Surviving Love (Surviving #2) by Mrs Ada Frost

sheriff’s department is looking for you. They don’t believe you drowned. Dad had the lake dredged, the fucking bastard. He’s trying to pin it on me, but I was with the Dean when you disappeared. So he’s got dick to go on. The boys were at school and Mom said she saw you go down to the lake alone. Will lied too, he said he hasn’t seen you.” He took a deep breath. “So you see, bud, he’s helping us keep you safe. He’s lied to his parents and the police. Which reminds me, his parents have been out of town but they’re coming home this weekend and I need you to trust Will to take care of you because I can’t be seen here so much.” He was quiet for a while, I think so I could take in what he was saying. I shuffled towards him. I touched the back of his shirt to let him know I was there with him. He twisted towards me and laid down on the floor to look under the bed. “I promise he won’t hurt you.”
    I nodded.
    “We can trust him. I swear.”
    I slid across the floor and wrapped my arms around Ryan’s neck. He hugged me back and we laid side by side on the wooden floor.
    “I trust you,” I whispered.
     
    ***
     
    Will visited me every day, he brought me food and soda. I liked what he brought me. Some days he would stay and play games with me. And my favourite times were when it was dark and his parents were away he would bring me some shorts and we would go swimming in his large outdoor pool. I couldn’t swim too good but he bought me some water wings. I let him help me get dried, he was nice because he would only touch me if I asked for help. I looked forward to him coming to see me.
    “Hey Jo.” I heard him shout from downstairs. I stayed under the bed when he wasn’t here, unless I needed the bathroom.
    I shuffled from under the bed and crawled towards the balcony.
    “Hey buddy!” he shouted. “I brought someone to see you.”
    Panic hit me and I slid back under the bed. I had heard those words many times before and I hated meeting new men. I didn’t like people, I hated when Grandpa made me meet other people. Footsteps thumped on the wooded stairs; Will never came up the stairs, we had a rule. Ryan made the rule he wasn’t allowed up here. He had to wait for me to come down to him.
    I hugged my knees tightly and curled into a ball. I tried to make myself invisible, I didn’t want to be found. I started shaking and dread hit me hard. Ryan promised me. Tears rolled down my face. I couldn't breathe I was so tightly curled up and my chest hurt with how hard my heart was beating.
    “I have fries, double cheese burger, and a soda pop for my little buddy.” Ryan’s voice echoed in my ears and I hated when my dreams seemed real.
    He peeked under the bed smiling, but it disappeared in a flash. He reached under the bed and grabbed at my ankle to pull me out. I whimpered but he was too strong to stop.
    “Jo? Fuck , little buddy, we didn’t mean to scare you. I came home early for spring break.” He pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly. “It’s just me, buddy, just me,” Ryan whispered, rocking me in his lap.
    The shirt smelt familiar and his voice sounded too real to be a dream. I lifted my head and stared into eyes the same as mine.
    “Ryan?” I whispered and lifted my hand to touch his face.
    “Yeah bud, it’s me.” He had tears in his eyes and I hated I’d made him sad. I let out a long breath and my head felt all dizzy and funny.
    I smiled and hugged him tightly.
    “We eating these burgers or what? I’m starving,” shouted Will from downstairs.
    “Just a sec,” called Ryan. “You okay, buddy? I really didn’t mean to scare you. We thought we would surprise you.”
    I touched his face again to make sure he was real. He laughed and my body shook against his.
    “Come on, before Will eats it all.”
    He lifted me into his arms and carried me down the stairs. Will stood at the counter stuffing half a burger into his mouth. “Sup?”
    Ryan shook his head. “I should