First, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes

Liv's alarm rang the next morning and Stellan was gone. I quickly gathered my things, headed into the bathroom to shower and dress, and then went back into Liv's bedroom, grabbed her backpack and headed down the hallway, hoping not to see anyone on the way out.

But Alonso, Liv's mother's boyfriend, was standing down the hallway just outside the kitchen, blocking my way. He was a big man, collar-length brunette hair, and his eyes were so dark they were nearly black. He was dressed like a biker in a jean jacket, blue jeans, and a black T-shirt.

"Morning, beautiful," he said, raising an eyebrow.

I stopped a few feet away from him. "Where's my mother?"

He shrugged. "Sleeping." He took a step closer, but I stood my ground.

One thing I was learning from my host on this jump was how to be tough when I had to… and Liv was as tough as they come. With her life, she had to be.

"Get out of my way."

He smirked as he took another step closer. "No."