Reading Online Novel

Trembling(14)





"That would be impossible to pull off," said Jude. "Besides, why would you want to kidnap someone?"



"I wouldn't," said Jason. "Not really."



We had arrived at our apartment. Jude parked the car in the parking lot. I wanted to invite him in, but I knew Jason wouldn't be cool with it. So I just said goodbye to Jude, and Jason and I got out of the car.



When we got inside, Lilith wasn't there. She'd left a note that she was off job hunting. Hallam was still at work, so we had the apartment to ourselves for a while. Usually, I got right to work on my homework after school. I should have today, especially since I was working later. I had to go in for about four hours that evening. But I wasn't feeling like doing homework. I was frustrated and confused about the turn of events at school. I wanted to talk to Jason about it, but after what he'd said at lunch today, I felt like it would be a bad idea. Instead, I hunted through the refrigerator for a snack.



Jason dropped off his books in his bedroom and joined me in the kitchen.



"Hey," he said. "I'm sorry about the way I reacted to what you said at lunch."



I closed the refrigerator. "You mean you think I could be right about the Sons?"



"Well," said Jason, "no. I don't think they're after us. But I'm sorry if I made you feel stupid for thinking it. After everything that's happened to us, I can see why you'd be jumping at shadows."



"I don't think that's what I'm doing," I said. "There was an engraving of a rising sun on that bell."



"And that's a weird coincidence," said Jason. "It's understandable that you'd freak out. And it is weird. That bell ending up in your purse."



"Why do you think it happened?" I asked.



"Somebody's idea of a practical joke, I guess," said Jason. "Like you said. Maybe that guy from the party that I beat up."



"You think?" I said.



"He'd be holding a grudge against you."



"Who was he? Does he go to our school?"



Jason shrugged.



"Jude said you put him in the hospital. Would he have even been at school today?"



Jason shrugged again. "Maybe he got one of his friends to do it. There were a bunch of people at that party."



Maybe Jason was right. There was probably a better explanation than the Sons of the Rising Sun being after us. "You really think we're safe?" I said.



"I'm sure of it," he said.



I sighed. He was probably right. I was overly excitable. That dream I'd had last night hadn't helped things either. "I had a nightmare last night," I said.



"The one about your parents?" Jason asked.



"No," I said. I explained it to him. But I left out the part where Toby turned into Jason. I didn't want Jason to think that any part of me, even subconsciously, was ever afraid of him. "It was probably just because Lilith showed up," I said.



"It sounds horrible," he said. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."



"I wanted to come crawl into bed with you," I admitted, "but I was so scared. And I knew it would just piss Hallam off."



Jason folded me into his arms. "Screw Hallam," he whispered into my ear. "If you need me, you come to me. Don't let him stop you."



I hugged him back, liking how safe I felt with arms around me. His strong, strong arms. I snuggled against his chest. Jason stroked my hair. He kissed my forehead.



I looked up at him, into his eyes. My breath caught in my throat. He was so beautiful. Looking at him, close like this, I was so overwhelmed by how gorgeous he was. And he was mine. My beautiful, strong, wonderful Jason. His head dipped down and our lips met.



His lips were soft, supple against mine. But his arms held me close against him, pulling me tight against his body. I touched his neck, followed the outline of the muscles in his shoulders with my fingertips. He ran his hands over my back, my waist. His hands around my rib cage, I felt so small. I kissed him harder, parting his lips with my tongue.



Jason made a little noise in the back of his throat. He broke away for a minute. "How long do we have until Hallam comes back?" he whispered.



"Almost an hour," I said.



"Your room or mine?" he asked, gazing into my eyes hungrily.



Less than fifteen minutes later, we were in my bedroom when we heard the front door opening. We tensed against each other. Jason clenched his jaw. "I'm going to kill him," he muttered.



I sighed and kissed him again. "Maybe," I said, "if we're just really quiet . . ."



Jason kissed me. "He'll kill us," he said.