Page 74 of Unlocked Dive

“You don’t have to say anything. My dad already told me about Gabe.”

31

Byrd

The muffled thud of my cufflink hitting the carpet is bizarrely loud in the hollow silence following his words.

Wash begged me not to tell Echo the truth. Was it all a ruse to drive a wedge between us? And Echo…

He should be angry, not looking at me like he wants to devour me. Why isn’t he angry?

My mouth opens, but my voice is mired in the acrid taste of panic-laced regret, and before I can force an explanation, he continues.

“Yep. Apparently, my brother’s a psycho scumbag, and my dad’s a fucking coward who didn’t think I could handle the truth. I can’t fuckingbelievehe waited this long to tell me.” His hands come to rest on my forearms.Can he feel the muscles vibrating under the bite of his grip? Each bitter accusation rings uncomfortably close to home, even as pathetic relief douses my dismay.

The fall. He’s talking about the injury.

Remnants of my own anger with Wash prick my conscience. Wasn’t I just arguing that Echo was strong enough to handle the truth—all the truths—about his brother? Wasn’t I secondsaway from a confession? Why, then, this numbing sense of relief?

Tell him.

“Echo, I—”

“Gabe was at our house for New Year’s, for fuck’s sake. Probably gloating over his handiwork when I couldn’t even…Fuck. I’m such an idiot.” He drops his forehead to my chest.

“You’re not an idiot.” The words come on autopilot as relief and guilt continue to war in my thundering heart. “Your brother is—”

“A narcissistic piece of shit?”

“Something like that.”

“See? You’ve never even met him, and you figured it out.”

This is your chance. Do it now.

“Actually, that’s—”

“I want to kill him. You’d help me hide the body, right?”

My lips twitch despite the nausea crawling up my throat.

“I do know a secluded piece of land up North.”Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“God, I love you. I’m so fucking glad I don’t have to go home with my dad tomorrow.” He offers a crooked smile. “I told him you’d tell me the truth. I knew you wouldn’t try to keep it a secret.” My heart stutters at the raw faith in his words, even as it shrivels in shame. His lips brush mine with all the weight of the final nail in my coffin.

I can’t do it. I’ve learned to be selfish after all, and I can’t lose him. Not yet.

Not when he deserves one perfect night of triumph without his brother casting further shadows on his dreams and desires.

He pushes away and swipes angrily at the unshed tears turning his eyes to pebbled pools of lapis, oblivious to my inner disintegration. “I need a shower. Wanna join me?”

Always. But he catches my hesitation and reads it as reluctance.

“You’re already dressed. Never mind. I’ll be faster alone anyway.” He slips away before I can decide to snare him and leaves me torn and shaken in the wake of his sudden storm.

I’m sitting on the foot of the king-sized bed, toying with my rescued cufflink, when he emerges fifteen minutes later with one towel wrapped around his slim hips and another turbaned on his head. My shameful heart lurches at the sight of him, all sin and seduction like a harem boy out of some Arabian Nights fantasy.

“Are you okay?” I ask, defeated once again by his ruthless beauty.