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The fingers Eli had been using to draw circles on my chest stilled, but when he didn’t respond otherwise, allback But I forced thereat and that the pain I’ve caused you is unforgivable, but I can’t lose you If there’s even a chance that you want to be with me-”

That was as far as I got because Eli leaned up at the saed the back of my neck His mouth closed overon to, his tongue slipped past my lips The kiss was over too soon, but when Eli whispered, “I love you, Mav So ainst my lips, I felt the relief in every cell in my body I rolled Eli until he was flat on his back and he instantly wound his arms around my neck

“You refused to leave me,” I murmured

Eli tucked er over my jaw “You make me a little less broken”

I kissed hiain, Eli I’ to love you for the rest of my life”

Tears slipped down Eli’s face even as he sain, Mav I’ to love you for the rest of my life”

I couldn’t help but feel a rush of joy go through me at Eli’s last words…in a crazy way it felt like we’d just said our own private version of vows to one another

I kissed Eli again and then sat up, pulling him with me I teased his o wherever you hen this is all over We’ll be each other’s family”

Eli nodded and then pressed his head againstfro wrong,” he said and my heart swelled with pride But my stomach bottomed out when he said, “I need to watch the video, Mav”

I understood his need, but I wished there was a way I could give hih more pain “You sure?” I asked even as I reached for the laptop since I already knehat his ansould be

“I want to put it behind me”

I booted up the laptop, but Eli didn’t stiffen against me until I put the flash drive in There were at least a dozen files that appeared on the drive It took only seconds to realize how they’d been named and I sorted them alphabetically so all the ones that started with the letter “E” were together There were seven files in total so I knew either Nick hadn’t ed to copy thes My guess was that it was the former, because the fact that he’d saved even any evidence that could put him in prison for the rest of his life was proof of how confident thehe’d done to all three boys As I selected the earliest file based on the date, I wondered if the man had more victims somewhere

I didn’t ask Eli if he was ready because I knew there was no way he truly could be The video started with the i on the couch in front of a flat screen TV, a big bowl of popcorn between the on the screen, but when Jack asked Eli if he wanted a beer, I felt Eli tense up against ot a clear shot of Jack spiking one of the beers and I feltEli take the drugged drink By the tiy, Jack’s frequent touches had started to linger and grow longer And when Eli asked for another beer, Jack had set the drink He again put so in it and then sat back and waited as Eli drank it and began to look like he was about to fall asleep What folloas a series of inappropriate touches that were h Eli tried to push Jack’s roa but say no as Jack began taking his shirt off