A ten-ton brick crashes in to my stomach when her lips inch in for my neck.

What. The. Fuck?

I push her hand away. “Are you for real?” I’m almost breathless with shock.

Walking past her, I stomp down the hallway and dive in to the theater room. The only place I want to be anymore. Slamming the door, I walk over and plop down on the couch—the one Fallon and I were last together on—and drop my head back, closing my eyes.

My heart is thundering in my chest, and my whole body is hot with anger.

I can’t believe it. My stepmother just came on to me.

With my head swimming, I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to get my head straight from my alcohol-induced blur. The cool leather at the back of my neck calms my breathing.

I don’t understand why, after all this time, I still end up sleeping in this room most nights.

Fallon left. She never really liked me, so why did I want to be reminded of her betrayal?

But still . . . this is the place where we spent the most time together, sometimes in silence and one time not-so-silent.

“Look at me,” Patricia says, and I snap my eyes open.

“Get out!” I shout, my lips tight in seeing her standing in front of me.

Why didn’t I lock the f**king door?

I stand up and get in her face. “This is my room. Get out.”

Her eyes flash with excitement. “You’re in a mood. I can see why Fallon feared you.”

I shake my head. “Fallon didn’t fear me. I don’t know what she told you, but—”

“She couldn’t handle you, Madoc.” She looks up at me, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth. “She’s in your past. You need to move on. She certainly has.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s dating someone at her boarding school,” Patricia says, and my heart rings in my ears.

I barely register Patricia’s hands on my chest, rubbing me through my T-shirt.

“She doesn’t even talk about you or ask about you, Madoc. I ask her to come home for visits. She won’t. She doesn’t deserve the man you’ve become.” My eyes close, thinking about all of the time I spend in here, all of the nights thinking about her, and I know it’s a waste of time. I f**king know it. Sure, I dated, too. I hooked up—not as much as I bragged to Jared—but there had been girls. My heart never belonged to any of them, though.

Patricia’s whisper wafts across my neck. “I know what you crave. What will please you. And I can keep secrets.”

She closes the distance, wrapping her arms around my neck, and smashes her lips to mine.

She moans, and all of a sudden I can’t breathe.

No . . .

No.

No!

Grabbing her by the shoulders, I shove her away from me.

“Jesus Christ!” I yell. “What the f**k?”

Her skin is flushed, and she arches an eyebrow. “No?” she laughs. “I don’t think you mean that, Madoc.”

I want to hit her. I actually want to slam her into a wall and erase her from the planet. Most of all, I want her out of here.

“Out,” I order.

Smirking, she walks to the couch and lays down on it. “Make me,” she challenges. “But you’ll have to touch me to do it.”

I stare down at her, lying in the same place I’d last seen Fallon. Her hand rests above her head, and she looks hideous. Like something I never want to remember.

I straighten my expression and speak low. “Leave tomorrow, or I’ll tell my dad about this.”

I should tell him anyway.

But maybe I don’t feel like protecting my father right now. Maybe I want him to suffer in this marriage. Maybe I hate him for bringing both of these bitches into our house.

Or maybe if I lose Patricia, I fear losing Fallon for good.

I don’t know.

I walk out, leaving her on the couch and get out my phone.

Are you up? I text, but I’m already heading for my car without waiting for a reply.

My phone buzzes. I’m in bed. You have to come to me.

I shake my head, knowing that’s not a problem.I need to blow off some steam. Jess Cullen, the cross-country captain, and I have a friends with benefits thing going, and I love her to pieces. Not love her, love her, but I respect her, and she’s a good girl.

I punch in a reply. Be there in ten.

See you soon. I left and never entered the theater room again. Not until tonight. Many times I even entertained the idea of hosting a bonfire for that f**king couch that’d now been ruined by that woman’s sleaze. But after that night, she took a lengthy vacation, and I didn’t see her until yesterday morning when she threatened to take Fallon away from me.

When I’d seen Fallon’s note tonight, instead of getting excited like I’m sure she wanted me to, I’d groaned. I didn’t want to be in there, and I for damn sure didn’t want her in there.

Who knew how she’d react if I told her the truth? It certainly wasn’t important, but I didn’t want to risk something else f**king with our happiness again.

Carrying her up to bed that night, I leaned in and kissed her hair. Fallon, like me, had seen her parents living exactly how she didn’t want. Lucky for us, our vicarious experience felt like we’d already made our parents’ mistakes. We knew what we wanted now.

Even though I knew she was strong, it didn’t stop me from wanting to protect her and give her everything.

No one and nothing would stop us.