Carlie Henson is pretty, popular, and an All-American girl. She has a gorgeous boyfriend and a mother who lives to keep her safe. Probably because everyone is drawn to Carlie…including the murderers she has the ability to identify when she looks in the eyes of their victims.
Keeping Carlie’s secret is pretty simple when all she has to do is avoid dead people. But when a cheerleader at her high school is murdered and the killer seems to have gotten away with it, Carlie knows what she has to do. With the help of her boyfriend, Dillon, she devises a plan to see what she must, no matter her personal safety.
But when Dillon is the one who’s injured in the showdown with the killer, Carlie vows to never help anyone again…until the next young woman attacked is her best friend, Jenna.
14+ due to adult situations
Excerpt:
“Guess what else I found out this week?”
“I’m kinda scared to ask,” he replies, but his eyes say something different. He’s more than a little intrigued.
“My mom told me something horrible about myself, about something that happened to me.”
“Damn. What?”
“She was bathing me when I was a baby, and I drowned in the bathtub when she got distracted.”
His eyes widen. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. I died for a few minutes and everything. That’s why she thinks I have my ability—thinks it opened up some part of my brain that allows me to see.”
There’s nothing to say at the moment, so Dillon simply looks at me, like he’s searching for something comforting to say. I know how he feels hearing it. It’s hard to process. After a few seconds he sits up straighter.
“Well,” he says, “it does make sense. I’m just so sorry that happened when you were a baby. I bet it about drove your mom crazy, the guilt and all, I mean.”
“Pretty much,” I say. “I’m just glad I know now.”
He smiles. “Well, this just confirms what I’ve always known, that you’re a total miracle. He pulls out a black velvet box and hands it to me. “Happy Late Birthday, Miracle Baby.”
I totally forgot that this is our “rain check” date for my birthday celebration. I swear, I’m losing it. “Oh, Dillon, you didn’t have to get me anything.”
“What? Not buy my girlfriend something legit on her birthday? Are you kidding me? Go ahead, open it.”
I lift the lid, revealing a thin, gold chain with just about the sweetest heart-shaped locket I’ve ever seen. “Oh, God, it’s beautiful. Thank you.”
“Turn it over,” he says.
I do. It’s engraved on the back with the words My Forever Sweet 16. Love, Dillon.
“The heart opens, of course, but I didn’t put a picture in it yet,” he says. “Thought I’d let you do that. Do you like it?”
“I love it.” My eyes fill with moisture. “You are the sweetest boyfriend on the planet, you know that?”
“Yeah,” he replies, “I know.”
He lifts the necklace from the box and holds it up in front of me.
“Move your hair and I’ll put it on you.”
I do as instructed and he hooks the necklace. The heart is cold when it touches my skin, but it warms me to the core. And this time when I nuzzle his neck, I follow with a long, slow kiss.
“I love the locket. It’s perfect.”
“No, you’re perfect.” He kisses me until my stomach fills with tingles that shoot all the way to my toes. “Every part of you is perfect, you hear me? And I love you, Carlie Henson.”
