“Stone,” I snap.

“What?” he says as I step out of his car. “They were going to find out about us soon, Bianca. You said it yourself.”

Yeah, but I didn’t want them to find out like this.

Cole laughs but there’s not an ounce of humor. “I’ve had a few concussions and therefore must be hallucinating, because I could have sworn you just said girlfriend.” His nostrils flare. “But there’s no way in fuck my little sister would ever date your pathetic, trifling ass.”

He yells the last part so loud he’s liable to wake the dead.

A breathless, bathrobe-clad Sawyer runs outside. “What the hell—” She spots Stone’s car and blanches. “Oh, shit.”

Oh, shit is right.

Jace’s jaw tics. “Tell me he’s lying, Bianca.”

I can’t.

Expelling a deep breath, I utter, “He’s not.”

Cole cups his ear. “I’m sorry, I must be hallucinating again, what?”

“He’s not lying,” I say, louder this time. “Stone and I are dating.”

Jace staggers back like I just sucker-punched him.

Cole turns to Sawyer. “Call an ambulance.”

She pales. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Bible Thumper.” He lunges for Stone’s car. “But he won’t be after I’m done with him.”

Sawyer and I quickly put ourselves between them.

“Feel free to leave anytime,” I urge Stone.

“Not until your psycho brothers calm down and I know you’re okay.”

That only makes Cole more furious and he lunges for him again. “I’ll show you psycho.”

“Stop it, Colton,” Sawyer says, her hands shoving his chest. “Fighting Stone won’t solve anything.”

“Maybe not,” he snarls. “But it will sure feel good.”

Before I can stop him, Stone gets out of his car. “You want to fight me again, Covington.” He slaps his chest in invitation. “Go right ahead. Kick my ass from here to Kingdom Come.” His eyes dart to me. “But it still won’t change the fact that I’m in love with your sister.”

My mouth drops open. “You love me?”

“Yeah.” He swallows hard. “Yeah, I do.”

Sawyer makes the sign of the cross and starts muttering what sounds like the Hail Mary prayer.

My head whirls. Stone loves me.

Cole’s eyes flick to me. “Please tell me this isn’t fucking happening.”

“How long?” Jace barks. “How long have you been lying to my goddamn face while sneaking around with trash?”

“Since Thanksgiving,” I whisper.

“A month,” Jace bites. “A fucking month you’ve been deceiving me.” He gestures to Cole and Sawyer. “Us.”

Sawyer rubs her temples. “Look, I know you two are angry, but Stone’s a good guy and he makes her happy—”

“How would you know?” Cole questions.

“I—uh.” She mutters a curse. “I’ve known about them for a little while.”

The betrayal on Cole’s face deepens. “And you didn’t tell me?”

“It’s not Sawyer’s fault,” I quickly chime in. “She kept urging me to come clean, but I made her promise not to say anything until I was ready. Hell, she didn’t even want to cover for us, but I—”

“You covered for them?” Cole grinds out, glaring at Sawyer. “For him?”

Oh, fuck. Wrong thing to say.

Guilt colors Sawyer’s rosy cheeks. “I know you’re upset, but Bianca’s my friend and she needed someone to talk to.”

He jabs his chest with his thumb. “I’m your fiancé.” Hurt twists his features. “Your fiancé who you swore you’d never lie to again.”

Sawyer’s face falls. She looks so helpless my heart coils.

“I’m sorry, Colton—”

“Save it. I don’t even want to be near you right now.” His eyes fall on me. “Either of you.”

With that, he treks up the driveway.

Sawyer’s lower lip wobbles. “I—um. I’m gonna go back inside.”

Stone juts his chin. “I’m gonna go, too.” He leans down like he wants to kiss me but pauses when he notices that Jace is still glaring daggers at him. “I’ll call you later.”

A minute later he peels out of our driveway.

I look at Jace, who’s gone silent.

“Say something.”

Yell at me. Demand I break up with him. Something.

He shrugs helplessly. “What the hell do you want me to say, Bianca?”

The sheer hurt etched in his features makes me want to keel over and die.

He starts walking away but stops abruptly.

“I really fucking miss her.”

I have no idea who he’s talking about. “Who?”

“My sister.” His eyes cut to mine. “The one who might lie to everyone else in her life but would never lie to me.”

With that, he stalks off.

I expected him to be angry…disappointed.

But I never expected him to look at me like I stabbed him in the back.

And I definitely never thought I’d break his trust.

Chapter 30

A soul as black as the night sky.

Lips as red as the blood she’s out for.

The girl who leaves them running scared.

She’s a beautiful nightmare.

I stare in awe at the words scrawled on the small piece of paper.

On one hand, I should be offended because Stone thinks my soul is black, but on the other?

It’s so hauntingly gorgeous it cuts straight into my heart.

I quickly pick up my phone.

It’s been three days since all hell broke loose, but we still talk every day at school. However, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss our alone time.

Especially after reading that.

He picks up on the second ring. “Hey you.”

“Hey.” I can’t help but smile. “So, I was doing laundry today and I found a little something you slipped into my jacket pocket the other night.”

“Huh?”

“The poem,” I remind him. “Jesus, Stone. I had no freaking idea you wrote poetry. It was perfect. A little dark and twisted…but beautiful.”

A beautiful nightmare.

“Oh…that.” He clears his throat. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Like it?” My heart pounds a steady tattoo against my ribs. “I love it.”

I rub the spot over the organ still beating wildly in my chest. I love him.

But I don’t want to tell him something so important over the phone.

I’d rather tell him how I feel face to face. When the moment is right.

“So,” he says, changing the subject. “Are things any better today?”

Nope. “About the same.”

He sighs. “They can’t forbid you to see me, you know. You’re eighteen.”

If only it were that simple. “They’re not forbidding me to see you.”

That would require they actually talk to me.