CHAPTER 52

I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. Caleb. He was still there. He must’ve sensed my anger rising, the animal instinct between us. He was trying to calm me, to tell me to control myself, not to let myself go. His presence reassured me. But it wasn’t easy.

Sam finally turned and looked at me. There was defiance in his look. He was still mad. That was obvious.

“What do you want?” he snapped.

“Why aren’t you in school?” was the first thing I heard myself say. I wasn’t exactly sure why I said that, especially with all the other things I wanted to ask him. But the motherly instinct in me kicked in. And that was what came out.

More snickers. My anger rose.

“What do you care?” he said. “You told me to go.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean it.”

I was glad I had a chance to say it.

But it didn’t seem to sway him. He just stared.

“Sam, I need to talk to you. In private,” I said.

I wanted to get him out of that environment, into the fresh air, alone, where we could really talk. I not