Page 139 of The Illicit Play

He takes a second to absorb my words, and then his anger is firing up again, turning his face red as he barks, “Are you out of your fucking mind? I am gonna kill you!”

I stand my ground, figuring I’ll give him the first punch for free, maybe even the second as well. I deserve it. I went behind his back. What kind of shitty-ass friend does that?

“You took something from her that she can’t get back!” He points at his sister before that accusing finger swings back to me. “And when you’re still in love with Teah too! Don’t deny it! I know you still have feelings for her, the way you’ve been moping around for months. Andnow you’re just screwing my sister like you’re over it? Bullshit!”

I don’t even know how to respond to that. With a slow blink, I’m trying to figure out my best response when Blake steps in front of him, slapping her hands on his chest.

“Would you stop? He didn’t take my virginity!”

“He just told me you were sleeping together.” His eyes hit her like laser beams, his scowl intimidating as hell, but she’s looking right up at it, not backing down.

“Wily.” She closes her eyes and huffs, her tone coming out much softer when she explains again, “He didn’t take my V-card, okay?”

It takes him another beat… and then he finally gets what she’s saying.

And the way his expression drops to one of shock and confusion… shit, it’s kind of heartbreaking.

“What?” he whispers. “When?”

She bulges her eyes at him. “Are you kidding me? I’m not talking about my sex life with you.”

“Yes, you are,” he growls. “Who? When?”

She closes her eyes again, and I’m waiting for her to reiterate her point. Her sex life is her own business—she doesn’t have to share shit if she doesn’t want to.

But then she ends up muttering, “About six months ago. It was just some guy at college. You don’t know him.”

“You lost it tojust some guy?” This news is slaying poor Wily. “Was he your boyfriend?”

“No. I mean…” She scratches her forehead, squeezing her eyes shut. “Sometimes. Maybe.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” he snaps, and I doubt he’s gonna be okay with that weird-ass group thingshe had going in Chicago. Even I struggled to wrap my head around it.

I step forward to try and back her up, but that only causes Wily to growl like a dog.

Pausing before I can reach Blake, I raise my hands and step back. Her shoulders slump, agony ripping through my chest at the pale, dejected look on her face.

“I don’t… I don’t know what it means.” She sighs, crossing her arms and staring at the floor.

“How could you not tell me this?” Wily’s voice has dropped to a gruff whisper, all the fire going out of him. Shit, he looks… wounded. “I tell you everything.”

Those four little words drop into the room as a shattered whisper, and the pained look on Wily’s face is killing me. I can only imagine what it’s doing to Blake.

She looks destroyed when she raises her head and stares at her brother. Her face crumples in regret, remorse… Shit, she’s gonna cry.

Wily just shakes his head, stumbling backward out of my room. Catching himself on his crutch, he balances against the wall before staring at his sister one last time, then limping away.

“Wily. Wait…” Blake’s voice trembles, tears glassing over her eyes. “I’m… Wily! I’m sorry.” Her chest starts to hitch as she watches her brother slowly disappear down the hall. Rushing to my doorway, she calls after him. “I’m sorry!”

He ignores her, and I want to tell him to stop already. Hear her out.

But he’s hurting right now.

“Wily?” Satch’s voice calls from the bottom of the stairs, and then she’s thundering up them. I can hear herawkward rush. She stumbles on one of the steps, then appears at the top. I can’t see all of her from this angle, but I can hear the worry in her voice. “What’s going on? Why are you up there? Are you okay?”

“I had to check something.” Wily voice is dead and sad.

Blake sucks in a shaky breath, and Satch’s head pops into view. She looks confused, her eyebrows wrinkling as she tries to figure out what’s going on.