“I need you to stop doing drugs.”

The crack in my voice takes us both by surprise.

His eyes soften. “Baby—”

“I can’t watch another person I care about kill themselves,” I scream, fighting the strangled sob trying to rip its way out of my throat.

The lie I’ve been trapped in.

It’s too late, though. The dam inside me has cracked with the force of a missile.

Hot tears spill down my face as I turn to run away.

However, I don’t get the chance because Oakley wraps his arms around me from behind and tugs me against him. “Talk to me.”

“No.”

I kick and squirm, trying my hardest to get away, but that only makes him tighten his hold on me.

The secret I’m keeping is the equivalent of cinderblocks tied to my ankles and I so desperately want to be free.

But I can’t…because freedom comes at a price.

“Baby girl.”

His voice is laden with so much concern, it slashes the last bit of control I was desperately trying to hold on to.

“She killed herself,” I cry out, the tears falling faster.

He freezes. “Who?”

Oh God, it hurts. It hurts so fucking much.

Like a sledgehammer straight to the heart.

“My mom.”

“What?” His breath hitches. “I thought she—”

“I lied,” I scream so loud the windows rattle. “And then I made Liam lie too because we needed to protect her.”

I shudder in his embrace as he carries me back to bed and proceeds to cradle me in his arms.

“I was so scared, Oakley. I didn’t know what happened…it was like she just snapped. She kept talking about going somewhere without pain, and when I asked her where that was.” Another tremble rolls through me. “She said heaven.” I curl up in his arms. “I tried to stop her…but I couldn’t.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” he rasps. “None of this was your fault.” Anger crosses his features. “Christ. I can’t believe she almost k—”

“She was sick,” I utter, quickly coming to her defense before he can spew the words. “Liam and I…we had to protect her.”

Because she was our mom and we loved her so much.

He looks like he wants to argue, but he holds me tighter, strumming his fingers up and down my spine as I continue to cry my heart out.

“Promise me you’ll stop doing drugs,” I choke out between sobs.

Because if I lose him too…

I won’t survive it.

His throat bobs on a swallow. “I’ll never make you a promise I can’t keep. You know that.”

His admission only makes me cry harder. “Then make me a promise you can.”

“I’ll try,” he whispers against my ear. “I’ll try for you.”

I hold out my pinky finger. “Promise?”

Giving me a small nod, he hooks his pinky through mine.

And then he hauls me against him, wrapping his arms around me so tight it steals all the air from my lungs.

I bury my damp face against his chest. “Oakley?”

“Yeah?”

“You make me feel things, too.”

Things my mother warned me not to feel.

My stomach clenches as I watch him lick a drop of ketchup off his thumb before he goes back to eating his burger.

Today I successfully managed the art of parallel parking. To celebrate my small victory, we grabbed some loaded bacon cheeseburgers for dinner on the way home.

Well, Oakley did.

I’m currently pushing my veggie burger around my plate wondering why everything he does turns me on so damn much.

As if sensing my internal struggle, his lips curve in a slow smirk. “You look like you want some.”

“I don’t eat meat,” I tease, playing coy.

That only makes his smirk deepen as he waggles his eyebrows. “I guess you only suck it then, huh?”

I should roll my eyes at his crude remark, but I find myself laughing.

I love that we share the same perverted sense of humor.

Trying to keep a straight face, he holds his burger out to me. “Well, if you change your mind, offer still stands.” He winks. “You can have my meat anytime you want.”

I’m about to tell him I want it right here on this table, but the appetizing scent of his burger fills my nostrils. I can’t deny that it smells delicious. Way more delicious than the poor excuse between two buns I’m attempting to eat does.

My stomach grumbles, betraying me. “I can’t.”

His brows furrow. “Why?”

Guilt prickles through me and my shoulders slump. “Liam.”

Clearly perplexed, he shakes his head. “Wh—”

“I swore off eating meat with him so he didn’t have to do it alone.” My stomach grumbles again. Louder this time. “But your burger smells really good and I’m gonna need you to finish it soon so it stops tempting me.”

His expression turns serious. “I’m not trying to be a dick, but don’t you think it’s time for you to start living life on your terms?”

If only it were that simple. “But—”

“But nothing, baby girl.” He holds my gaze. “Liam’s dead…and as much as that sucks, not eating meat won’t bring him back.” A groove in his forehead deepens. “Take a bite, Bianca. You might like it, or you might hate it, but either way, it will be your fucking choice.”

Oakley has a point, I realize as I proceed to take a small bite.

Liam didn’t force me to become a vegetarian, but I’m not the same person I was back then.

It’s time to start making my own decisions.

A delectable taste fills my mouth. “It’s good.”

Smiling, Oakley pushes his plate toward me. “Finish it.”

I shake my head. “Later.” I chew my bottom lip wryly. “There’s something else I really want right now.”

His lids lower. “That so?”

I’m about to answer, but his palm starts traveling up my thigh.

My heartbeat grows erratic as his hand slides up my shorts.

“Do you want to go to your bedroom?”

His throat works as his fingers make their way inside my panties. “No.” He teases my clit with the pad of his thumb. “I want to make you come for me right here in this chair.”

Oh, God. I’m so turned on I can’t even see straight.

Mouth parting, I watch the tendons in his arm flex as he pumps those long fingers inside me.

My head lolls back as shivers race up my spine. “Jesus—”

A knock on the door cuts me off.

Undeterred, Oakley continues to work me. “Whoever it is will go away.”

“Open up, Oak. It’s us,” Dylan calls out.

“We brought you birthday treats,” Sawyer adds.

“Shit,” Oakley mutters as he removes his hand. “I forgot that was tonight.”

I mentally curse Dylan and Sawyer for ruining my impending orgasm as I fix my shorts. “Forgot what was tonight?”

“Girls’ n—” Oakley starts to say, but another loud knock cuts him off. “Relax, I’m coming.”

Too bad I’m not.