Page 22 of Saving Tracey (Finding Hope #1)

I wasn't sure if I wanted to belong to another family.

I walked out of the door behind her without replying, and we got in her car. When we got to the police station, they immediately took me back, and I gave my statement.

I felt physically sick once I walked out of the interrogation room.

When we got home, Kaleb, Krista, and Emily were watching Flash on Netflix. "Is dinner ready?"

Krista nodded in answer to her mom, not ripping her eyes from the television screen. I was about to follow Miss Brinson into the dining room when Kaleb's voice pulled me to a stop. "Hey, Tracey, can I talk to you for a moment?"

I didn't want to be alone with anyone right now. I was still shaken up from the mall incident, and I definitely wasn’t feeling any better after having just recited what happened to me. I just wanted to go to bed, but I knew Kaleb's mom would want me to eat first.

I slowly turned around to face him, my muscles tensed, ready to escape at any moment. Kaleb had never wanted to talk to me alone before. I was scared of what he wanted to say to me that he couldn't say in front of anyone else.

He ran a hand through his hair. He took a step toward me, making my body go rigid. "What do you see in Trevor?" His random question shocked me. I sure as hell hadn’t been expecting that.

That question blew me away. I saw a lot in Trevor. For one, he could relate to me. He knew about the darkness that always tried to consume me. He knew about my scars. I felt comfortable around Trevor. There was a safeness about him that I couldn't find around anyone else.

"Why do you ask?" I watched him warily, not wanting to answer his question since it really wasn’t any of his business.

"There's nothing special about him." I tensed at his angry tone. "He's just a typical bad boy. Do you know how many girls he's slept with?"

Yes, I did. Trevor's one-night stands were no secret to anyone. He was popular with just about all of the girls in our school, and I had heard numerous stories about him.

Did it bother me? No. So what if he slept around? That was before he met me, and as far as I knew, he hadn't bothered with anyone else after laying his eyes on me.

"I don't care.”

Jealousy flared in Kaleb's eyes, mixing with his anger.

I took a step back from him on instinct.

"It's not fucking fair that he fucking got you.

" My eyes widened at his words. "He always fucking gets what I want.

I was the first person to notice you. I was the only person that gave a shit about what happened to you!

" He was yelling now, and my heart was racing, the beat of it almost choking me.

"It's not fucking fair! I fucking cared about you first!

I liked you first! Why in the hell does he get you? !"

I didn't know where this was all coming from all of a sudden, but all I knew was that I was fucking terrified of Kaleb at that moment.

I whimpered when he took a step forward again. My arms came up to cover my face on instinct, and I slid down the wall, tears building up in my eyes. I could feel the familiar tightening of my chest as my breathing became short and shallow.

I was having a panic attack.

Kaleb's mom ran into the room and yanked Kaleb back from me, putting a good amount of distance between us. "What is wrong with you, boy?!"

Kaleb ran a hand through his hair and stormed out of the house, slamming the front door loudly behind him. I got up and ran up the stairs to my room, slamming the bedroom door closed behind me and locking it. I slid down it and pulled my knees up to my chest, burying my face in my arms and crying.

I thought I could trust Kaleb somewhat.

I thought he wouldn't hurt me.

Yet, for some reason tonight, the Kaleb I knew was gone and was replaced by this Kaleb that terrified me.

I got up from my spot on the floor, tears still pouring down my face.

I fished my phone out of my pocket and scrolled through my contacts until my thumb hovered over Trevor's name.

With a shaky breath, I pressed the green call button and pulled the phone up to my ear.

After three rings, Trevor's strong, soothing voice came through the line.

I almost collapsed in relief, yet my tears only came harder.

"Tracey, are you okay?" He skipped past all of the pleasantries when he picked up that I was crying.

I hiccuped. "C-Can you come ov-ver?"

"I'll be over in five minutes."

He hung up the phone, and I plopped onto my black bean bag that was in the corner of my room and curled up into a fetal position on it. Less than five minutes later, I heard a key slip into the lock on my door, and then Trevor slipped in. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on me.

"Oh, baby." He came over to me, immediately lifting me up into his arms. He cradled me to his chest and walked over to my bed. "What happened to you?"

He laid me on my bed and tugged my shoes off of my feet. "Kaleb.”

His dark, calculating eyes snapped to my face.

He clenched his jaw and pulled the comforter and sheet from under me.

After yanking his shirt and shoes off, he slid onto the bed next to me.

I was getting hot, and since it was just me and him in the room, I pulled my sweatshirt over my head and tossed it to the floor.

He pulled me into his arms instantly, and I blushed when I came into contact with his naked, beautiful upper half.

"What did he do?”

So, I recounted what had happened to Trevor.

By the time I was done, I could feel how pissed off Trevor was at his best friend.

"If he had a fucking problem with me, he should have taken it up with me, not you.” He ran his fingertips up and down my spine.

“He's got a fucking girlfriend. He has no right to fucking treat you like shit.

" Trevor's hand slid under my shirt, resting lightly on my lower back. My breath hitched in my throat, and I couldn’t help it when my body curved into his slightly at his touch.

His hand felt so good against my skin. He rubbed soothing circles on my lower back with his thumb. "I'll deal with him when he gets back."

I shook my head against his chest. "Please don’t. If I knew you were going to react this way, I wouldn't have told you.”

"It's bullshit that he thinks of me that way.” A little bit of hurt seeped into his voice.

"I'm supposed to be his best friend. He got Lacie, didn't he?

I knew how bad he wanted her, therefore I never made a move on her.

I would have just fucked her and dumped her anyway, but I didn't want him to have to feel like he was taking my .

. . seconds, I guess you could put it. It's not my fault he didn't act quick enough with you.” Trevor tucked his index finger under my chin and tilted my face up so I was looking at him.

“I saw you, and I wanted you, Tracey. There were no questions about it.

I would have done anything to make sure you were mine.

He can be pissed off; he can let this ruin our friendship, but I will never let you go. "

My chest swelled at his words as warmth spread throughout my body. He would never let me go. I liked the sound of that—loved it actually. I just didn't want to come between such a great friendship. A bond that Kaleb and Trevor had shouldn't be broken over someone as measly as me.

Besides, I thought Kaleb loved Lacie.

I heard a car door slam, and the front door slammed shut a little bit after. "Young man, where have you been?!"

"Ignore her,” I heard Kaleb tell someone. "Let's go to my room."

"Kaleb, don't you walk away from me!" I winced. "I swear to you, boy, you are grounded, do you hear me?! Grounded !"

I heard Kaleb's bedroom door slam shut right as his mom finished yelling, and then Lacie's loud, obnoxious giggling started a moment later. Trevor kissed my forehead and slipped out of bed. "I'll be right back. Why don't you get a shower, hm?"

I reached out and gripped his wrist in my two small hands. He turned to look over his shoulder at me. "Please, just leave it alone.” I knew he was about to go confront Kaleb. "It's not worth it, Trevor. He doesn't need to know that you know. Please don't ruin your friendship over me."

Trevor turned back around, placing a hand on either side of my head where I was laying on the bed. He leaned in and slanted his lips across mine. My stomach erupted in butterflies. "You are more important than any friendship I could ever have."

I sighed and watched him walk out of the room, knowing there was no stopping him when he set his mind to something.

I didn't want to cause a confrontation between us.

I had a feeling that being on the receiving end of Trevor's anger would be pretty terrifying, and I would go into a full-blown panic attack—blackouts and all.

I went into my bathroom and closed the door behind me. I just hoped that they would be able to talk and not yell and scream at each other.