Pockets of air escaped my nose and mouth, bubbling to the surface as my dark hair floated around me. My pleas came out as muffled rumbles. I was at the end of my ability to hold my breath and experienced the same panic I had when I’d fallen into the river. I was considering biting him, and weighing the consequences, when he yanked me up.

“Tell me why you accused me!”

“It was Zach!” I sobbed, gasping for air, coughing uncontrollably, and trying not to hyperventilate all over again as my brother’s name rang in my ears.

Rafe froze, his eyes going wide. “You’re lying.”

If I had any reason to be terrified of him, this was it—that tone which told me he’d submerge me again.

“Zach was my best friend,” he said. “He wouldn’t do that.”

“But he did…” Another sob burst free, and I closed my eyes so he wouldn’t see the truth in them. “I didn’t stop him.”

“Fucking look at me! Why, Alex? Why would he…why would you go along with it?” He stood, water sluicing down his body, and stepped onto the rug. He dug both hands into his hair and pulled. “Why would you guys do that to me?”

I was openly bawling, and all the emotion I’d battled with for years erupted. I was Mt. Saint Helens, shooting ash of despair on anything and anyone around me. “He…he…”

“He what?” Rafe shouted. “Spit it out!”

“He was jealous!”

“Jealous of what? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Don’t make me say it. Don’t make me tell you this.” My head drooped, chin to chest, and my shame poured from me in gut-wrenching sobs. I wished I could stop the dam from bursting, hide it all from him, but I’d never felt more exposed in my life. “He couldn’t stand the way I felt about you.”

“Look at me, Alex.”

I peeked up, watching with dread as he studied me for the longest seconds of my life. His mouth fell open. “He raped you?”

Unable to face him, I lowered my head again because that was only half of it, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the whole truth. It had started out that way, but then, at some point, I’d stopped fighting and my body had given in to Zach. My own step-brother. The step part didn’t make it any easier to swallow. It was sick and disgusting, and Rafe knowing twisted in my gut like a tornado.

He pulled me from the tepid water, gathered me in his arms, and strode into the bedroom where he deposited me on the bed, sopping wet. Warm hands settled on my face, fingers pushing tangled hair back, and when I risked looking at him, I fissured in two.