“Think that matters?” Brody barks. “You don’t drive like that with anyone in the car.”

“She was . . . we were fighting . . .”

“No excuse!” Blade roars.

Yates’ face is now covered in blood and his eyes dart to me. I’m still shaking so violently my teeth are chattering. “I didn’t know.”

I’d say something, but I can’t open my mouth.

“Get out of here, before I fuck your face up even more,” Blade barks.

Yates turns and rushes to the car, getting in and speeding off. Then everyone turns towards me. It’s Blade who strides over, pushing Melanie’s arms off me. He leans down and scoops me up. “Up we go, darlin’.”

Darlin’.

My heart throbs.

“You’re all right now.”

I’m shaking and crying. I wish it would stop, but once it starts it’s hard for me to calm down. What Yates did, it scared me. It brought back memories I was learning to live each day without. Blade takes me to the car and puts me on the backseat. Then he climbs in beside me. Peyton goes to get in, but he snaps, “Let Melanie there, Peyton.”

She frowns and climbs in the other seat, letting Melanie in. As soon as she’s beside me, Mel reaches over and takes my trembling hand. “You’re going to be all right, honey.”

Blade wraps his arms around me, and god, it feels so damned good. His comfort, his smell. He presses my face to his chest and I close my eyes, trying to gather my breathing so I’m not panting like I’ve run a marathon. The car starts moving, and Blade strokes his fingers down my hair. Eventually, my breathing evens out and I pull myself together.

When we arrive at Brody’s apartment, Blade carries me inside, even though I protest. Then he carries me straight down the hall to a room that isn’t Brody’s. He puts me on the bed and then sits beside me. I push up so I’m sitting and take a deep, shaky breath. “What happened?” he asks.

I swallow and whisper in a hoarse, croaky voice, “We were fighting. He started speeding up because he was yelling at me. Then he swerved onto the other side of the road and there was a car. We just missed it, Blade.”

“Fuck, I’m sorry, darlin’. I shouldn’t have let you go with him.”

“He’s my boyfriend,” I croak. “It wasn’t like he was a stranger.”

“He ain’t anything after this.”

I blink. “Excuse me?”

His eyes scan over my face. “No one makes my girl cry like that.”

His girl.

My heart melts.

“Ever,” he says, his voice hard.

“Blade . . .”

He leans in close, curling his hand around the back of my neck. He presses his forehead to mine and murmurs, “I fuckin’ missed you, darlin’.”

Oh god.

“So fuckin’ much.”

I can’t breathe.

“I hate how much you affect me.”

My body flinches.

“I thought I was over it, thought I was happy again but then . . . fuck, then . . . tonight . . . seein’ you with him and then seein’ you hurtin’ . . .”

“Blade, please,” I whisper.

“So wrong,” he growls.

“Blade.”

He leans in close, until our lips are just about brushing. “I’m fuckin’ done.”

“Done?” I croak.

“Done with pretending like this isn’t rippin’ me apart.”

Before I can open my mouth and answer him, the room is swarmed with people: Melanie, Brody, Ripley and Peyton. Blade leans backs and growls under his breath, and Melanie throws herself at me, wrapping her arms around my body. “Gosh, honey, are you okay?”

I nod, hugging her back. “I’m fine.”

“We’ll stay here tonight. Brody said we can have his bed.”

I look to Brody and he shrugs. “I can sleep on the couch.”

“Are you sure?”

He nods.

I slide off Blade’s bed and turn to him. “Thank you.”

He nods, but says nothing more because Peyton is already sliding her arms around his waist. “Should I stay?” she says, kissing his neck.

“Nah, not tonight. Sorry babe.”

Babe.

My heart hurts.

Our eyes meet for a second, but I let Melanie turn me away before anything can pass between us. I’m not sure what just happened, but whatever it was changed something.

For all of us.

CHAPTER NINTEEN

Melanie and I get changed and crawl into Brody’s bed. She falls asleep after a half an hour conversation making sure I’m okay, but I can’t. Instead I lie there, staring at the ceiling. I wonder what Blade is doing right now? Is he awake? Is he on the phone to Peyton? Did she end up staying? I try to push thoughts of him from my mind, but there’s no point in denying it.

He’s right. I’m done pretending too.

I’m in love with my step-brother, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

My phone has been lighting up for the last two hours, but I’ve effectively ignored it. I know it’s Yates, but I don’t know what I’m going to say to him. What is there to say to him? He fucked up, and he has to know it. I don’t know if I still want to be with him, or if I want to just cut my losses and end it. I care about him, but the truth is I don’t love him—I don’t think I ever did.

That’s not really fair.