Fighting with Diego was stupid. It gave away the fact that Chloe’s important to me.

Diego and Enzo beat me until I couldn’t fight back anymore. My body was radiating with pain and all I could do as they dragged me to my room was let out a whimpering moan. I woke up the next morning handcuffed to my bed. They were going to keep me in there until I fessed up. No food, no water until I told them who Chloe was.

I had no choice if I was going to keep her safe, so I told them the reason I wanted to keep things quiet was because she’s Chief Barlow’s daughter.

“He doesn’t know about me and we want to keep it that way.”

I thought they’d be livid, but instead they both laughed and told me we could use it to our advantage. I can use Chloe to keep tabs on her old man and report back any new investigations. I can be a spy.

So I guess that means I have to break up with Chloe.

Which is why I’ve been avoiding school. I could have gone back on Friday, as I can hide most of my bruising beneath my clothes, but I just haven’t been able to face her. I don’t know how to look her in the eye and tell her we shouldn’t be together.

Shit, I’m dreading it. But I’m not spying on her family. I’ll break it off today and tell Enzo she dumped me. Selena’s been covering with the school, calling in sick on my behalf, but I can’t keep hiding forever.

I have to get this over with today. I’d rather drink a vat of acid, of course, but I don’t know what else to do. My family is dangerous and I won’t have her caught up in that mess.

I walk up the front steps of Armitage High. My feet are lead weights as I shuffle to the office and hand over the doctor’s note Selena forged for me. The receptionist reads it and nods before giving me a pained, sympathetic smile.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.” Her eyes tell me that she knows I didn’t really have the flu. Her sad smile tells me that she knows I’m hiding bruises beneath my clothing and that the fading scratch on my cheek wasn’t just the accident I’m going to claim it to be.

“Thanks.” I move out of eyeshot quickly and head back into the hallway.

I don’t want her sympathy, and I don’t want her calling the cops about it either. They never do anything anyway, so what’s the point? The one time Nick wasn’t there to stop Diego going after me, he reported it to the police the next day. They popped by the house to have a chat with my uncle, who paid them off. The second they left, Nick got the beating of his life. He fought like a tiger and managed to do a little damage, until Uncle Enzo threatened to go after me again. Nick told him he’d kill him if he did.

Uncle Enzo just laughed and got Diego and the boys to hold Nick down so he could finish what he started. Nick and I were laid up for a week. But as soon as we were presentable and able to walk around without wincing, he put Nick back to work and sent me off to school with a warning to keep my mouth shut.

“It’ll only be worse if you tell.”

I’ve always heeded that warning.

Shuffling down the corridor, I flick my collar up and hunch my shoulders, keeping my glare on so that no one will talk to me. My stomach is sick with nausea as I try to work out what I’m going to say to Chloe.

This is going to kill me.

Rounding the corner, I spot her. She’s standing next to her sisters, looking pained and worried. My insides jerk to attention.

What’s happened to put that look on her face?

She’s rubbing Max’s back, obviously giving her some kind of speech to encourage her sister. I frown. Did that Cairo dude dump her? Chloe told me they were together, but it was a big secret.

I want to catch her eye, to find out what I can, but then I don’t want her to see me. It’ll just rush the breakup forward to now and I’m still not ready.

Spinning on my heel, I take off down the hall, hoping she doesn’t notice me.

“I heard her dad’s grounded her for the rest of the year.” I catch a trail of gossip as I head for my locker.

“She skipped out on the game and went to that new club in Brazenwood.”

“Oh man, I heard their dad screaming at them, and then they had to go with him to collect Max.”

I close in on my locker and catch one more piece of the puzzle.

“I’m surprised he didn’t arrest Cairo Hale. He was so angry.”

What the hell is going on?

I glance up and notice Roman Sanchez. He’s looking kind of glum as he shuffles past me, and I forget my locker and follow him. As soon as he hits the stairs, I thump after him. Glancing over his shoulder, he spots me coming and scowls.

“What do you want?”

Before he can get any farther, I grab his shirt and haul him down the last of the stairs and around the corner. Pushing him back against the wall, I keep him in place with my arm across his chest and demand some answers.

“What happened this weekend?”

“I’m not saying shit until you back the hell off, man. Let me go.” His scrawny arms wrestle me off him and I step back.

