Page 117 of Perfect Liar

His greedy mouth came back to mine, staking his claim.

We stripped away his clothing together, slowly, and then we fell onto the bed and went to the beautiful place where nothing else existed. Everything he was, all that he had, he put into making love to me.

We burned away everything. We burned away his quiet grief.

Will’s savage, roaring climax followed mine, then he pressed his face against my neck until his shuddering body calmed down. He stayed inside me as he pulled our bodies into a sitting position. His forehead rested against mine.

“I can’t do this without you, baby.”

I locked my arms around his neck and my legs on his hips.

“You don’t have to do it alone, Will. I’m here.”

We kissed and dropped back down onto the mattress. My face, my hair, my arms, even my legs blanketed him, protecting him.

For the next couple of hours, he slept, and I watched the slow, cadenced rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Eventually, I drifted to sleep with him.

At some point, a steady knocking on the door woke me.

“Please let me in,” someone slurred.

I slipped out of bed and threw on my clothes.

When I opened the door, John fell right into my arms.

“Where’s my brother?” he whispered.

The scent of whisky heavy on his breath.

“Be quiet…don’t wake him. Here, lean on me, let’s get to the bathroom.”

He held his finger to his lips.

“What have you done, John?”

His eyes widened, and he covered his mouth.

I pointed at the toilet.

“Get it out. It’s the only way you’ll feel better.”

He dropped to his knees with heavy thud.

“Shhh…I said be quiet, John.”

Crouching in front of the toilet, he clung to the bowl as he vomited.

I kneeled beside him and rubbed his back while wiping his face with a wet washcloth.

“Sorry. I’m s-so sorry, Ellie.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me. I get it. But you will have to answer to your brother.”

Like he’d been summoned, Will appeared, towering over us.

I arched my neck back and examined his expression…no anger…empathy.

John thumped against the wall and closed his eyes, then a minute later, he slid down, passing out on the cool marble floor.