I’d had a string of boyfriends who hadn’t looked like him, and another string who had. And still. Nothing I’d done had been able to sway my feelings for him. He’d stolen my heart and carried it with him ever since. I’d promised him—and myself—I’d do anything for him, and that would never change. Standing there now, I wanted to slide my arms around his neck, pull him closer and press my chest against his. I wanted him to do to me what I’d watched him do to Lily in the garage. As he’d thrust deeper and deeper inside her, I’d imagined it was me. His hands on my breasts, his fingers between my legs, him whispering my name.

It felt like our lips had touched for an eternity, but it was only the briefest of nanoseconds before Ash jerked his head back. “Wow, talk about awkward. Sorry, Bee.”

A volcano of heat rushed to my face. After everything I’d done for us, nothing had changed. He’d always see me as his little sister, even though we weren’t related by blood. How long would it take for him to realize the one person he needed stood in front of him?

I almost laughed. I’d been here, waiting for him for almost twenty years. Before I could stop it, blind fury washed over me, slamming into my core. When would he finally see what I’d known forever to be the truth? We belonged together, end of story. I didn’t want to wait anymore. I wouldn’t continue being second, third or fourth best. I was done. We would have our happily-ever-after, I’d make sure of it. But not yet, not just yet.

“No harm done,” I said, compressing my anger into a tiny little box hidden deep inside me along with another I’d filled with all the secret longing I had for Ash. “How are you feeling?”

He let out a breath. “Furious. Confused. Hurt. Exhausted.”

I nodded, gave him my very best sympathetic smile and made my next move. “I’m glad you found out the truth about her sooner rather than later. And I’m glad she’s gone. She couldn’t be trusted, obviously. She’d never have covered for you the way I did.”

I saw his breath hitch. “Covered for me? For what?”

I made my face fall and turned away, pretending to be flustered. “Nothing, forget I even—”

“Maya.” The fierceness in his voice surprised me. It was low, almost a growl, a warning I was to deliver the truth. His eyes darted over my face, his expression filled with fear, his eyes pleading. It was exactly how I needed him to be. Vulnerable, exposed and dependent on me. My strategy, telling him some truths, was another gamble, but if I did it properly...