“We both know that’s not—”
“Don’t. Don’t do that. If I hadn’t blown up his stupid fucking car…”
“You’re finally admitting it?” My lips curve, but he doesn’t return my smile. “Reese, I’m fine. It looks worse than it is.”
“He almost fucking raped you.” He chokes on the words, and even in the shadows, I see the blood drain from his face.
“Lie with me?” I ask.
“What?”
“You heard me. I can’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I—”
“I can’t. I should go.”
“Please, don’t,” I rush out, panic rising inside me again. “Just lie with me for a little while, until I’m asleep.”
“Our parents—”
“It’s almost three in the morning. Everyone is sleeping.” Or at least, they should be.
Something passes over Reese’s expression and I ask, “What?”
“Oak… he left.”
“Of course he did.” I let out a weary sigh.
“The lads went with him.”
“Yet you stayed.”
“I couldn’t leave. Not until I saw you, until I knew…” He glances away again.
“I’ll be okay when you lie down with me.”
I’m not playing fair, but if he walks out now, I’m not sure I’ll survive it. I need him. I need to feel his arms around me.
Torment glitters in his eyes, and for a second, I think he’s going to leave me. But then he rasps, “Budge over,” and climbs in beside me.
“Thank you.” I nestle into his side, soaking up the strong, steady presence of him.
“I wanted to kill him,” he whispers into the dark.
“I know.” I swallow over the lump in my throat.
“It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”
Us.
He means what’s happening between us.
“I know.”
“But I saw him on top of you, and it snapped something in me, Olivia. Fucking shredded my insides.”
“I know.” Tears burn the backs of my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. “For what it’s worth, I don’t blame you, Reese.”
“You should.” He pulls me closer, dropping his chin to the top of my head.