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After a few minutes Gérard pulled out, motioned with his hand, and Juliette turned over onto her hands and knees He entered her froainst hisley took the tiniest step forward and Juliette’s eyes flashed open Had she heard him? He knew Gérard had not He was too lost in his own pleasure to even notice her utter indifference to hisley stood

"Go" Shehe wanted to do But Gérard gave a hoarse cry as he finished inside her and rested his body on top of hers

Gérard pulled out of her body and she rolled onto her back She smiled up at her lover and mouthed, "Merci"

He had two choices as he counted theht now for no other reason than he’d touched the wosley already considered his own property

Or he could do what she’d ordered hisley left

17

Upstate New York

JOHN APOLLO CHASED Daphne all the way into the woods behind the school Daphne feinted left, but he didn’t fall for it She took a sharp turn right, and he followed close behind He was fast but she was faster But he was h terrain she couldn’t go another step She collapsed against a tree and sed air until she coughed

"Don’t touch me," she said when he ca just as hard as she was She’d never seen perfect John Apollo looking so wrecked His dark hair fell over his forehead in a wet mass, his jeans splashed with mud and muck, his shirt stained with sweat "I just need to talk to you Please talk to me"

"You killed my brother" Her hatred for this man in front of her was like a poison arrow in her heart She felt the point digging in deeper with every breath

"I know," he said between heavy breaths "I know I did"

Those were the last words she expected from him

"I killed your brother, yes," he said, and it sounded as though he were exorcizing a deret it"

"How can you say that? He was--"

"He was bashing another student’s face into the wall, Daphne You’re sixteen years old now Grow up and face the truth that your brother was a time bomb And he went off"

"You didn’t have to kill hi to restrain hi He’s dead"

"He’s dead and another boy isn’t My conscience is clear"

"Well, good for you," Daphne said, anger boiling as hot as her blood "My brother’s still dead but you sleep like a baby at night"