Conviction by Amanda Lance Read Free Book Online Page A

you.”
    We slept on the floor the entire night. It seemed neither one of us was willing to give in to our pride. I wondered what we would do the next night—if every night would contain the same unrelenting argument, the same temptation…
    Overall, my attempt to entice him had failed miserably, but I knew I wouldn’t give in that easily. I hoped he did, too.
    We spent most of New Year’s Eve wrapped up in each other, trying to avoid Elise in all her tyranny and failing pretty miserably. Eventually, we broke apart long enough for Charlie to help Yuri move the cars out of the driveway and for me to check in with everyone at home. Once I was on my computer, I immediately started flipping through my e-mail. Though I was hoping to hear something from Robbie, I was just as happy to see another message from Dad.
     
    Addie—
    Just saw a news report about kids who drink and drive during New Year’s. You know you can put a cab on the credit card if you need to, right? Don’t do anything reckless. If you go to a party, remember not to leave anything you’re drinking unattended.
    Call me in the morning just so I know you’re alive, okay?
    Dad
    P.S. Adam says hi and was happy to hear your flight went okay.
     
    Old Man,
    Planning on a low key evening tonight: just hanging out with a few new friends. I have no plans on drinking and/or driving, setting fires, getting anything tattooed/pierced, taking off clothes, gambling, joining a gang, or committing any major felonies.
    Love you lots,
    Addie. 
     
    I laughed all through typing it, hoping that Dad would appreciate the humor when he read it. Even though I was more than okay since my abduction, I had to wonder if Dad would be less protective if it had never happened. Would it take a year of me being away from home with no disasters or only a couple of weeks before he got back to himself? Oddly enough, it was like Dad was the most affected by my kidnapping, like just the fear of losing someone else and police officers telling him not to keep his hopes up made him lose something on the inside. Humor had always been his defense to counteract any somewhat serious situation but even that wasn’t as effective these days.
    One of Dad’s best talents was making Mom laugh, but he could make her mad with his sense of humor too, like cracking jokes minutes within hearing of her parents’ deaths. But he could always make her laugh again, and that was all Robbie and I had ever grown up with. With such blatant feelings, I didn’t really know how to behave around him around him anymore. And without being able to predict how he would react to any given circumstances, I didn’t even want to begin to approach the Charlie situation. This new and sentimental Dad was too strange for me. I too, needed to adjust.
    I rummaged through the rest of my e-mails, deleting the advertisements, until I reached the end of the list and saw an unfamiliar address with a familiar name.
     
    Dear Addie,
    I hope this e-mail reaches you in good spirits and your flight wasn’t too terrible. The last time I traveled out west, the flight was laid over three times before I finally got to Seattle, and by then the seminar I was supposed to attend was half over…
    Anyway, I wanted to tell you I made the trip to the American Museum of Natural History last week just before Christmas. You were right about the planetarium. But I have to say the spider exhibit gave me the creeps. Didn’t you like the butterfly conservatory more?  
    Anyway, I hope your New Year starts off decent and uneventful. And if anyone in your dorm gives you a hard time, just tell them you know someone at the Bureau.
    Best,
    Adam
     
    Though I had given him my e-mail, I hadn’t put much thought to him actually contacting me once I got to California. I wasn’t surprised he and Dad had talked already, though. Truthfully, I was kind of grateful for it and hoped their relationship continued—at least until Robbie’s contract expired. While it was