Kill Switch by Penelope Douglas

and we were at the library. Another kid pushed me down and
stole my pop-up book.” She laughed a little at the memory.
“Damon stole it right back and gave it to me. He never talked
to me, and my mom invited him to come sit with us and read,
but he had to leave with his nanny, I think.”
I pictured it in my head, Damon doing what he did and
taking control of the situation. I wasn’t sure why she told me
that, as if an endearing little story would make up for who he
was now.
“I didn’t start to fear him until high school.” Her voice
sounded thoughtful as if she were figuring something out
herself for the first time, too. “After everything that was
happening in that house happened to him.”
“It’s no excuse,” I pointed out.
And she agreed. “No, it’s not.” she said. “It’s a reason.
Plain and simple. There’s always a reason why things are as
they are.”
I returned to the house late, sliding out of my shoes and
unwrapping my scarf as I entered my bedroom. I hadn’t seen
Damon for almost two days, and I wasn’t sure where he was or
what he was doing, but I was tired.
So tired.
I undressed and slipped into one of my sleep sets, the cool
silk of the shorts and shirt refreshing on my exhausted body,
and I plugged my phone into the charger, ignoring the
notifications from my mother.
I reached my mom yesterday morning, confirmed she and
Ari were safe again, and when I asked how she could leave me
and when she’d be back, she paused just a little too long, and I
hung up. Let her get her excuses straight and leave me a
message.