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box was familiar and
had spent the last three hours perfecting. This is Kevin's favorite: choco
iet evening of the parking garage. She looked up at their ap
pecting her to be at her late-night faculty meeting, whic
se would b
ght up, the easy smile that always made her stomach flutter, even a
g the door open just enough to slip inside. The air in the apartment was warm, carrying
he
r in the hallway. Absolute silence was the goal. She wanted to get the cake onto
n the dark wood of the table
aze snagged on something by the entrywa
f red st
rd, painful thud against her ribs. She knew
Natalie Beaumont,
ourse, it's a coincidence. Natalie probably came by to drop off a gift for Kevin, t
the floor toward the bedroom. The door was slightly a
it open, to call out a
he heard t
ft, throaty laugh. "So, when are you finally goi
sharp, painful gasp she had to swallow down. Her hand flew to the wall
ll too well. "Soon, babe. Just wait until I get my mid-year
, the air thick and unbreathable. A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she dug her
cracked and shattered, leaving her face numb and cold. The love, th
rs. Just a terrif
deep, shudd
e shoved th
led together on the bed she and Kevin shared. Sheets were twisted around their hal
en intrusion, their faces a c
the initial fear was quickly replaced by a fli
shield. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. His fac
ss their skin. It moved from Natalie's defiant smirk to Kevin's
hday, Kevin
cut through the silence of the room with th
f she'd screamed
strand of blonde hair from her face, leaning back against the headboard as
with false sweetness. "Since you're here,
er eyes gleaming with t
es remained fixed on Kevin, deman
wall just over her shoulder, his jaw working. Under
umbled, the words thick and clum
The confirmation that turne
a scream. It was a soft, humorless puff of
straight, and walked out of the bedroom, l
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