guess.
I’m as gentle as I can be while my hands are trembling and my body is practically vibrating with the need to claw off my own skin. Thankfully, none of Reid’s beloved special edition books take a tumble.
When—if—he returns and finds one of them damaged, my life wouldn’t be worth living.
There aren’t many physical objects that mean anything to Reid, but these books are well up there. I get it, and I respect it enough to keep my fucking distance for fear of even looking at one wrong. If people think that I’m one of only a few people who aren’t scared of my best friend, then they need to think again. Even I have my moments when Reid really loses his shit.
The second the safe hiding behind the bookcase reveals itself, I step forward, trailing my fingers over the keypad, praying that he hasn’t changed the number on me.
It wouldn’t be the first time he’s hidden all the sharp things inside and locked me out for my own good.
I already know it’s not where he’s hiding the knives. He thinks he’s being all slick, putting them somewhere he doesn’t think I’ll look. But I know.
I could tell him. But secretly, I love that he tries to do whatever he can to keep me safe.
It’s just another thing about my life now that makes me second-guess myself when things are getting bad.
I might not have much in life, but I have my best friend, and I know without a doubt that I always will.
He’s my brother in all the ways that count, and I have complete trust that he’ll never leave me behind. Not like everyone else.
So where is he?A little voice whispers in my ear as I key in the code and wait to see if he’s locked me out.
The beep of victory fills the air as a green light appears, granting me access through that layer of security.
Opening the panel, I find the biometric scanner beneath and press my hand to it.
You didn’t think Reid would be satisfied with just one layer of security, did you?
Again, it beeps, allowing me access to the safe.
Pulling the heavy door open, I find it almost empty.
