Kill Switch by Penelope Douglas

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For Z. King
WinterMy ballet slipper brushes the hardwood floor as I slowly stepdown the long hallway. The glow of the candles on theirpedestals line the dark walls, and I fidget with my fingers as Iglance left to right at every closed door I pass.I don’t like this house. I’ve never liked it here.But at least the parties are only twice a year—aftersummer recitals in June and following the premiere of theannual Nutcracker performance in December. Madame Delovaloves ballet, and as my school’s benefactress she considers it a‘gift to the masses to descend from her tower once in a whileto entertain the villagers and allow us into her home.’Or so I overheard my mom say once.The house is so big that I don’t think I’ll ever see all of it,and it’s filled with things that everyone is always gushing overand whispering about, but it makes me nervous. I feel like I’llbreak something every time I turn around.And it’s too dark. Even worse today with the house only litby candlelight. I suppose it’s Madame’s way of makingeverything look like a dream the way she kind of looks herself:surreal, too perfect, and porcelain. Not exactly real.I press my lips together, pausing before I call out, “Mom?”Where is she?
Page 3 and 4: Penelope DouglasCopyright © 2019 P
Page 5 and 6: Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapt
Page 7 and 8: “37 Stitches” by Drowning Pool
Page 9: “There is a reason why all things
Page 13 and 14: All you’ve gotta say is ‘Hello
Page 15 and 16: Finally, he drops his hand and inha
Page 17 and 18: But Madame insisted we keep our ful
Page 19 and 20: Why is he in the fountain?“Damon?
Page 21 and 22: It was the last day I was me as I k
Page 23 and 24: gone this far. This was all just re
Page 25 and 26: occasion we need to play the couple
Page 27 and 28: He wasn’t calm anymore.The door o
Page 29 and 30: come home and focus on dancing, tra
Page 31 and 32: “He only married Arion because sh
Page 33 and 34: “Yeah.”“Don’t stop.” I sh
Page 35 and 36: “Excuse me?” Ethan interjected.
Page 37 and 38: It wasn’t Damon.“GGabriel?” I
Page 39 and 40: dressed in was now soft, like cotto
Page 41 and 42: before taking the cash and jewelry
Page 43 and 44: Taking the bag from her with my uni
Page 45 and 46: Images of her loose, little bun com
Page 47 and 48: her black heels, and I held in my s
Page 49 and 50: I held it up, speaking softly. “Y
Page 51 and 52: her whimper. “I just want you to
Page 53 and 54: Hiking up her skirt the rest of the
Page 55 and 56: hallway. Nausea rolled through my s
Page 57 and 58: Her. A bastard gutter rat who would
Page 59 and 60: I checked the time on my phone, see
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She came up alongside her mother an
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DamonPresent“Ten moves and you ha
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Did she like another man touching h
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her hands tucked into the pockets.
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looking down at her. “Knowing tha
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How naïve she still is. “Not eve
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They stood up, heaving sighs of agg
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I raised my eyebrows, waving the ci
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“Do you know how much Will bled i
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I winced, and I couldn’t inhale.
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laugh.She was hardly afraid of me a
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Blonde hair, blue eyes, same age, s
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“Yes, I don’t really want to ki
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box Rika had held and noticed there
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WinterSeven Years Ago“So you coul
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She must’ve seen a look on my fac
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together this afternoon, too, kind
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side, and tears sprang to my eyes a
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“GGuys, come on, leave her alone.
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Oh, my God. I let the rosary go lik
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with their eyes, their hands, their
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“Anything at all?” he pressed.
