Page 178 of Crank (Crank 1)

That bastard. I’ll kill him.

I shook my head, tossing tears and thin

streams of snot. “It was all my fault.”

Chase grabbed my shoulders.

No! Brendan knew what he was doing.

He pulled me so close it hurt, laid

his head against my heaving chest.

Then hard-ass Chase Wagner cried.

Oh, God, I’m sorry, Kristina.

I should have been there for you.

Stunned

I kissed his forehead,

licked away his tears.

He looked up

and his eyes told mine,

I love you, Kristina.

Eyes couldn’t lie.

Could they?

With sudden clarity,

I knew,

“I love you, too.”

Don’t say it

unless you mean it.

Did I mean it?

Brendan was no more

than a nightmare.

But, Giselle or no Giselle,

what about Adam?

You could snap

my heart in two.