Page 89 of I Don't Need Your Protection

After driving for a bit, I made out a huddled form in a destroyed building in an abandoned area. It was a girl and she was shivering. She wore only pajamas, nothing else. Her long brown hair was plastered to her face as she hugged herself to try to keep warm.

Addie.

“Addilyn!”

The minute she was in my arms, my entire body nearly fell over in relief. All I wanted to do was hold her close and warm her up as best as I could.

She’ll never know or understand how scared I was in those few moments as I searched for her. I thought the worst. It was the scariest day of my life. What she’ll also never understand was how overjoyed I was when she was safely in my arms.

But the best part? When she hugged me after we got back to her room. I still can’t get the feeling of her so close to me, so happy and grateful that I found her, out of my head.

From now on, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she’s never in danger again.

She shifts in bed, almost like she heard my thoughts, but I know that’s ridiculous. I hope she knows I’m here for her. Now and always. Well, at least until those who want her dead are behind bars.

I stand and make my way to her bed. She’s clutching Ellie tightly as though she hopes the elephant will protect her from harm.

I watch her for a bit, noting the furrow in her brows. She’s clearly not having pleasant thoughts. My hand stretches to stroke her soft, warm cheek. I wish I could take all her pain away. I’d be like her sponge, soaking in all the negative aspects of her life and replacing them with positive ones. I don’t want her to hurt anymore.

After rubbing her cheek some more, I return to my seat and keep my eyes on her. I probably won’t get any sleep tonight. I’mnotletting her out of my sight.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Addie

My eyes slowly flutter open.

It takes a second or two for the events that happened last night to crash over me. The sleepover at Clarissa’s house, all of it a ruse to abandon me in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night in the pouring rain, just so she could send me a loud and clear message. I have no right to get close to Warner.

Couldn’t she have just told me to stay away like a normal person?

And Caleb. Oh my gosh, Caleb. The way he rescued me and tried to keep me warm and took care of me…

Turning my head to the left, I find him sitting in his usual chair with his eyes pasted on me. It’s usually hard to detect emotions in his eyes, but I see a hint of a few of them. Anger at Witch Clarissa and her evil minions, relief that he managed to find me before I died from hypothermia. Guilt that he didn’tfind me sooner.

I sit up and offer him a small smile. “Good morning. No trumpet today?”

Even though I technically don’t need an alarm on Sundays, Caleb always had me wake up no later than eleven with that annoying trumpet alarm. Well, maybe it’s not so annoying anymore. I guess I kind of got used to it.

“I wanted to give you a few more minutes of sleep,” he says.

“Oh. Thanks. That was kind of you.”

We’re both quiet.

“Are you feeling okay?” he asks, eyes roving over every part of my face as he assesses for damage. “After what you went through last night…”

“I’m okay.” I hug Ellie to my chest and squeeze her just a bit too hard. “I know I already told you this last night, but I’m really so thankful to you for saving my life. I thought I would have either died there or that I would have to walk through an unknown area in nothing but soaked pajamas, desperately looking for a phone.”

The thought causes his face to cloud over with alarm and unease. Not to mention fury. “I wish she would pay for what she did,” he mutters.

“You think I should report her to the school?” I ask. “I’m sure this counts as bullying, and the school has a no-bullying policy. I can kick her horrible butt out of here and to oblivion, where she’ll never see the light of day ever again.”

Obviously I’m exaggerating. But it feels good to say it.

He contemplates it for a few seconds. “That decision is up to you.”

Now I think it over for a few minutes. “Would that expose me?” I finally ask. “I’m supposed to keep a low profile.”