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what he was doing. And he did it an
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WinterPresent“Arms up!” Tara ca
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And she took my hands and placed th
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I wanted to see if you’d dance fo
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wedding, he could still come and go
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His body came in closer, though, fo
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I hadn’t spoken to my family much
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Holding him.In their eyes, I’d wa
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Turning on my side, I adjusted the
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“You gave your dog a Russian name
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“So, let’s go, then,” I chall
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“Fuck you!”He grabbed the back
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I jerked away from his hands. “It
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“Everyone else is gone, leaving h
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Yeah, there was an accident when we
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Will faltered a moment and then lau
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Kai sat down at the table, drinking
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She then looked at me, opened her r
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fathers in this town. The girls who
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to one side, various hesitant but s
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were family, and we had each other
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“So glad I didn’t bring Abby to
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Hope she had the good sense to be s
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wall of large windows sat to my lef
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since we were kids. Popular with a
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It wasn’t a sound I could describ
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Why wasn’t he talking?I inhaled a
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His masked voice was like a breeze
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there with you?” he asked.I knitt
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“Don’t walk away from me!” so
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I cried quietly, their voices dulle
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Then my hand knocked a model, and C
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DamonPresent“So this is Women, GG
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She was beautiful.And bright. Her d
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I swallowed. “The way…the way I
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I gripped the window frame, scowlin
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“You think you can stop me?” I
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every muscle in my gut against his
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hands were all over her, and his to
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The walls were closing in. I couldn
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I dove in, catching his bottom lip
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That’s the only way you can conne
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didn’t have to live in that cold
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My throat swelled with the vomit ri
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So I would stay the course. My moth
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WinterPresent“Where are you takin
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She had no idea what he could do. A
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“We want you,” Arion said, inte
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The voices in the next room were ba
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The chill in the air seeped through
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new haunted theme park, especially
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But everything sounded distant. The
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clothes suddenly chafing my skin. M
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jeans as it rolled over my clit. I
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WinterSeven Years Ago“Ugh, I hate
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it excited me. Because I never had
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“I don’t know,” I answered in
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When it ended, the air felt cold al
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and ready to run if I had to.His ha
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“Tall, dark, young,” I commente
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I shook my head at myself. I was ou
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in my ear made it all go away. How
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His legs shifted under me, his hand
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My shoulders relaxed just a little,
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An engine started to rumble from fa
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“No,” he growled in a loud whis
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in the car was with my sister, but
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“A friend.”I put my hands on hi
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Just maybe, it was exactly what I
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I tipped my head to the side, heari
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“She is none of your concern.”
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was AWOL. I imagined these things m
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“Do you like her?” I pressed, g
Page 251 and 252:
Someone bumped into me, knocking my
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out. Arms up, feet moving from one
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“Did you have fun?” I asked, he
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I jerked my chin at Crane, and he s
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Don’t walk away. Please, I want t
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WinterSeven Years Ago“I can alway
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“Maybe his heart already belongs
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motorcycle. Or wrapped tightly in h
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I snorted but quickly got rid of my
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I inched to the right side of the h
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“You did this?” I asked, realiz
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Mommy?”“Mommy?” he repeated.
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I sucked in a breath and straighten
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I turned my face away, breathing ha
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I hated him. I hated his vile words
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I checked her bed and her lamps, he
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My heart was trying to jump out of
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smelled spacious with lots of fresh
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And I stood there, no longer wincin
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“See you soon, Winter,” he taun
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missing,” I told him. “Would yo
Page 293 and 294:
I set out a bowl of food for Mikhai
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What did he see?I spaced off, feeli
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The flesh of my nipples grew taut,
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DamonPresentI leaned over the batht
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She thought she was strong. She tho
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She caresses my face and shoulders,
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She doesn’t wait for my answer, t
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And I shove her head into the mirro
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“Tell her the truth,” I said, s
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Fuckin’ Rika.“Stay,” I told C
Page 313 and 314:
bouts are the only time I feel like
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“Fucking little monster,” I mut
Page 317 and 318:
It kind of just came out, but I tho
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WinterFive Years Ago“All set?”
