Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6, Abigail Grant [best thriller books to read txt] 📗

leave them alone to go find the person that knows what really happened here tonight and the one who seems destined to keep me alive.

I pour out into the dark alley behind the Vinyl club and I immediately feel disappointed, while also slightly relieved when I don't see anyone outside. I scan the alley from end to end, and it seems whoever was there is now long gone, so I decide to just walk around to the front of the club to wait for Kassy and Liam.

Just as I step into the well-lit sidewalk that runs in front of the club, I am pulled back into the dark and pressed gently up against the outside wall of the old building. I start to struggle against my captor but freeze when I feel his gloved fingers run like a feather along the tender skin of my neck.

I look up into his striking golden eyes, still the only things visible on his covered face. I stop breathing at the way they burn into me, like there is a blazing fire behind them, trying to break free and burn me.

He leans forward and presses an achingly soft kiss on my bruised throat through his face covering and whispers against the tortured skin. “Breathe.” I realize I am still not breathing and slowly let out a shaky breath. Even through the fabric, the feel of his lips causes my heart to leap in my chest.

The man leans away from me and the sadness in his eyes makes me want to break down and cry. I can’t stop the tears that come when he pulls me close to his chest while I bawl like a big baby. I have no idea who this person is or why he affects me so strongly, but I find myself longing to be in his arms always.

I feel reckless trusting a stranger, especially after what happened with Max, but something about him calms my fears. How have I fallen for two boys so easily, my first week into college? I seriously need to go home and think about some things.

I pull away from him and wipe my tears away. “Are you going to tell me who you are?” I wait patiently for some answer. “My guardian angel perhaps?”

He just watches me in silence. He sighs and closes his eyes for a moment but doesn’t speak.

I just nod. “Okay. I get it I guess; everyone has their secrets. Maybe not quite in this way, but I don’t even care. Thank you for saving me. I really want to know what happened back there and I feel like you already do. Can you tell me?”

He looks uncomfortable, his eyes showing some sort of pain. “Soon.” He whispers to me. He steps closer but doesn’t touch me. I close my eyes; afraid he’ll hug me and make me start crying again. I feel a cool breeze and when I open my eyes he is gone. I make my way to the front of the building, stuck with the thought of how in the world my life became so incredibly complicated.

Chapter 6

“Welp, there's no hiding that,” I grumble to myself in the bathroom mirror. The bruises on my neck have turned a disgusting purple and green color since last night. I run my fingertips along each of the finger marks left behind by Max. I can still feel the burn on my skin from his tight grip and if I think about it too long, it gets hard to breathe as if it's happening all over again.

I shake the thought away before it consumes me and I try to breathe slowly. I try applying a third layer of foundation to my neck and hear a soft gasp coming from the doorway of the bathroom.

“Oh my gosh, El!” Kassy has one of her hands over her open mouth. She looks so distraught that I worry she might begin to cry all over again, so I put on a fake smile.

I wave my hand at her. “I am fine, Kass. It looks way worse than it feels. Trust me.” I lie.

She shakes her head in disbelief. “Don't give me that crap, Aella Mae! I know you are in pain and it's my fault! I brought him along with us and was trying to be flirty all night and I didn't see how completely psycho he is!” She sags against the door frame looking as defeated as I feel. “You should've gone for help or something before jumping in to save me like that. You're always saving me and I’m just a mess.”

“If I didn't stop him when I did, he could have put you in the hospital. Or worse, you'd be gone.” I bring her to me in a soft hug, remembering how she looked in my vision and hating myself for forgetting it in the first place. “I told you, I can't lose you.”

She nods against my shoulder before pulling away from me. “I just can't believe you were able to push him at all. When he was choking you, I was shoving him and grabbing at his arms and back, but he was practically stone. Even though you only knocked him back a step, that's pretty impressive.”

I shrug. “Adrenaline, I guess. I must be your surrogate mommy over here and my motherly instinct took over.” She rolls her eyes at me and is lost in thought again. I poke her in the arm to get her attention. “Anyways, we are both okay now.”

“You’ll have to tell Aunt Mags about this, you know. She called me already this morning and said she couldn’t get ahold of you last night and that she was worried. I just told her you were asleep but fine.” She hands me my phone. “I swear that woman has a sixth sense when it comes to you.”

I take the phone. “Thanks for not telling her. I’ll call later. For now, let’s move on from this upsetting subject.”

She sticks