Tugging his shirt straight, he gives me another heated glare.

I step back into his space with a look of warning and he raises his hands. “All right. Chill out.”

“What happened?”

“I take it you’re referring to the Max gossip circulating. Why do you even care?”

“Tell me what happened,” I growl.

Roman sighs, running a hand through his hair before quickly mumbling out the truth. “Velocity had an audition at this new club in Brazenwood and Max skipped out on an important baseball game to be there. Her dad went nuts, and it only got worse when her uncle was dragged out back and beaten because he owes the owner big bucks.”

“Mendez?” I frown.

“Nah, the club’s owned by some Santiago guy. Came across from Reno. He must have some kind of understanding with the Mendez brothers or something, because I didn’t see any of them around.”

I scowl, my insides twitching as I think of Nick and the stuff he used to do in Brazenwood. He never told me who he was working for, but I always assumed it was for the Mendez brothers. What if it was someone else?

“Is Chloe okay?” I mutter without thinking.

“Chloe?” Roman frowns. “It was Max who got dragged into it, trying to save her uncle. In the end her dad showed up, and all Cairo’s told me is that deep shit went down and Max’s dad had to pay for his brother’s release. He’s now been shipped to Florida and she’s on lockdown until graduation.”

My eyebrows flicker with a frown. “Is she okay?”

“They’re both pretty gutted, but everyone’s safe, yeah.”

“Did the family get threatened?” My insides ping tight. The thought of Chloe getting mixed up with those assholes sends genuine fear spiking through me.

“Barlow dealt with it. Apparently everyone’s in the clear, but that doesn’t change the fallout, you know?”

“Yeah,” I sigh, my shoulders slumping.

“Why do you even care?” His brown eyes try to read me.

I back away from him, shoving my hands in my pockets and growling, “I don’t.”

He can probably see right through my big fat lie, but I walk away before he can analyze me. Shit. I shouldn’t have asked him anything. Chloe could have told me what I wanted to know. But I’m going to be busy breaking up with her when we chat.

Fuck!

I don’t want to do it, but the shit that went down this weekend is just another reason to. Chloe needs to stay away from me and out of Brazenwood. Her father putting Max on lockdown is probably the safest move. I kind of hope he does it for Chloe too.

I hate the idea of her being anywhere near that kind of danger.

“Vincent?”

I jerk and glance to my right. Chloe’s standing at the bottom of the stairwell, her blue eyes glistening as she drinks me in.

The expression on her face stuns me and I can’t move for a moment.

She’s so freaking beautiful.

And I don’t deserve that relieved smile on her face.

Jumping off the stairs, she rushes toward me, taking my hand and pulling me into the private alcove where we’ve met before. As soon as we’re safely tucked away, she wraps her arms around my shoulders and clings tight.

“It’s so good to see you,” she murmurs against my neck.

I want to pull her close, envelop her in a hug that shows her what I’m feeling.

But I can’t.

Rubbing her side, I gently step back.

She gazes up at me, her expression confused and curious. “Are you okay? Where have you been all week? I’ve been worried sick. They didn’t hurt you again, did they?”

“I’m fine,” I rasp, gently plucking her hand off my face as I try to distance myself.

She’s making it damn hard.

I love how much she cares about me.

I don’t want to let that go.

But if I love her, then I have to.

“I wanted to see you so badly yesterday. I nearly drove across town to try and find your place, but… Max needed me, and my parents are being super strict about letting us leave the house. My dad had…” She shakes her head. “I have so much to tell you.”

My expression crumples with despair.

I want to hear it. I want to be transported to that pile of musty sheets in the greenhouse and sit with her all day so she can tell me everything in detail.

But not even the greenhouse is safe anymore.

I feel like nowhere is.

“Vincent?” Chloe touches my face again. “What’s the matter? Talk to me.”

“I can’t.” I clear my throat, hoping to strengthen my voice. “This isn’t going to work.”

“What isn’t?” Her face puckers with confusion.

I look to the floor between our feet and manage to croak, “Us.”

“What?” She jolts with surprise.

“I shouldn’t have told you I loved you. I just got caught up in the moment and I said it because I wanted to make out with you.” I rush through my rehearsed speech. It sounds wooden and turns me into the world’s biggest asshole. “But I was wrong. You’re not the girl for me, and I’m sorry for leading you on. I—”

“You’re lying.” She cuts me off, crossing her arms and staring at me with eyes that are rapidly filling with tears.