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He’d lost interest.He’d had his
Page 323 and 324:
And I spun around, heading back dow
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would ever drive. Agile, fast, quic
Page 327 and 328:
“Nothing,” I said again. “I d
Page 329 and 330:
“Hold your legs?”Air rushed int
Page 331 and 332:
I just wanted to go home.“We like
Page 333 and 334:
“Oh, shit,” Miles suddenly said
Page 335 and 336:
He nodded. “I show up to see you
Page 337 and 338:
I was fast and clumsy, and I couldn
Page 339 and 340:
Normally, I hated when people handl
Page 341 and 342:
DamonFive Years AgoWe left Anderson
Page 343 and 344:
“Nothing destructive,” she orde
Page 345 and 346:
“So you have a sister,” she inq
Page 347 and 348:
Oh, Jesus. She sounded almost hopef
Page 349 and 350:
Using my shoulder to keep herself s
Page 351 and 352:
front door.I braked, pressing in th
Page 353 and 354:
that my obsession was a no-win situ
Page 355 and 356:
“Alright,” her mother interject
Page 357 and 358:
Wrapping my arm around her, I broug
Page 359 and 360:
I stripped off the rest of my cloth
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“Can you be gentle?” she asked,
Page 363 and 364:
She got faster and faster, started
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But she just stayed quiet, not elab
Page 367 and 368:
My phone was still downstairs—hop
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etchings, making for an easier grip
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distance fading away. My hand shook
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Maybe he had another woman. Another
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I hate you.He fell into me, pushing
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It wasn’t just any night on the C
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Whatever. I was sure I’d deal wit
Page 381 and 382:
A whiff of air hit my ear, followed
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But I didn’t get a chance to find
Page 385 and 386:
But just then, I stepped in somethi
Page 387 and 388:
My lips hovered over the mouth of h
Page 389 and 390:
GGod, he felt so good. My body jerk
Page 391 and 392:
How could I have just done that? Wh
Page 393 and 394:
my history and women could either b
Page 395 and 396:
decisions and had all the fun. Will
Page 397 and 398:
Was Michael doing anything? Of cour
Page 399 and 400:
And then I taunted Kai. “Still ab
Page 401 and 402:
Plopping the dead weight down, I gr
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chest.He just sat there, looking do
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passion for thrills, and the same d
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you’re bad for liking it when you
Page 409 and 410:
A sob escaped her, and I gripped th
Page 411 and 412:
DamonFive Years AgoI blew out smoke
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Or, at least her father was out. Th
Page 415 and 416:
I did anyway, though. I’d told th
Page 417 and 418:
Don’t stay, I told myself. And do
Page 419 and 420:
She’d looked pretty good, actuall
Page 421 and 422:
“We can take what we want from yo
Page 423 and 424:
“Kai,” she gasped, a shred of h
Page 425 and 426:
It gets hard when I do that. That m
Page 427 and 428:
I killed the lights and slowed the
Page 429 and 430:
“The scars on your body…” she
Page 431 and 432:
But she sighed, looking ready to cr
Page 433 and 434:
“What’s the matter?” she aske
Page 435 and 436:
She knew something was wrong. She w
Page 437 and 438:
I tried to move toward her. “Wint
Page 439 and 440:
WinterFive Years AgoMy hands shook
Page 441 and 442:
the village square… All of it was
Page 443 and 444:
But I’d been willing with someone
Page 445 and 446:
The night was still so clear, like
Page 447 and 448:
goddamn heart, because it wouldn’
Page 449 and 450:
WinterPresentI sat in the theater,
Page 451 and 452:
“Alex told me after the haunted h
Page 453 and 454:
Had she honestly believed that shit
Page 455 and 456:
I sucked in a breath as it flung op
Page 457 and 458:
Take the family who left me here wi
Page 459 and 460:
I put the pieces together. His dog
Page 461 and 462:
up, and drew in a lungful of air, f
Page 463 and 464:
But not answering the question, eit
Page 465 and 466:
“Hey, it’s America.” Will lea
Page 467 and 468:
Will and Kai stood up after him, ga
Page 469 and 470:
It was real, and I wanted it again.
Page 471 and 472:
Someone climbed the stairs behind m
Page 473 and 474:
We run deep into the backyard, our
Page 475 and 476:
“I did not.”God, I’m so embar
Page 477 and 478:
We sit there, quiet, and observing
Page 479 and 480:
“You don’t speak to him, and yo
Page 481 and 482:
I just never seemed to come out of
Page 483 and 484:
I wanted to fight and scream and la
Page 485 and 486:
although I left my phone in Will’
Page 487 and 488:
“You don’t have to sugarcoat it
Page 489 and 490:
hanging in the air, and I trailed c
Page 491 and 492:
caring that I was loud and clumsy.
Page 493 and 494:
I kissed him, caressing his tongue
Page 495 and 496:
reached around and spread my thighs
Page 497 and 498:
“Why?” I asked.“Because of Wi
Page 499 and 500:
instantly recognizing the Braille.M
Page 501 and 502:
twice. I knew he was smart. I just
Page 503 and 504:
I felt the bed, not finding her, so
Page 505 and 506:
“Do you care?” he replied. And
Page 507 and 508:
And then a pain hit my side under m
Page 509 and 510:
I blinked away the spots in my visi
Page 511 and 512:
waiting.Where was Will? Why were th
Page 513 and 514:
I didn’t have time to see who was
Page 515 and 516:
She laughed a little. “You wouldn
Page 517 and 518:
who knew how long it would last. If
Page 519 and 520:
Banks and Rika wandered about, offe
Page 521 and 522:
“What are you doing?” he asked,
Page 523 and 524:
Was that a dream? Where was Winter?
