When a sly grin spreads across Evan’s face, my lip instinctively curls. Images of earlier today cut me like glass. How he pinned me to the bed and stuck his tongue down my throat, bit my lip hard as he rubbed against me. It’s not the first time he’s been that rough with me, and with the way things are going, I’m sure it won’t be the last time either.

After being with Ryler, knowing what it’s like to want a kiss, I feel more disgusted and used by Evan than I normally do. That disgust festers inside me, and I have the most overwhelming compulsion to claw Evan’s eyes out.

The truth will set me free.

Maybe I’ll just do it—claw his eyes out and let the truth kill me.

“What? No thank you?” The arch of his brow dares me to say something.

“Thank you,” I mutter, balling my hands into fists. My fingernails pierce the flesh, split the skin open, and warm blood trickles inside my palm.

Ryler stiffens, his jaw ticks, and his face reddens with anger. I half expect him to lunge forward and punch Evan.

“We should go,” Ryler signs to me, even though it looks like it’s killing him to say it.

I nod, my rage matching his.

“We have to go,” I pass Ryler’s message along to Evan.

Evan glances back and forth between Ryler and me. Then without warning, he whisks forward, wraps an arm around my waist, and jerks my mouth to his. He tastes like onions and whiskey. So disgusting, just like his tongue in my mouth and the feel of his body against mine.

When he pulls away, he flashes me a grin. “I’ll be stopping by tomorrow to talk more about you moving in.” He starts to back away toward the door that leads to the inside of the house. “You better have an answer for me this time, Emery. I’m not a patient person, and you were raised to be the kind of girl who doesn’t force me to be impatient. Your father put a lot of time and effort into making you the perfect person for me.”

Ryler inches forward as his hands circle in the air. “She’s not going to be home tomorrow. Doc’s having me take her out of town.”

Relief washes over me. That’s news to me. But good news.

Evan pauses near the doorway. “What did he just say?” he asks me. “This is so ridiculous. I don’t know why your father insists on letting a mute work for him.”

Ryler cracks his knuckles and pops his neck. I can tell it’s taking all of his restraint not to tackle Evan and beat him up. Part of me wants to remain silent and see if he’ll end up giving in. Just like with the man I killed, part of me wants to see Evan suffer for his sins, even if it’s at the cost of Ryler.

But the good side of me wins. The side that doesn’t want to see anything bad happen to Ryler.

“He said I’m not going to be home tomorrow,” I tell Evan then force a frown. “Sorry.”

Evan’s eyelids lower as he scowls at me. “That’s not acceptable.”

“My father’s the one who told him,” I say to Evan with a shrug. “So take it up with him.”

Huffing in fury, Evan spins for the door with Tagger following at his heels. Seconds later, the door slams shut, and suddenly Ryler and I are alone in the garage.

We stare at each other for a few beats before Ryler sighs heavily and elevates his hands, “I lied about your father saying that.”

My forehead creases. “You lied? Why?”

“Because you looked like you didn’t want to meet him. And… And because he hurt you.” He shrugs then reaches to tuck a strand of my hair behind my shoulder. “Emery, I care about you. I want you to know that.”

I shiver from his touch, the good kind of shiver, the kind of shiver I hope means I can trust him. “Still, why would you do that? You know who Evan is, so I’m guessing you realize that he’ll hurt you if he finds out. My father will be angry, too.” I angle my chin downward and stare at the ground. “He wants this thing between Evan and me to happen more than anything else.”

Ryler hooks a finger under my chin and angles my head back up. “I know.”

I wet my chapped lips with my tongue. “Then why did you do it?”

“Because… I don’t want to see you hurt anymore. And I’m going to do everything in my power to stop it.”

“Well, thank you,” I say, fully meaning it. The pressure on my chest cracks and shatters. Maybe this will turn out okay after all. “You didn’t have to do that.”

For a brief instant, everything feels perfect. Perfection does exist. Ryler is everything he says he is. Then the door to the house swings open, shattering the moment into a thousand pieces. Reality painfully seeps in as Evan comes storming back into the garage with a smirk on his face and two of his largest bodyguards at his heels.

“Just got a message from your father,” he says, striding across the room toward me with even strides. His fingers are curled around an object, and I instantly shuffle back, not wanting to find out what he’s holding.

Ryler steps in front of me and blocks me from Evan, but the bodyguards shove him back and grab him by the arms. He fights to get his arms free, but they push him against the wall while Evan snatches ahold of my arm.

His fingers roughly press against my skin, making the bruises on my flesh sting. “You’ve been telling our secrets, Emery, haven’t you?”

“Of course not.” I twist my arm, attempting to escape, but Evan tightens his grip.

“Thou shall not speak of the stuff inside Ralingford,” he breathes hotly against my face. “Your father tried to warn you. Tried to scare you into going home. You should have listened to the notes, Emery, because now you’re in this on your own.”