Shit. Chloe, don’t cry.

I clench my jaw and look at the wall. “I’m not lying. It’s better if we’re not together.”

At least that’s the truth… in some ways. Not being with her keeps her safe.

I glance at her, waiting for her next argument.

But all I can see is trembling lips and a bunched chin. She’s fighting the tears as best she can, but she’s going to lose.

“Please don’t do this,” she whispers. “Vincent, you don’t—”

She reaches for me, but I flick her hand off my arm. “It’s over, Chloe. It never should have happened in the first place.”

I’m trying to sound harsh to make my point, but it only hurts more.

The ache in my chest is going to annihilate me, so I dive out of that alcove and head for the stairs.

I nearly make it.

But then I catch her sob.

It’s a heart-wrenching, pitiful sound that matches the silent cry ripping through my chest.

I grip my head and mutter to myself, “Do the right thing. Fucking do the right thing.”

But I can’t.

I can’t walk away from that cry.

Closing my eyes, I battle it out in my chest and slowly rotate on my heel. Shuffling back down the hallway, I find Chloe against the wall, her hands covering her face. She whimpers into them, the sound a pure kind of torture that hurts worse than Diego’s fists.

I lean my shoulder against the wall and softly murmur, “I’m such a fucking liar.”

She goes still, then slowly drops her hands. Her face is streaked with tears that I can’t help but brush away with my knuckles.

Her blue eyes are bright with confusion and I dip my head, humiliated by my own weakness. “I’m trying so hard to do the right thing. I should walk away and leave you the hell alone. But now that I’m actually trying to do it, I can’t.” Cupping her cheek, I flash a little of the agony I’m feeling. “I love you, Chloe. I love everything about you, from that stubborn streak of yours that I’m sure will drive me crazy, to that beautiful heart, which I want to own and cherish for as long as I can.”

Her lips pull into the smallest of smiles.

“You wouldn’t smile if you knew what an asshole I was. If I were a good guy, I’d dump you and walk away. I’d do everything in my power to keep you safe. But I can’t listen to you crying, and I can’t walk off making you believe that I don’t love you.”

“I love you too,” she whispers, lurching into my arms.

This time I hold her. I wrap my arms around her and we cling to each other.

She brushes her fingers through the back of my hair and the resolve I was trying so hard to stick to crumbles to dust. I won’t be able to pull a stunt like this again.

I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do, but somehow I have to keep this girl safe while not breaking her heart.

Splaying my hand across her back, I glide it up her spine until I’m holding the back of her neck. Her skin is soft and warm beneath my fingers and I’m not sure how I’ll let her go. I wish the universe could suck us up to space—somewhere safe and private where I could tell her everything and we could find our way forward.

I wish I could take her hand and sneak out of school and then just drive until we’re in the middle of nowhere, safe from everything that’s trying to pull us apart.

But reality doesn’t work that way.

The bell rings, reminding us that we’re still juniors at Armitage High. That I have no money to support her or look after her. That driving to the middle of nowhere will achieve nothing in the long run.

Chloe pulls out of my embrace. Holding my cheeks, she drinks me in with a sweet smile. “I don’t know why you just tried to do that, but I’m guessing we need to talk.”

“Yeah,” I rasp.

She glances down the hallway. “Dad’s on high alert, and I can’t afford to skip class right now.”

“It’s okay. I know.” I brush my lips against hers. “But we can’t meet on my side of town anymore. It’s too dangerous.” I wince.

The worry skittering across her face fills me with a mixture of warmth and fear. She cares so damn much about me. I don’t deserve it, but I don’t know how to walk away from it either.

“We’ll find a way.” Her smile tries to break through my anxiety. “I don’t know how yet, but one day I’m going public with you, Vincent Mancini, and everyone’s going to know how much I care about you.”

She rises to her tiptoes, owns me with a short, searing kiss and then races off to class. I flop against the wall, watching her blonde hair fly, and all I can manage is a giddy, euphoric laugh.

It’s surreal.

This whole thing.

I don’t know whether I’m a fucking idiot or the luckiest guy on the planet.

Maybe both.