Page 525 and 526:
Reaching down, I peeled away the su
Page 527 and 528:
He laughed as Banks walked around m
Page 529 and 530:
Blood trailed down the back of my h
Page 531 and 532:
But she kept talking. “And he kno
Page 533 and 534:
DamonPresentSince we knew my father
Page 535 and 536:
He was quiet, and I looked over at
Page 537 and 538:
The car jostled under us as the men
Page 539 and 540:
my side started to ache, so I put m
Page 541 and 542:
“You still handy with that crowba
Page 543 and 544:
“Hello?” he answered.“Take an
Page 545 and 546:
Winter started panting in short, sh
Page 547 and 548:
My knees shook as I made my way bac
Page 549 and 550:
Please.I pushed at the door.Please.
Page 551 and 552:
DamonPresentWe stumbled toward the
Page 553 and 554:
My jeans stuck to my skin, but the
Page 555 and 556:
We all blew out, our bodies melted
Page 557 and 558:
around her like she was all he had
Page 559 and 560:
WinterPresentWe almost died. A half
Page 561 and 562:
Will layered his lips with mine.
Page 563 and 564:
My stomach rose and fell in heavy b
Page 565 and 566:
The head of his cock pushed inside
Page 567 and 568:
“I didn’t even think about it u
Page 569 and 570:
I laid there, listening to the sile
Page 571 and 572:
What were we doing in that fountain
Page 573 and 574:
“Kai,” she answered quietly.
Page 575 and 576:
mood.He knelt down, coming down to
Page 577 and 578:
DamonPresent“Ugh, what the fuck?
Page 579 and 580:
in the streets,” she bit out. “
Page 581 and 582:
And then she put my mask on top.I l
Page 583 and 584:
We stopped at the light, the villag
Page 585 and 586:
She threw another grenade, pink smo
Page 587 and 588:
I knew we’d have to take down the
Page 589 and 590:
coughed and worried about staining
Page 591 and 592:
We darted up the staircase, pushed
Page 593 and 594:
I looked behind me at my sister who
Page 595 and 596:
He lit his cigar, the puffs of smok
Page 597 and 598:
wasn’t my mother in his eyes.In h
Page 599 and 600:
I pulled it out and stuck it in aga
Page 601 and 602:
Hours later, I’d received medical
Page 603 and 604:
That was why they hadn’t taken sa
Page 605 and 606:
Moving around her, I wrapped my arm
Page 607 and 608:
Marrying Ari got me into the house
Page 609 and 610:
I headed past the concessions and t
Page 611 and 612:
We walked around the corner of the
Page 613 and 614:
I dumped my phone back in the conso
Page 615 and 616:
She was right to warn her off. To t
Page 617 and 618:
This changes nothing, just don’t
Page 619 and 620:
No answer, though. I sent a text, l
Page 621 and 622:
make it a year and was now annulled
Page 623 and 624:
I notice she wears a tutu—everyth
Page 625 and 626:
She stops biting, explaining it to
Page 627 and 628:
Winter’s mouth hovered over mine,
Page 629 and 630:
*This is a preview of Nightfall, th
Page 631 and 632:
Bile stung my throat, every horror
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leave. Did you get left behind?”I
Page 635 and 636:
everything we need to survive, but
Page 637 and 638:
Thank you for reading!And thank you
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Dear Misha,So, have I ever told you
Page 641 and 642:
I go back and finish the last part,
Page 643 and 644:
Well, how about a phone call then,
Page 645 and 646:
And she has her fucking earbuds in,
Page 647 and 648:
I shoot my glare farther up the roa
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I glance up and nod at a guy standi
Page 651 and 652:
I feel his eyes on me, the challeng
Page 653 and 654:
I straighten my back, my chest risi
Page 655 and 656:
Her hair is long and straight—not
Page 657 and 658:
He turns back to Ryen and smiles.
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on mine, and I can feel her breath
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Punk 57 is currently available on K
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To the PenDragons—you’re my hap
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Penelope Douglas is a New York Time
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Kill Switch by Penelope Douglas

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