Page 107 of This Bitter Sweet Temptation

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Cold, clinical white light splashes across the floor.

My eyes scan slowly, deeply into the shadows. Nothing looks out of place in here.

Everything’s right where it should be.

Some instinct tells me to move.Move!

Just because everything seems okay doesn’t mean it is.

Holding my breath, I pad to my bedroom door and open it very cautiously.

Heavy footsteps come charging down the hallway.

What the—

I shriek, falling back, but it’s Holden. I think?

He’s a massive blur, sprinting like a mad bull, bellowing through the darkness after someone.

My heart jumps up my throat so fast I nearly gag.

What’s going on?

My flashlight catches the fierce concentration on his face, and something darker. Something scarier.

I recover quickly, slipping out and jogging after him—and stopping just short of smacking into Kit as she stumbles out of her room.

We both freeze and squeal before I grab her.

“You’re okay! It’s just me.”

“Cleo? What’s going on?” Her eyes are wide and glassy.

I grab her shoulders. “I don’t know yet, kiddo. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Where’s Dad?”

My lips purse. Jesus, what do I say?

If I take her downstairs, where there’s potential danger, Holden will kill me if some prowler doesn’t do it first.

“I don’t know. Stay with me,” I say, tucking her against my side.

My pulse chugs on, so hard and so fast I feel faint.

“But Dad—”

“Just stay.” I turn on my grown-up voice, wrapping my arm more tightly around her thin shoulders.

She’s shaking like a leaf.

The sight of Holden charging like a wolf must have left her as petrified as me. I didn’t even know hecouldmove that fast.

But why? What did hesee? What’s wrong?

My spine glazes over.

We’re in danger. That’s the only reasonable explanation.

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