20. Then

“Idon’t trust him, Cat. There is something off about the way he looks at you. As if you’re a possession. He attacked your cousin, for fuck’s sake. That is not normal. I think you need to take a step back. Going away to your grandma’s for a few weeks is what’s best.” I wipe the tears from my eyes and bite my lip. I am tired of this argument. Rex was just protecting me. He didn’t know David was my cousin.

“Please Dad, don’t send me away. We are always moving. You promised me I could finish high school here. I am happy here. Rex said he was sorry over and over again. What more does he need to do?”

“He needs psychiatric help, Cat!” my father roars, and my heart breaks. Not only for the boy who owns it but for the man who has always been on my side.

I nod and let him pull me into his arms.

“I know Daddy, but I love him, and I just want to help him. Something is going on. He was never like this.” He sighs and lets me go.

“Just go for spring break, maybe the time away will be good for you both. Just try, okay, Cat? You girls are my life, and if something ever happened to you… I can’t lose you too.” I take a deep breath and nod. One week won’t be too bad, Rex will forgive me.

Right?

* * *

“Rex,what the hell are you doing?” I rush out as I watch him drop my birth control pills into my toilet. He turns toward me, his face red with rage.

“How could you agree to go?” he growls. I step back and flinch as his hand reaches out for my throat. He roughly pulls my forehead against his and looks into my eyes. “I love you so much, Cat. Why would you do this to me? To us?” Hesitantly, I lift my hand and wrap it along the back of his neck, then run my nails through his messy waves and shush him. I lean up and press my lips against his.

“I’m sorry, Rex,” I kiss him again, harder this time, until his body uncoils from the rage I somehow caused.

He rests his mouth on the pulse point on my neck and repeatedly whispers, “I love you, kitty. You’re mine. Never leave me.” I glance over his shoulder at the mirror. The reflection showing a panicked girl cradling a boy who has changed and is scaring her.

There is something wrong with him. He’s not the same sweet boy I once knew.