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That was all I gave her.

“I get it. You guys are like me and…you know.”

Now my eyes were open, unsure if I had heard her correctly. Was she seriously comparingusto that? I was doing my best to stay open-minded, to not render judgment when it came to what she was dealing with, but comparing my lifelong best friend to her predatory stepfather was where I drew the line.

“I don’t see how that’s remotely the same.”

She must not have liked that reply because she rolled over and pulled the blanket up to her chin, facing the wall that her side of the bed was against.

Sleep didn’t come as easily after that.

CHAPTER TEN

RYDER

I watched her disappear into the house, the door shutting soundlessly behind her. I could’ve held onto her all night. I wanted nothing more than to bring her home with me, but that wasn’t in the cards quite yet. I climbed back into the truck and threw it into reverse, the rumble of the engine cutting through the stillness.

My hands gripped the steering wheel harder than necessary, knuckles white as I stared straight ahead, willing my dick to chill the fuck out. Not an easy feat when the girl I spent my nights dreaming about, and half the day fantasizing over, had just been pressed against me. I could still feel her in my arms, the softness of her skin under my fingertips. She fit against me like she was fucking made for it. I was convinced the universe had pressed us from the same mold and then ripped us apart just to watch us come together again. Even when she was mad,especiallywhen she was mad, she melted into me.

Every. Damn. Time.

I fucking lived for it.

She was the center of every axis I spun around, and getting to hold her was like touching both sides of the sun and the moon. It had been this way since we were kids. I held myself behind so many mental barriers just to keep from consuming every part of her, making her mine in every way possible. It was about more than the physical, although I did dream about finally fucking her raw at least six times a day, seven days a week.

I wanted to watch her unravel beneath me.

Feel her nails rake down my back.

I needed her breath against my skin as she forgot everything but my name. I wanted to sit her on my face until she couldn’t remember how to say it. I pictured her riding me, that long dark hair falling around her like a curtain as she took everything she needed, mine to worship and wreck in equal measure. I’d take care of her afterward, give her a break, and then start all over again.

This line of thinking wasn’t helping my current situation at fucking all. I exhaled hard, gripping the wheel again. I forced my thoughts back to what she said in the truck, all those soft-spoken lies spilling from that pretty mouth. In no version of reality did Sass want me with anyone else. She had two hang-ups when it came to us. One, I’d spend the rest of my life working around because I didn’t have a choice. The second was her need to keep the peace. She didn’t want anyone to bleed for her, but someone always did, and I was tired of it being me.

After holding her in my arms tonight, I didn’t know how much longer I could restrain the part of me that didn’t want to love her quietly anymore. I wanted the whole damn world to know she was the best thing that ever happened to it.

I pressed harder on the gas, the truck growling under me. Being at war with myself was exhausting. One half of me was done waiting. The other knew the payoff was coming. And soon. In the meantime, I would take full advantage of every opening she gave me to move things along. I turned onto another street, not sure if I should hit the highway and just ride or head home to try and concentrate on the schoolwork waiting for me.

My phone rang, and the call flashed across the dash display with Nick’s name.

Perfect timing.

I had been waiting for him to call me back since we’d hung up right before Sass came out of the drugstore. Whatever hewas about to say would determine what I did next. I tapped the button on the steering wheel to answer.

"Did you find it?"

“Yes, sir.” I could hear the grin in his voice. "They're at the old Miller Pub."

"They’re? Who is it?" I asked, eager to know.

"Kyle Anderson, DeAndre Woods, and there's a girl with them, Xan couldn’t get confirmation on yet."

Kyle Anderson.

I sifted through the people I knew until I placed him. “The fucking chess club kid?”

A burst of laughter came from the background, which I recognized as Rook's.

“That's the one,” he confirmed.

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