She and Zach were fighting. He’d grabbed hold of her sweater, and she was trying to get away.
They both lost their footing. Stumbled over uneven ground.
Before I could reach them, Zach and Piper fell and disappeared.
A roar of anguish ripped from my throat. It looked like they’d just gone over a fuckingcliff.
I reached the beginning of the slope and skidded to a stop. There were remnants of a railing here, but most of it had fallen into disrepair. It hadn’t done anything to stop them from falling.
But below me, Piper clung to a tree root.
“Grayden!” she cried.
A seventy-foot drop yawned beneath her. At the bottom, the slope gentled, leading down toward a valley. But that first drop was the kind that could break someone’s neck.
And that seemed to be exactly what had happened to Zach. He lay sprawled on the rocks below, his neck at an unnatural angle.
“Hold on,” I shouted, getting down on my stomach. I reached for Piper, but my fingers couldn’t quite touch hers.
With a shout of effort, Piper pulled herself up higher.
My hand closed around her wrist, and I pulled her up to flatter ground. I collapsed back with her on top of me. Just holding on to her as tightly as I could.
That had been too close.
Piper was crying. “Is Zach?—”
“He’s dead. The fall killed him.”
She shuddered. “Where’s Ollie?”
“He’s safe with Grace.”
For several long moments, we just lay there. Breathing.
Then Piper crawled up my body and held my face. “I know I’m a mess, but I’d really like to kiss you. You saved me. You saved me.”
I smoothed my fingers through her hair. “You saved yourself. I was just there to take your hand.”
Our mouths met in a fierce kiss. Like we could purge the terror and confusion if we just pulled each other close enough.
“How did you find me?” Piper asked, when our kiss broke.
“Milo. It was his idea to check here. I’d already figured out Zach might’ve planted the drugs and stolen my sweatshirt. I just don’t understand why. Why would he do this? Why did he bring you here?”
“He’s my half-brother. He and Dillon both are. I mean, Zachwasmy half-brother.” She sobbed into my chest.
Before Piper could explain that revelation, a truck peeled into the clearing, skidding in the dirt. Piper and I both sat up.
Dillon got out of the truck and raced toward us. “Piper! Where’s Zach?” He looked panicked, and his eyes narrowed as he saw me. “Milo said you guys could be here, but why? What the hell’s going on?”
I jumped up, heading Dillon off. “You need to back up.”
All I knew was that Zach had tried to hurt Piper. Dillon might intend the same.
But Piper put a hand on my back. “Grayden, it’s okay.”
“You’re crying,” Dillon said to her. His face crumpled. “What happened? Where’s Zach? I’ve been looking for him. Then Milo said he could’ve kidnapped you, but that’s bullshit, right? Please say it’s not true.”
