Page 62 of Connor

"Exactly! He’s my best fucking friend, who should’ve known better,” Victor snarled, leaning down until his eyes glared into mine. “Go back inside, Summer. Move."

I shook my head, my nails biting into my palms. "Vic, it’s not what you think."

Actually, it was worse.

He scoffed, taking a step closer. "Not what I think? Summer, his shit is all over your apartment!" His eyes burned into mine, filled with betrayal. His eyes narrowed, his fury curdling into something deadly. "Tell me you haven’t been sleeping with him. Summer, I swear to God.Tell meyou haven’t been sleeping with my best friend."

My stomach clenched.

My throat went dry. Every inch of me screamed to lie. To deny it. To make this go away. But I couldn’t. Because Vic wasn’t stupid.

And lying wouldn’t change the truth.

I forced myself to look him in the eye. My lips parted, but no sound came out. My chest ached, my lungs felt too tight, my vision tunneling as every instinct begged me to run. But instead—

I nodded.

Just once. Small. Barely there. But Vic saw it.

And everything fucking snapped.

His face went blank, and for a split second, I swore he stopped breathing. Then, slowly, too calmly, he whispered— "Are you fucking serious?"

Tears started dripping down my face again. ”Vic, come inside. I swear, I can explain.”

I just had to figure out how to tell him the truth first.

Chapter 19

Connor

I got Summer’s message while I was at the hospital. Mom and Aiden encouraged me to leave, telling me that they’d sort everything else out and would let me know how it all went.

The nerves didn’t hit me until I was staring at her front door, though. My hand dropped to my pocket and I dug around for my keys before realizing the door was probably open. After taking another breath, I stepped inside while I was still dropping my keys back into my pocket.

I barely had a chance to close the door before the first punch landed.

Pain exploded across my jaw, snapping my head to the side. My back hit the doorframe, the taste of copper flooding my mouth. I had no time to recover before another hit came, slamming into my ribs like a sledgehammer.

Fuck.

I grunted, catching myself before I stumbled, my tongue swiping across my split lip. The sharp sting told me it was bleeding. My vision blurred for a split second, but I didn’t fight back. Didn’t even try.

Because I knew this was coming.

I knew the second I got that text from Summer telling me to stay away. I knew the second I saw Vic’s car parked outside. I knew when I walked through that fucking door that my best friend—the guy who was like my goddamn brother—was waiting for me with nothing but pure fucking fury.

And I didn’t blame him.

Vic’s chest heaved, his fists still clenched. His knuckles were already red, the force of his punch obvious from the way my mouth throbbed.

"You fucking piece of shit," he snarled. "You think you can just sneak around behind my back? You thought I wouldn’t fucking find out?"

I exhaled slowly, swallowing the blood that pooled at the back of my throat. I didn’t wipe my mouth. Didn’t even lift my hands to defend myself. Because I had nothing to say. He wasn’t wrong. I was a piece of shit. I was fucking his sister. And even if I had the balls to try to explain it, Vic wasn’t in the mood to listen.

Another hit. My ribs this time. I gritted my teeth, swallowing the groan that threatened to rip out of my throat.

Vic grabbed my shirt, yanking me forward, his breath hot with rage. "She’s my fucking sister, Connor!" His voice cracked with fury. "You were there when I had to drop her off at school, for fuck sake’s! You were there when we were making sandwiches for dinner. You were supposed to watch out for her. Not—" His voice broke. His nostrils flared, his pupils blown with rage. "Not this."

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