“Savannah…the baby.”

Oh shit.

I’m starting to get the picture, until she chokes out, “Oakley…my aunt Crystal…you.” The guttural sound she makes goes straight through me like a bullet. “Everything is so fucked up. I can’t…I can’t…”

The muscles in my chest draw tight. Our demons are almost identical, and it’s clear hers are wreaking havoc right now.

For once, Dylan can’t fight them off on her own.

Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her close. “It’s okay. You don’t have to.”

I’ll fight this battle for you.

Chapter 40

Dylan

The sound of thunder booming wakes me up with a jolt, but strong arms clutch me tighter.

Jace.

I’d recognize his touch anywhere.

It’s like a warm blanket wrapped around me in the middle of a snowstorm. Keeping me safe and warm.

“It’s just thunder,” he whispers against my temple.

Turning in bed, I face him. “How long was I asleep?”

“Three hours and seventeen minutes.”

“Wow, that’s…precise.”

The edge of his thumb traces my jaw. “How are you?”

He’s looking at me with so much concern, I fear my heart might burst right out of my chest.

“Better.”

Because of him.

After I ran over here like a psycho during a meltdown, Jace took care of me.

No, more than that.

He listened without judgment as I unleashed everything I’ve been keeping inside.

My problems. My fears. My pain.

And then he held me while I cried myself to sleep.

His eyes search my face. “You should get some more rest.”

I’m about to concede, because the exhaustion coursing through my body makes me feel like I could sleep for weeks and it still wouldn’t be enough, but then I remember.

I bolt up. “Oh my God, Sawyer. We were—”

“Relax.” He nods to my phone on his nightstand. “Your phone kept ringing, so I answered it. I told Sawyer you were going through shit and spending the night here.”

Oh. “How did that conversation go?”

Amusement lines his face. “After asking for photographic evidence proving you were safe, she threatened to take a chainsaw to my nuts and my brother’s if I didn’t return you in one piece.”

That’s my girl. “I’ll give her a call in the morning.” Nausea barrels into me. “I should probably tell my cheating, cradle robbing aunt I’m here.”

Slinging an arm over my waist, he eases me back on his bed. “Don’t have to. I told Oak to cover for you and say you’re spending the night at Sawyer’s house.”

“Oh.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask if he told Oakley what I walked in on, but I can’t without bile rising up my esophagus.

“I…uh…” My voice trembles with the threat of tears and I clear it. “I don’t know why I’m being so dramatic about this. It’s just…”

“Someone you loved made a mistake.” I feel the muscles in his body knot up. “One that permanently changed who they were in your eyes.”

That’s exactly it. “I don’t know how to get past this. Between her and my father…”

“I know. I get it.” He rises up on his elbow and stares down at me. “At least I thought I did.”

Lifting my hand, I trace the curve of his eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Maybe everything isn’t so absolute, you know?” He exhales sharply. “I used to believe everything was black and white…right and wrong. But now I’m starting to think people might not be the sum of their greatest achievements…or their worst mistakes.” He swallows thickly. “Maybe someone can do the cruelest thing imaginable…and somehow…still be a good person underneath.”

I think about this for a moment and realize he has a point. My aunt did something awful, but she’s still my aunt.

She’s still the one who drove four hours to see me when I got my period for the first time, and then whisked me away to my first concert to celebrate. The woman who took me shopping for my first bra. The person who didn’t even hesitate to take me in when my dad ended up in jail.

“The bad doesn’t always erase the good,” I whisper.

“No.” His eyes cut to mine. “I think it just blends.”

Kind of like the sky. The clouds are in the way, but it doesn’t make the blue any less beautiful.

Unfortunately, Jace’s concept doesn’t apply to everyone.

“I might be able to salvage the relationship with my aunt, but I can’t say the same for my father. It hurts too much.” The tears welling in my eyes spill down the sides of my face. “He doesn’t want me, Jace. He stopped loving me the day she died.”

I force myself to breathe and try to calm down, but it’s no use. I’ve unearthed the underbelly of the beast.

The cold, hard realization that you’re unloved by the one person who’s supposed to love you the most is the worst feeling in the world.

My chest heaves and it becomes a struggle to breathe. “Sometimes I’m not sure if anyone loves—”

His mouth is on mine so fast, I’m breathless.

The possession in his kiss is absolute…as if he has a point to prove.

And my heart is so tattered and needy for him, I soak it up like a sponge. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pull him closer.

I part my thighs and he settles between them. Instantly, the feeling in my chest kicks up a notch, going from soft and needy to urgent and frantic.

I need this…need him so badly I’m willing to put myself directly in the line of fire again.

Raising my pelvis, I grind against him and he groans. I can feel how much he wants me, and I want him just as much, if not more.

We stare at each other, both panting before our lips meet again. Our kiss grows hungry, all-consuming, like a rocket right before blastoff.

My hands tug at the fabric of his t-shirt, there’s too much clothing between us. “I need this off.”

Breaking the kiss, he reaches behind him and pulls his shirt over his head.

But it’s not good enough for me. I need more.

His lips descend until they coast along my neck, but he doesn’t bite, he nips and licks my flesh until I’m clawing at his shoulders. “More.”

It’s the only word I’m capable of at this point.

Reaching for the hem of my sweatshirt, I peel it off and toss it across the room. My bra quickly follows, courtesy of Jace.

His eyes are hooded as he stares at my breasts and my insides swoop when his mouth dips, ghosting over my nipple. He teases and taunts me with his breath on my skin until finally, his lips part and he sucks me with greedy pulls.

I stroke his neck when he moves to the other one and lavishes it with the same attention. “That feels so good.”

“It’s about to feel even better,” he rasps, lowering himself down my body.

Warmth surges through me when he kisses the spot under my navel and unties the drawstring of my pants.