Taming the Beast

Chapter 20 (Caroline)

"Are you okay?" he asked me gently. I sighed and closed my eyes, letting my head rest back on his

shoulder. I had no idea what I was feeling. Being in Keegan's arms made me forget almost everything.

"Caroline! Breakfast's ready!!" my brother yelled from the kitchen. Keegan placed a slow soft kiss

against my neck. I sighed lightly as my eyebrows knitted together.

"Don't do that," I said hoarsely. I didn't have much of a voice after Keegan's unexpected kiss. He

chuckled before he let go of me. I immediately felt cold without his touch. I had the strong urge to run

back into his arms. He reached over to the bed to pull the shirt on. I watched, slightly disappointed that

he covered his chest up.

I walked downstairs with Keegan on my heels. I walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. There was

a huge stack of pancakes in the center of the table. My brother sat a plate of eggs next to it. I smiled as

my mouth watered. Keegan sat next to me and my brother sat across from me. My smile fell when I

saw my brother's stern face. His chin was leaning against his clasped hands as he stared at me. I

hesitantly too a few pancakes and a scoop of eggs on my plate. I drenched my pancakes in syrup

before taking a big bite. Keegan loaded up his plate and dug in. My brother stayed silent and

motionless.

"Do you want to tell me what happened last night?" my brother asked quietly. I stopped chewing and

my eyes shot to him. Keegan's chewing slowed but it didn't stop completely. My eyes flickered over to

Keegan briefly before I looked back to my brother.

"Keegan told you, didn't he?" I asked. He scowled at me.

"Well I found him in the house last night," he said accusingly. I sighed and set my fork down.

"Look, I know it was stupid but I wasn't really thinking about what could happen. I was just trying to

have fun," I explained in a rush. Danny sighed and started putting food on his plate.

"Good thing Keegan was there or else who knows where you'd be right now!" he yelled. I flinched and

looked at the table. I heard him sigh and felt Keegan's hand lace with mine. It calmed me almost ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

instantly. I didn't raise my eyes to his but I squeezed his hand gratefully. "I just... I worry about you

Care. And with mom and dad," he trailed off as my eyes finally snapped to his. They blurred with tears

as it felt like my very fresh wound was being ripped open. I took a shaky breath and tried to calm

myself. Keegan's thumb was running over my hand gently. It was comforting, but the sting of my

parents' death was still very present and very painful.

"Danny," I whispered. He sighed and looked at me sympathetically when he saw my face.

"Care, I'm sorry," he apologized softly. I stood quickly, releasing my hand from Keegan's. I quickly

walked up the stairs to my room without a glance back before I completely lost my cool. I missed my

parents. Watching them die was not something I wanted to be reminded of. I ran into my room and

slammed the door behind me. When I was curled up on the bed, hugging a pillow, I finally let my tears

fall. I sobbed quietly into the pillow as tremors racked my body. Everything I'd been trying so hard to

keep down came bubbling to the surface. I didn't want to think about my parents. I didn't ever want to

think about my parents. All I saw when I thought about them was how they died... and how I was the

only one who got out alive. There was a light knock on my door but I ignored it. It opened anyway.

Danny and Keegan walked in cautiously.