edge of her panties.
Chelsea was lost in the pleasure that Mason was bringing her when suddenly there was a crunch of leaves behind them. Mason lifted his head and Chelsea spun, slamming her legs shut and covering her chest. They saw the blur of a body running back through the forest and before Chelsea knew what was going on Mason was running after the spy who had interrupted them. Chelsea stood zipping her dress back up and gathering up their bags, looking around for her sketchpad which wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Chelsea frantically began to search around the fallen log and along the pond. However, the book wasn’t anywhere. She felt panic rise in her chest at the thought that the person who had been spying on them may have taken her book. She suddenly felt open and exposed even more so than having her breast open to the world. In that book held some of her deepest feelings drawn out. It wasn’t there for the world to see, it was for her and only those she chose to let into that world.
She head Mason coming back through the forest and he stopped short when he saw the tears that streamed down Chelsea’s cheeks.
“What’s wrong?” he asked taking her into his arms.
“My book, it’s gone. It’s nowhere here. I think the person who was watching us might have taken it Mason” she said through tears.
Mason looked at her with a frown on his face.
“Have you checked everywhere, your bag, the log, the pond?” he asked.
Chelsea nodded and started to chew on her nail.
“Mason that has pictures in there that I don’t want just anyone to see” she said quietly.
Mason nodded, he had seen the pictures that morning, he recognised the pictures of her cutting, herself hanging and he knew that they were sensitive pictures. And he knew how vulnerable and scared it would make Chelsea.
“Do you know who it was?” she asked.
Mason frowned again and shook his head.
“No it’s like they just vanished into thin air. I’m fast but fuck they were like a bullet” he said running his hands through his hair.
Mason pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at the time, before looking around them.
“This place is giving me the creeps, let’s get out of here, it’s nearly lunch, we will go grab something to eat hey?” he said, taking Chelsea’s hand and leading her out of the forest.
Chelsea’s heart was heavy. She couldn’t stop the churning in her stomach about the loss of her book, she didn’t really feel hungry, but there was nothing else she could do. Chelsea sighed and followed Mason heading towards the centre of town.
Chapter Eleven
Whilst Mason ate lunch and Chelsea pushed hers around on the plate, he tried to make her laugh and pull her out of the funk she had going on, but Chelsea’s mind was consumed with her missing book. Mason reached over the table and clasped her hand. She had hardly touched her food and she couldn’t think of anything else other than her book.
“Chelsea we will find the book” he said looking her in the eye.
Chelsea blinked back tears and nodded. She knew it was stupid to be so consumed by a book, but it had some of her darkest feelings, those times where she didn’t think she could take it anymore instead of killing herself she drew it out. It was in those pictures that she was most vulnerable. She had been so proud of herself sharing them with Mason, Knox and Kelly that morning. However, now someone had the pictures and that caused nothing but ice cold fear to run through her veins.
Mason gave up on trying to make her smile and let her sit and stew. When they got back to Mason’s house she locked herself in the bathroom and ran the shower. Chelsea sat on the bottom of the shower and sobbed, allowing the water to wash her tears and grief down the drain. When she finally emerged resembling a red eyed drown rat, Mason was sitting on the edge of the bed wringing his hands. She stopped in the door way and looked at him, he looked up at
Jayne Ann Krentz
Poul Anderson
Kelly Favor
Jacqueline Druga
Rachel Gibson
Scarlett Thomas
Matthew Reilly
Melissa Toppen
Edie Bingham
Cassandra Rose Clarke