Page 91 of Let Me In

We stay like that for a long moment, wrapped up in each other, his arms around me like a shield.

My cheek pressed against the place where his heart beats, slow and steady now—but I can feel the echo of what it was. Of how fast it must’ve raced when he saw me walk toward that man.

I don’t want to move.

Not even a little.

But the wind shifts. Cleo barks softly from somewhere behind us. And Cal… he exhales.

Not annoyed.

Not impatient.

He eases back a little.

Just enough to look down at me, and his hand finds mine.

And as he laces our fingers together—warm, steady—I find the courage to ask.

Quiet. Afraid of the answer.

“…Are you mad?”

His eyes soften the second the words leave my lips.

“No, baby.”

He says it so gently I almost don’t believe him.

“But you were—” I start, then stop. Because I don’t know the word. I just felt it.

He nods once. Just enough.

“I was scared,” he says. “Out of my mind. But not angry.”

My chest shakes.

He squeezes my hand.

“You followed your gut. You were brave. Smarter than he gave you credit for.”

I swallow hard. “But I broke the rule.”

“You did,” he agrees, still calm. “And we’ll talk about that. Later.”

My heart skips.

But his thumb brushes over mine.

“For now? I’m just getting you out of here.”

I nod.

And when he turns toward the truck, still holding my hand, he doesn’t let go. Not even to open the door.

He does that one-handed.

Keeps me close.

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