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“I have an idea of what you could do to help.” Wiggling my brows at him, my smile is seductive.
A low chuckle comes from his lips. “Sex fiend,” he teases.
87
CHASE
It’s two days before Christmas and while Mackenzie and Melody are out shopping, I’m wrapping the presents I bought for Mackenzie.
“Chase,” Jeff yells as he bounds down the stairs. “Are you or Kenz allergic to dogs?”
“I’m not, and Kenz had a beagle named Snoopy. Why?”
“Mel has been wanting a dog, but her mom is so particular about the house, she’s refusing. I figured if I get one, she can see it whenever she wants.” He beams at me, his smile contagious. “My parents agreed, so I was going to take her to a couple shelters when they return and see if any of them caught her eye. Do you and Kenz wanna come?”
“Let me text Kenz. I’ll tell her to keep it a secret. Pretty sure she’ll say yes after the way she and Mel fawn over every dog we pass when we run.” Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I fire off a text.
“Awesome. Hey, mind if I grab the presents I bought and wrap them down here with you?”
“Be my guest. There’s plenty of room. Plus, I’m watching ‘Christmas Vacation’ while I wrap.”
“Sweet! I’ll be right back.” Jeff bounds up the stairs and I return to wrapping.
My phone buzzes and I grin when I read Mackenzie’s text. I can practically feel her excitement as she immediately responds that she’d love to go along.
“Kenz said yes, huh,” Jeff says as he sets his bags down close to where I’m sitting on the floor, wrapping gifts.
“She did.”
“I could tell. You always get this particular smile on your face whenever she’s happy.”
My gaze meets his. “I love that girl with every part of me, Jeff. I never thought I’d love someone the way I do her.”
He gives a knowing grin. “I understand. I’d love to ask Mel to marry me once we graduate. I don’t know if she’ll go for it, though.”
“Why not?”
He shrugs. “Her mom got pregnant at eighteen and her parents made them get married. Don’t get me wrong, her parents are still together and seem to have a great relationship. But she keeps pushing Mel to go to college and hold off on marriage.”
I raise my brows. “And Mel can’t do both? She can’t be married to you and go to college?”
Jeff shrugs one shoulder. “I’m cool with it. I plan to go and get a two year degree in technology. I’d be fine with working and supporting her while she goes to college.”
“Have you told her that?”
“I tried but her mom overhead the marriage part and freaked out.” Jeff rolls his eyes.
“Talk to her privately.” Placing the scissors on the floor beside me, I gaze into space. “I’d love to marry Kenz and go to college. I’d like to study criminal justice.”
Jeff’s head lifts to mine. “Does this have anything to do with the cult that kidnapped you and Kenz?”
My jaw clenches, muscles tense. “It has everything to do with them, Jeff. I can’t just sit here and do nothing. Look at the damage they did to Mackenzie and me. We were accidental sacrifices. A case of Mackenzie flagging down the first car she saw for help after we hit the tree.” I take a breath to steady the rage that threatens to engulf me. “Remember me telling you about Rosario? Turns out, one of the therapists Kenz and I are working with was a victim of them as well.”
“Oh my God. How did they leave the cult?”
I stared at him. “We think Rosario may be in a sanitarium. From the sounds of it, the cult funds and controls it, so she’s probably being tortured. And the therapist… They thought she was dead. Started to bury her alive. They didn’t get to finish the job. That’s what saved her life.”
“Fuck. That’s crazy.”
