Page 39 of Everything After

“Please don’t, Anthony,” I say tearfully, trying to stay calm. Beckett is yelling at me through the phone that is now on the floor, and Anthony has to know his time here is very limited.

“Don’t be scared, Sierra,” he says, lightly kissing my cheek.

“Please, leave me alone,” I cry.

“This goes far deeper than you think, Sierra,” he says, taking the knife out of my hands and stabbing it into the wall next to my head. “You were an obstacle someone needed rid of, and I was just the man to distract you… You have a traitor amongst your people. You understand, don’t you?”

“No,” I cry.

“Your survival is dependent on understanding, Sierra,” he says. “Good luck with them.”

“What do you…” I start to say, but he covers my mouth with his hand.

“Shhh,” he says. “The walls are listening, baby.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I ask, moving his hand. He just smiles.

“It’s time to go back to prison, Sierra. Visit me sometime, yeah?” he says, stepping back from me. As quickly as he arrives, he leaves. I am left standing in the kitchen, more confused than I am scared.

An unknown amount of time passes, and I am snapped out of my daze when Beckett’s warm hands cup my face. “Kitten, talk to me,” he says softly.

“I’m so confused,” I say, looking around. “He… Did you hear all that?”

“I did,” he says, leading me out of the kitchen and to the living room.

“I’m so confused,” I say again.

“Are you okay?” he asks, sitting on the couch and pulling me into his lap to straddle him.

“I… yeah. He didn’t hurt me,” I say. “What the fuck was that?”

“I think he’s saying someone gave you to him,” Mason says.

“Who would…”

“Uh…” Bella says.

“What?” I ask. “Who would benefit?” she asks, repeating my words back to me.

“Fuck,” Beckett sighs.

“He… he could have hurt me,” I say. “He got close and I just… froze.”

“I know,” he says, cupping my face. “But you’re okay. You scared me when you went silent for so long, though.”

“I must have blacked out or something. I don’t know,” I sigh. “I just don’t get it… he hurt me so much for so long… but then just… says goodbye?”

“No one said he was sane,” Mason tells me.

“Let’s just try to have a good evening,” Beckett says. “Bella is finishing dinner.”

“Okay,” I sigh and lay my head on his chest.

It’s late, and it’s finally just Beckett and me. We are reading, but I have read the same page three times now. All I want is Beckett. It’s all I can think about. Eventually, I give in and set my Kindle down before pulling the covers off us and moving to straddle him.

“Well, hello,” Beckett laughs as he sets his Kindle down with mine. He rests his hands on my thighs as I take his face between my hands and kiss him.

Fuck, I love kissing him. I find so much joy from this alone.