AllFreeNovel
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“I’ll give you the official tour later.” I kiss her forehead. “Let’s catch up for now.”
“Where’s the bed?”
“We’ll get to that later, too.” I gently push her down onto the sofa chair. Then I pick up a few books from the lamp table. “I need to know what you thought about these.”
“What makes you think I’ve read them?”
“We’ll be here for a week until you do if you haven’t.” I sit next to her. “I need to know your thoughts.”
“I read them all on release day.” She smiles, curling into my lap. “I have some conspiracy theories about the new underworld.”
“It has to be linked to the heavens in book two, right?”
“What? No. I was thinking Book five, but…That makes so much more sense.”
Like we used to, we stay up all night and the next discussing literature, kissing and making love in between.
8
GENEVIEVE
Several days later
Lauren’s friendship bracelet is dangling off my doorknob when I return to my apartment. A box of things I once lent to her is sitting below it, addressed it “The BITCH who fucked my boyfriend.”
Sighing, I kick it inside and place it in the kitchen.
BANG! BANG! BANGGGG!
Loud knocks sound at the door, and I stare at it, assuming she’s making another drop-off.
BANGGG! BANG! BANG!
I walk over and peer through the peephole, but I don’t see Lauren.
It’s my mother.
I wish it was Lauren…
I force a smile and open the door.
“You were sexually assaulted at Exeter?” She nearly screams. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Wait, what? What are you talking about, Mom?”
“I’ll never forgive myself.” She pushes her way past me, pacing and wringing her hands in my living room. “Your father is losing his shit.”
“Mom?” I place my hands on her shoulders. “What the hell is going on?”
“Your father and I received a call from the state prosecutor’s office this morning, and I jumped on the first flight here,” she says. “He wanted us to know that he’s determined to get justice for you and I promise we’ll be holding your hand every step of the way until this sicko teacher is behind bars.”
The dots slowly connect and my knees weaken. While she babbles, I fall back onto the sofa and grab my phone.
I call Liam but he doesn’t answer.
I call again and again and again, and the third time it goes straight to voicemail.
9
