She whimpers behind the door. Then a shriek.

I burst through the door and find her lying in nothing but one of my T-shirts and her underwear. She’s thrashing, jerking and crying, her face pressed into the pillow in anguish.

Moving in, I almost reach her bed, ready to drape my body on top of hers, hoping it will scare away whatever is holding her under in her nightmare when a hand yanks me back my the collar of my shirt, tearing me out of the room. I stumble backwards before I meet Ryder’s seething expression.

“Think again, fucker,” he growls at me.

“Let me go, Ryder.”

“You must be insane. Do you have any idea how bad you humiliated her tonight? She passed out, Murph! Dead as a doornail after you basically called her out for being your whore in front of the whole party.” He’s whisper-shouting in my face, pointing a harsh finger at my chest.

“I remember.” My throat feels like I swallowed nails.

“Then get the fuck out of here. Do her a goddamn favor and leave her alone.”

“I can’t.” And it’s the fucking truth. A harsh truth. I can’t walk away, like the line between us only allows me to be this far.

“You’re still drunk.” He’s watching my face like he’s waiting for me to give in. I won’t.

“Maybe so, but I’m not leaving her.”

This time he lets me pull away and move toward her door. But not before he whispers, “You ruined Hazel’s party.” It’s not meant to hurt me, I can tell. There’s guilt in his voice, like we both fucked this up for her. We still are.

I turn back to him. “It wouldn’t be a Hazel Whitaker party without someone making a scene.”

He doesn’t respond as I disappear into Savannah’s room. She’s calmer now, but still asleep and still seized up in pain.

As I lean down, I take in the beautiful scent of her hair, floating around her face like a cloud. But right now it’s stuck to her forehead in her cold sweat. Pulling up her blanket, I squeeze into the bed next to her. The second my weight hits the bed, she jerks her head back and nearly screams before she recognizes me.

“Murph?” she gasps.

I pull her face to mine as she lets out a sob. Jerking away, she doesn’t waste any time before she’s swinging at me, slamming her fists into my body which I take. I deserve it.