Page 105 of Under the Bed

“Your full name is on my laptop.” Dempsey retreats, finally realizing he’s the target here. “They’ll find you. You won’t get away with this.”

It’s too late for him to hide. Kaleb’s large frame is towering over him. He tilts his head, looking at the belt. At the open fly. At me.

I’ll do it,I mouth, walking up behind Dempsey.

He shakes his head. Once.

Bam!

The hammer bashes into Dempsey’s forehead. The tip is planted into his skull. Blood trickles down his eyebrows, his wide eyes.

“Damn you,” I whisper-shout, slapping my hand over Dempsey’s mouth. If I couldn’t kill him, I might as well make myself useful by silencing his screams. “Kaleb, they’ll know. Fuck, why are you doing this?”

“He harassed you yesterday. And today.” He pulls the hammer out, then brings it down again. Dempsey collapses into me. “He touched you.” Another blow. “He was going to rape you.”

Dempsey’s a deadweight. His blood gushes onto my hand. When the cops come, I’ll say…I’ll say…

Fuck.

I’ll tell them thatJakob Whitedid it. That’s it.

“I’m trying to protect you, Kaleb.” Angry tears roll down my cheeks. “Why won’t you let me?”

He stands there, hammer in his hand. “You’re hot when you’re all riled up.”

“Stop it.” I dump Dempsey’s lifeless body to the floor, stepping over him.

My bloodied hands flatten over Kaleb’s chest, pressing to his hoodie.

My pocketknife is jammed between us.

He doesn’t even notice it. Doesn’t care about the blood ruining his clothes.

“You’re lying. This isn’t about lust,” I say. “This isn’t about sex. You’re trying to get them to find you and leave me. I just—Why? Was I nothing more than a fuck to you, Kaleb? Was I?”

He cocks his head to the side, studying me.

“Well?” I’m crying. I’m pushing him back, though he won’t budge. For once, I wish I were bigger than him. Stronger. To force him into my car and out of this place. “Answer me, damn you.”

“I don’t know how to let you help me, little sister.” The hammer makes a dull sound as it lands on the floor. My pulse is getting louder. This is big, what he has to tell me. Huge. I can tell. “I’m the only person I could ever count on.”

The pain in my chest. It’s going to be the death of me. I put a hand to my mouth to silence my sobs. “I failed you. Ishould’ve spoken up. I should’ve gone against my father. I—Oh God. I’m so sorry.”

“Shh. There was nothing you could’ve done.” He raises his large hand to cup my cheek. Tucks my hair behind my ear.

On my wounded side.

I realize he’s noticed my scar as soon as Kaleb’s attention whips to the spot where my shoulder meets my back.

His frustrated groan freezes me in place.

The right thing to do would be to raise my voice, to tell him we need to get out of here.

Keep him safe.

Instead, I’m that eleven-year-old again. Hurt. Alone. Desperately needing to have someone on my side.

Him. I need him.

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