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.Not with Jackson on my mind.“This is perfect,” Zach said once we reached the parking lot.A car zipped by, music spilling out of the open car window.“What’s perfect?” I didn’t know how anything could be perfect today.“The cops aren’t even looking at anyone else,” Zach explained.“They’re focused on Piper.They might not even question us.” He glanced around, moved in closer to me and whispered, “And there certainly isn’t any reason for them to find out what we did.”I swallowed hard.“You think?”“I know.We’re home free, man.”The smile on Zach’s face pissed me off.Anger rose in me.“You do know our best friend died, right?”“Yeah.” He nodded, his face growing serious.“And I’m torn up about it, believe me.”I snorted.“I can tell.”“I am.” Zach gritted his teeth, the vein in his head throbbing like it did when he was angry.In fact, it had been doing that the last time we saw Jackson alive.His face neared mine.“Look, you don’t get to judge my feelings.You have no idea what I’m going through.Understand?”I knew better than to challenge Zach.Why had I done it in the first place? Slowly I nodded my head.“Sorry, man.”He backed off, his gaze sweeping the parking lot.Then he touched my shoulder, a show of solidarity.Zach was all about the show.Come to think of it, he and Tanya were perfect for each other.“It’s fine.Let’s just put all of this behind us.”I nodded, wishing it was that easy.Wishing I could really put all of it behind me.Every mistake, every sin, everything I’d done over the past two months.But I knew it didn’t work like that.Life wasn’t written on a chalkboard.I couldn’t erase what I’d done.PiperDad finally graced me with his presence late in the evening, but only because he was pissed.Frankly, I wished he’d stayed in the damn hallway.His ranting was not helping my headache.In fact, it was exacerbating it.If my head exploded into a million pieces it would have been a welcome distraction.Mom’s attempts at calming Dad down went undeterred.I didn’t even know why she bothered anymore.Once he got like this, there was no stopping him.It was one of the things Jackson and I had in common – our dislike of our fathers.It cemented us.Gave us something to bond over.Shared pain is a strong thing.When Jackson and I first got together, he was always prodding me about my relationship with my parents, but I successfully evaded his questions.Opening up to people wasn’t something I was good at.And even though I liked Jackson a lot, I wasn’t sure it was smart to trust him with stuff so personal.So far our relationship had been mostly physical.We had this crazy physical attraction and need for each other.But it hadn’t gone much further than that, until the day I found out about his dad.I’d never seen him so vulnerable, so sad.And I no longer felt the need to keep my own pain inside anymore.“You’re so quiet today.” I lie in Jackson’s lap, his hands playing in my hair.His fingers drew lazy circles on my scalp, the strands wrapping around his hand.I stared up at his chin, at the light dusting of dark stubble.He turned his head, staring out my bedroom window.It was late in the fall so the air outside was cold and dark.Wind blew, brushing over my window pane.I shivered, and Jackson dropped one hand from my hair, rubbing it down my bare arm.I had been wearing a sweater over my tank top earlier, but had taken it off when I got home.Now goosebumps rose on my flesh.Reaching up, I took Jackson’s hand in mine, threading our fingers together.I loved Jackson’s hands.They were large and calloused like a real man’s.My dad’s fingers were slender and silky smooth, feminine looking.I knew it was because of his profession.He had to keep them nice, but it still bothered me.I guess I wanted a dad who had hands that looked like they wouldn’t mind getting dirty, hands that would fight for me.But that wasn’t the dad I’d ended up with.I’d learned that the hard way.But Jackson had the hands of someone who would protect me.And I desperately needed to believe that he would.“Yeah, it was just kind of a shitty weekend.”I hadn’t seen Jackson this weekend.He had a bunch of family commitments.Frankly it sucked, because Jackson was the only person in my life right now, so when he couldn’t see me I was alone.“What happened?” I hedged, running my fingertips over the lines in his palm.He shrugged, still looking out the window.I rolled over, my cheek rubbing his thigh.His head bobbed down, his eyes meeting mine.He smiled.“Do you really want to know? Because I can’t talk, much less think, with you doing that.”I bit my lip and pushed myself up to a seated position.“Point taken.”“You have no idea how sexy you are, do you?” His hand came up to touch my face.Lowering my head, I giggled, unsure of what to say.He moved his hand slightly until it cupped my face, holding my chin in his palm.Forcefully he guided my head up to look at him.Scooting forward on his knees, he leaned in and kissed me softly.I moaned beneath his lips, moving closer, wanting more.His hands rode up my sides, brushing up my waist.As the kiss deepened, I grabbed a fistful of the bottom of his shirt in my hands.Dragging it up, I pulled it up to his shoulders.Our lips disconnected long enough for Jackson to help me yank his shirt the rest of the way off.Then I tossed it on the bed.My lips found his again, my hands skating over the muscles of his chest.God, I loved his body.It was strong and muscular, perfect really.His mouth left mine as he peppered kisses down my neck.Panting, I threw my head back, exposing my neck.His lips dragged over my skin, causing a chill to skitter down my spine.When I brought my head back up, my gaze connected with his chest.His perfect taut chest with well-defined muscles.Then I froze, my breath hitching in my throat.“Jackson?” I asked firmly, and he stiffened.“What’s that?” Reaching out, the pads of my fingers grazed a dark purple bruise on his shoulder.“Oh.” He bent his head to look down at it.“Nothing.I just bumped into the wall.” He gave me a sheepish grin.My stomach twisted.I glanced down at my left arm, at the bracelets lining it.I knew what flimsy excuses sounded like.I knew all about lies.“C’mon, Jackson, don’t lie to me.”“I’m not lying.” His tone was defensive.“Have you ever seen me without my bracelets on?” I asked him.He narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowing.“No.Why?”Taking a deep breath, I sat back on my bed.I had no idea why I was going to do this.I’d never shown anyone.But I knew Jackson was lying about the bruise.I knew he had secrets too.And I knew he wouldn’t share them with me unless I could show him that I understood.With trembling fingers I unhooked the first bracelet.Then I discarded it on the bed.Once I had the first few off, I held up my naked wrist, showing it to Jackson.I didn’t need to look.Not at my skin or at Jackson’s face.I knew what both of them would look like.“Shit,” Jackson spoke under his breath.“What happened?”“I did it.” I stared hard at the bed, at my dark brown comforter.“Why?”I shook my head, still unable to look at him.Jackson’s finger tucked under my chin.“Piper, tell me.”I drew back from his hand.“When you tell me how you got your bruise.”“Fine.” He blew out a breath.“I didn’t run into a wall.I ran into my dad’s fist.”My head snapped up.“Your dad did this?”He shrugged like it was no big deal.“He’s an asshole, okay?”“No, it’s not okay.” Biting my lip, I moved closer to Jackson.Nimbly, I pressed my hand to the bruise.“But I get it.I know what it’s like having a jerk for a dad.”Jackson’s muscles flexed beneath my palm.His hand covered mine.“Your dad doesn’t hit you, does he?” Darkness sparked in Jackson’s eyes.His reaction made me feel warm inside.I was right about him.He would protect me.He would fight for me
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