Page 23 of Torin

I still don’t understand what happened when we touched. Static. I snort. Bullshit. Whatever it was, Torin felt it too.

I wrap a towel around myself and head for the bedroom, but I’m still thinking about him as I pull on the T-shirt and sweatpants I packed.

I remember the way he accepted it when I told him I wasn’t getting into his truck. He just went and got it anyway so I could make the decision when he came back.

Then he stood outside this cabin until he knew I could get inside. And when I asked him to keep my location secret, he didn’t ask why. He just promised.

I trust him. The thought stops me. I’ve known Torin for less than two hours. I don’t trust people I’ve known for years. Hell, for my entire life. But somehow, when Torin said I promise, I believed him. I don’t know what that means yet.

My stomach growls. Loudly.

Apparently, my body has finished processing the whole escaping-a-forced-mating thing and would now like dinner.

Fair enough. I head into the kitchen and start opening cupboards. I find pasta, rice, oatmeal, crackers and enough canned food to survive an apocalypse. Professor Bennett clearly has no intention of starving to death out here.

A can of tomato soup catches my eye. That’ll do.

Five minutes later, it’s heating in a saucepan on the stove.

I find a packet of crackers while I’m waiting and eat three before the soup is even ready.

The first spoonful is too hot. I burn my tongue. Then I immediately take another.

By the time I’ve finished the bowl, I feel less shaky. I rinse out the saucepan, switch off the kitchen light and head for the bedroom.

Every muscle in my body is protesting by now.

The mattress dips beneath my weight as I sit down. God, that feels good. I pull back the blankets and climb in. The sheets smell of laundry powder, and they’re cool against my skin.

The room is dark except for the faint glow from the ancient digital clock beside the bed.

4:07 a.m.

Somewhere back at East Ridge, they’re probably still awake, going mad. I wonder who figured it out first. The thought makes me smile. Probably not Cade. He was busy basking in the attention.

I pull the blankets up higher. The mattress is ridiculously comfortable.

My eyes drift shut. Almost immediately, I see Cade again.

Turn around.

His hand on the back of my neck.

The room full of people watching.

My eyes snap open.

The bedroom ceiling comes slowly back into focus. Dark wood. A crack running across one corner.

I’m at Professor Bennett’s cabin, miles from East Ridge, with the door bolted and nobody knowing where to find me.

I pull the blankets closer. I’m safe. Tonight, that’s enough.

5

Hannah

An engine wakes me.