Page 89 of I Blame the Rival

Turning the bag over, a small vial drops into my hand.

“Flower? Are you in there?”

I jump at Skylar’s voice, my heart racing with adrenalin as I snatch the syringe from the counter and clutch the vial tightly in my other hand.

Walking on shaky legs, I go and open the bathroom door. Skylar is standing on the other side, his eyes glowing with frustration as they rake over my tear-stained cheeks.

“I’m so sorry, Flower. There is no excuse for what he said, but I want you to know…” His eyes drop to what I’m holding and the blood drains from his face.

“Where did you find that?”

“Under the sink.” Nausea is climbing in my throat but I swallow it back down. Dropping my gaze to the items in my hands, I read the letters on the vial’s tiny label.

“I don’t understand… what is this?”

I don’t want to accuse Skylar of taking drugs but the evidence is quite literally in my hands. My chest aches as I look back at the boy unravelling in front of me, his mismatched eyes darkening with an internal fire.

“He fucking promised.”

Biting off a snarl, Skylar stalks into the bathroom and drops onto the edge of the tub. Within seconds, his anger deflates and he hunches over like he’s in pain.

“Hepromised.”

The word breaks on a sob and I quickly shut the bathroom door. Putting the incriminating evidence back on the counter, I join Skylar on the edge of the bathtub and pull his shaking body into my arms.

My mind is stuck on a loop, my heart screaming with betrayal and confusion as the same thought pounds through my head.

It just doesn’t make sense.

None of it makes sense.

I stare at the vial on the counter, the small black print that changes everything. Skylar is trembling against me, the bonyridge of his shoulders digging into my chest doing nothing to help solve the puzzle in front of me.

He doesn’t even play sports. Out of all people, why would Skylar be taking…

Oh my God.

The answer slaps me across the face so hard it stings.

“Skylar.” My voice trembles, the one question I never thought to ask mocking me from the bathroom counter.

“Why is your brother so much bigger than you?”

Skylar

I have a lot of bad memories in this house, but walking in on my brother injecting steroids into his ass was one of the worst.

I didn’t know what it was at the time. I had just turned thirteen and could barely find the strength to get out of bed after helping my mom patch up her skin every night.

There weren’t many good days back then.

“It’s my fault.” I choke on the words, unable to breathe from the guilt clogging my throat, “Everything is my fault.”

Lacey’s arms stay wrapped around me, her warm embrace the only thing keeping me from shattering into a million pieces. I should have known Vector wouldn’t stop taking the drugs. That he would do whatever it took to stay the strongest predator in Silverwood.

I should have known he was going to break my heart all over again.

“Tell me your secret, Skylar.”

---