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“They took your phone because your dad thinks you’re in love with Ian Salucci. He doesn’t want the bastard to come riding in on a white horse to rescue you. Your dad wanted you gone so you’d stop distracting Salucci, but you didn’t disappear as planned, which means your dad’s life just got about a million times more complicated. We need to disappear as soon as possible, Rose, otherwise we’re both going to die.” She pauses and takes a breath. “And I don’t want to die.”

...the story continues in Don’t Fall.

1

Ilive in a dangerousworld.

The people around me are always going after each other. There’s never a moment of peace, never a moment of absolute silence and adoration and calmness. Never. Anytime I start to think that I’m getting ahead, I’m shoved back into this harsh, terrible reality that threatens to destroy everything I am and everything I love.

“Are you okay?” Georgetta’s voice is calm as she stares at me from her position on the flimsy motel bed. There’s only one bed in this room and she’s sitting on it. I’m standing in the doorway to the bathroom – a place I’m certain hasn’t been cleaned in days, if not weeks. I can see the mold growing on the bathtub. Yeah, I’m pretty sure nobody is going to find us here.

“I’m not okay.” How could I be okay? Georgetta and I just booked it from my dad’s house because he fuckingsoldme to some old dude. Whatever debts my father hoped to wipe out by ditching me on Mr. Ricci are going to be haunting him for a long time. Thank fuck Georgetta figured out what was happening. Thank goodness she had a contingency plan.

I still don’t knowwhyshe had a plan.

I still don’t knowwhyshe wanted to save me.

All that matters is that she did, and she does, and now we’re here.

“Take a deep breath,” she tells me.

“It’s not going to help.”

“It’ll help.”

“It won’t.”

“Rose.”

Georgetta’s voice is firm. She’s known me since I was a kid. Hell, she’s known me since she was a kid herself. I have no idea why my father thought it was a good idea to hire such a young nanny when I was a little, yet he did. Georgetta isn’t much older than me. I would guess she’d 40. Maybe. If she tells me that she’s younger than that, I will definitely believe her.

Still, she’s trying to use her nanny voice on me to get me to sit down and shut up. It won’t work this time, though. I’m too far gone for her to be able to do that. I’ve seen too much. I’m hurting too deeply.

“You can’t just boss me around,” I whisper.

“Open the backpack.”