Tears are streaming down my face now. I can’t imagine how humiliated Liam felt at that moment. It makes sense now why I did what I did to Stone. I wanted Tommy to experience what it was like to put a target on your brother’s back for no reason and not be able to do anything about it.

“How could you stand there and defend someone so malicious? So evil.”

“Because he’s my brother,” Stone roars. “My dad’s been in jail since I was eight and Tommy pretty much raised me.” He snorts. “Besides, you’re one to talk, princess. Your brothers aren’t exactly upstanding people, either. Believe me, they’ve done their fair share of terrorizing.”

Huge difference. My brothers would never pick on someone the way Tommy picked on Liam. “My brothers would never—”

“Oh, yeah?” Stone argues, taking a step in my direction. “Fine, let’s talk about all the shit they’ve done to people.”

“What—”

“Shortly after Liam died, Jace hunted him down in the woods and threatened to rape him with a bat right before he killed him. Tommy had to beg and plead for him to spare his life. Not that he had much of a life after that because everyone blamed him for Liam’s suicide, and he had to change schools.” Eyes narrowing, he continues, “When Dylan came back to town, Jace put up posters of her father’s mugshot all over school.” His jaw tics. “And your brother Cole? Well, in addition to beating me up twice, he called Sawyer fat in front of their classmates and made her feel so bad about herself she became addicted to Adderall to lose weight and almost died.”

I feel sick for a whole new reason now. “How do you know all this?”

“Because when the Covingtons do shit, everyone in town talks about it.” His smile is vicious. “You want to judge and call me a terrible person for defending my brother, but you’re no different, princess.”

That may be true. However, Liam’s my line you don’t cross.

Ever.

“He was a good person,” I whisper.

“Are you fucking kidding—”

“Liam,” I choke out. “Liam was a good person. More than good. He was kind and gentle. Compassionate. He didn’t deserve the torture Tommy inflicted on him.” I look him right in the eyes. “And I can’t be friends with someone who can’t see that.”

I won’t. No matter how much it might hurt.

I don’t know what to make of the expression on his face. “Duly noted.”

Even though my family didn’t start this war, I’m ending it.

I have to.

“I guess this is goodbye then.”

Go figure. The only friend I made is the one I can’t keep.

He starts to walk inside but stops. “Bianca?”

“Wha—”

Soft lips crash against mine in a tender kiss that sizzles all the way from my head to my toes.

“What are you doing?” I whisper against his mouth.

With sad eyes, he pulls away. “Saying goodbye.”

Chapter 16

I scan the restaurant for Sawyer, intending to ask her for a ride so I can go home and think about what I did.

Correction, what he did.

I can’t believe Stone kissed me.

And worst of all…I liked it.

Really liked it.

My stomach drops when I spot Sawyer having what looks like a heated argument with her boss.

Not wanting Mr. Gonzales to see me and threaten to kick me out again, I hobble my way to the restroom.

I can still feel his kiss lingering on my lips.

Smacking my head, I will myself to stop thinking about it.

Stone and I can’t ever be anything more than enemies.

It would be a betrayal to Liam.

Stone isn’t Tommy—my mind argues.

I shake the thought out of my head. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”

I’m about to text Sawyer and let her know where I’m hiding out, but the door swings open.

“Oh, my God. It is you.”

I take in her chin-length blonde hair, brown eyes, and tall frame.

I have no idea who this girl is.

I tilt my head to the side, studying her. On second thought, she does look vaguely familiar. I just can’t seem to place her.

“God, I’m so happy you’re okay.”

Next thing I know, her arms are wrapped around me, and my crutches are falling to the floor.

I’m surprised for two reasons. One—this is the first person outside of my family who seems legitimately happy to see me after the accident.

And two—apparently, I do have a friend.

She cups my face in her hands. “I know the last time we saw each other you said it was over, but—”

Her lips crash against mine.

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

Is today everyone kiss Bianca and mess with her head day?

I promptly pull away. “I’m sorry, who are you?”

“Very funny,” she coos, her mouth finding my neck.

Past…

I situate myself on the hood of her car and gesture to the cheerleading uniform I’m wearing. “If you want a spot back on the team, you’re gonna have to earn it.”

Morgan turns white as a sheet. “How?”

It’s all I can do not to laugh. The girl has been a thorn in my side since last year. Between making fun of me every chance she got, constantly threatening to kick me off the team once she became the official captain…and other things, it was enough to make me want to contemplate dumping her in a vat of sulfuric acid.

But now the tides have turned, and little by little, I’m taking everything away from her.

Her position as cheerleading captain.

Her friends.

Her popularity.

And by the end of tonight…I’ll have every ounce of her dignity, too.

Anger mixed with jealousy flows through my veins.

There’s only one thing she has that I want.

Of course, it’s the one and only thing I can’t have.

For now.

Lying back against the windshield, I spread my legs. “By proving your loyalty to me.”

I’m not expecting her to actually do it.

No, this is all just part of my little game of fucking with her head.

The CIA has nothing on my forms of torture.

She blinks. “What do you want me to do?”

Fucking idiot. Of course, I’d have to spell it out for her. “Lick my pussy, bitch.”

A smile stretches across my face as I wait for her to decline so I can tell her she’ll never be on my squad and to enjoy her new loser social status.

Morgan chews her bottom lip, her eyes scanning around the empty marina. “Here?”

Hmm. Not the answer I was expecting, but I indulge her because if I’m the one to fold, this will all be for naught.

“Yup.” Hooking my thumbs onto the sides of my panties, I slide them off. “Right he—”

A jolt of pleasure mixed with shock runs through me as she lowers her head and begins licking my cunt like a decadent dessert.

Holy shit.

Not many things surprise me anymore, but this certainly does.

A breath leaves me in one big rush as she continues lapping at me.