“It’s only for two more weeks.” I kiss the tip of his nose. “After that you’ll no longer be my dirty secret.”

His eyes gleam with wicked intent. “Dirty secret, huh?”

The energy in the room shifts, causing the muscles in my thighs to clench.

Stone has been the epitome of a gentleman, never pressuring me for anything more than a kiss. But the look he gives me tells me he’s ready for more.

So am I.

He palms my breast, squeezing gently. “Is this okay?”

More than okay. “Definitely.”

Closing the distance between us, he kisses me.

Goosebumps break out along my flesh as his hand dips lower, skimming the bare skin above the waistband of my jeans.

He pulls back. “Am I hurting you?”

My pelvis is the least of my worries. Besides, it’s almost healed.

I shake my head. “Not at all.”

In fact, I wouldn’t mind if his touch was a little rougher.

The sound of him lowering my zipper is so loud it almost echoes.

My breath hitches when he licks two fingers and slips his hand inside my panties.

Smirking, he brushes the pad of his thumb along my clit. “You like this?”

Biting my lip, I nod.

He repeats the movement, sending tiny little tingles to the sensitive bud.

“You want more?”

Hell yes. “Yes.”

His movements are so slow, so gentle.

“Stone.”

I need more. Deeper, faster, harder.

But he doesn’t.

Stone continues building me up, deliberately drawing out every inch of my pleasure.

Ever so slightly, he speeds up his movements bit by bit, bringing me to the brink.

He studies my face as he works me. “You gonna come for me?”

Past…

“Yesterday s-s-she w-w-wore a yellow dress.” Liam looks over at me. “She looked s-s-so p-p-pretty it gave me butterflies.”

It takes everything in me not to roll my eyes. His crush on Dylan is becoming all-consuming.

Brows knitting together, he folds an arm under his head. “And t-t-that’s w-w-when I realized.”

Turning over, I humor him. “Realized what?”

The tear streaming down his cheek pierces my heart. “That I’ll n-n-never be good e-e-enough f-f-for her.”

“Liam, that’s not true.”

If I could have any superpower in the whole wide world, it would be for my brother to see himself the way I see him.

Because if he did, he’d realize how incredible he is.

When other kids are mean—Liam’s nice.

When other kids are stupid—Liam’s smart.

And when other kids are following their mean, stupid friends because they’re too scared to be themselves—Liam always follows his heart.

He’s the most courageous person I’ve ever met.

The world is so much better and brighter with him in it.

Another tear falls. “Yes i-i-it is.” He swats his tears with his sleeve. “I’m a f-f-freak.”

“You are not a freak.”

“Everyone at s-s-school s-s-says s-s-so,” he argues. “Whenever T-t-tommy m-m-m-makes f-f-fun of m-m-me, everyone laughs. No one ever s-s-stops him.” More tears fall. So many they soak the pillow. “Because I’m a l-l-loser.”

His words punch straight through my heart. Tommy is a dumb jerk who needs to be beat up.

“Liam—”

“I get now why M-m-mom k-k-killed herself.” The agony in his eyes makes me want to keel over. “W-w-we d-d-didn’t love her e-e-enough.”

Pain slices through my chest.

I did love our mom.

So much I fight the anger I have for her daily.

So much that every day that passes I wish I could have done something—anything—to save her.

So much I wish it was me who died instead of her, because maybe, just maybe, Liam wouldn’t be so upset all the time and I wouldn’t have to keep pressuring him to keep the real reason she died a secret.

“I’m n-n-never gonna have a girlfriend,” Liam continues, his sobs growing with each word. “I’m n-n-never gonna get m-m-married.” He’s so distraught, he begins shaking. “No girl is e-e-ever gonna k-k-kiss me. Because n-n-no one’s e-e-ever gonna l-l-love me—”

I press my lips to his.

Not because he gives me butterflies like Dylan gives him, but because I want him to know that no matter what happens, I will always love him, and he will always be good enough.

Liam deserves to have everything he wants and then some.

He jerks his head away. “Yuck.” Disgusted, he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “W-w-what is w-w-wrong with you?”

I’m not sure.

All I know is he was hurting and feeling like no one was ever going to love him, so I wanted to prove him wrong.

Because even though I don’t love him like that—I do love him more than anyone else in the whole wide world.

He’s my favorite person.

However, the look of repulsion he’s giving me tells me I seriously screwed up.

“I was just trying to help. You were sad so I wanted to make you—”

“Gross.” He jumps off the bed like it’s on fire. “You c-c-can’t do s-s-stuff like t-t-that, Bianca. You’re my s-s-sister.”

I’m about to pinky promise that I’ll never, ever do it again, but I can’t because he runs out of my bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Vomit races up my throat and I bolt upright, pushing Stone’s hand out of the way.

Oh, God.

What did I do? What the fuck did I do?

“Are you okay?” Stone questions. “What just happened?”

What happened is I’m sick.

Sick, sick, sick.

“I—” I try to speak, but bile fills my mouth.

I was only trying to make Liam feel better, but there’s no way I can explain that to Stone.

Or anyone for that matter.

Because no one will ever understand.

My intentions were good…but my actions were wrong.

So very wrong.

Oh, God. I can’t breathe.

It’s too much.

The old Bianca—everything she did—is too much for me to take.

She’s like slow poison killing me piece by piece, and I want her gone.

“Bianca,” Stone says slowly. “Did someone hurt you?”

I should deny it and tell him the truth.

But I can’t because he won’t understand.

No one will.

I quickly button my pants. “I have to go.”

He wraps his fingers around my wrist, halting me. “You can tell me anything.”

Not this.

“Please stop,” I choke out.

“You got it.” Kissing my forehead, he wraps his arms around me. “How about we just lay here for a little bit?”

I drop my head to his chest, breathing in his scent.

“You’re okay,” he whispers. “Everything’s okay.”

But it’s not.

Because I think I finally know the reason Liam didn’t come to me the night he killed himself.

And I have no one else to blame but myself.