Under the Spell of the Kidnappers

familiar living room. The scent of his cologne still lingered in the air, a mix of c

off my shift just to make it perfect. His present-two tickets to the college championship game he'd been dying to attend-was tucked sa

sound. Faint at fir

ovies again, the ones with all explosions and very little plot. I crept up the stair

. I wanted this to be perfect. I wanted him to light up when he saw me. I wanted h

inst

surprise? Yeah. Just

h, » I said, my voice falter

My breath caught in my throat a

d. And not just alone-he was on top of Tasha. Also naked. A

isse

ally ki

ent. I could see her smile up at him as if he'd just told her the secrets o

my throa

yes s

eone had poured ice water down his spine. « Oh my gosh. Sam, baby, when did you get h

the covers around her chest, but it did

t, uh- » Tasha began,

her mouth and looked down, her cheeks burning red as she tighte

photo of us off the frame. The picture of two smiling idiots who thought they'd beat the odds. I tore

le glittering shards. Tasha yelped and

but I didn't care. I held up the football tickets-front row, perfect seats. His dream-and ripped them

he said, but I cut him off with a g

ssed, turning on my

ot to cry, not yet, not in front of him. My fingers fumbled fo

ed after me, his

engine. He was already pounding on the driver's

's not what it looks like! » he b

rely hear anything else. I slammed the car into reverse and stepped on the gas.

down the street. My hands were shaking.

e. I scrolled through my contacts, barely able to see through the flood of tea

she answere

eely now. I didn't care anymore. I fe

d? » Her voice immediately

man-whore! » I yelled, voic

reining in her own anger. « Okay

der, clutching the steering wheel like it was

. I'll be r

Bye, » I whispere

she said softly

umbled in a matter of seconds. My fingers traced the outline of where the tickets had been, now just sh

to the road, heading to Kyrn's. I didn't know wh

one wit

the end of me.