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exactly what it looked like.”
    She shot a glare at Heath and mouthed, ‘not helping’.
    “ I blame that lewd dress.” Disgust filtered through the speaker, and she imagined Jase pulled at his hair as was his habit when agitated.
    She leaned her head against the seat and stared out the window. “Jase, I was flirting with Heath. You know, when a girl wants to see if she can attract all the men in the vicinity?” Tears burned her sinuses. In a normal situation she sucked at lying, but they couldn’t see her face, and she suspected they’d leap at any excuse she gave them. Sam didn’t mind being the scapegoat when warranted. “My actions weren’t fair to Heath. I knew better, but couldn’t stop myself.”
    A long moment of silence, only the whine of the wheels against the pavement broke up the quiet.
    “Like you couldn’t stop yourself from stealing the car?” Jase sounded so cold, nothing like the brother who cared for and protected her.
    Praying God didn ’t strike her dead for her dishonesty, she said, “Pretty much.”
    “ I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I’ve almost reached my limit with your bullshit, Samantha. We’re going to have a long talk when you get home and set some ground rules.” Jase disconnected the call with a curse.
    She made an inconspicuous attempt to wipe tears from her eyes. She’d wanted to push him to this point because he undermined every plan she had for herself. She felt she couldn’t leave without his permission. Jase even scoffed at attending college, because what would she major in when she didn’t know what she ‘wanted to be when she grew up’? But now that she had enraged him the way she wanted, the satisfaction she’d thought she’d experience fell flat. Instead she felt hollow and more lost than before.
    “ That’s bullshit, Sam.” Heath sounded almost as angry as Jase.
    “ Sorry.” Tears hit her cheeks, and she swiped at them with the pads of her fingers. Her makeup would be ruined by the time they got home. “It wasn’t my intention to hurt you, just you know, a silly immature attempt at getting attention. A… prank of sorts, I guess.”
    Attempting to salvage her brother ’s friendship with his best friend, she hadn’t considered how she’d injure Heath’s pride with her deceit. Their friendship was more important than her needs so she’d endure knowing she made the right decision.
    “ More bullshit.”
    A sob choked her. She’d rather slice her wrists with a butter knife than wound Heath in any way.

 
    Sam ’s lies infuriated Heath. But her crying ripped him apart inside. He’d never tolerated her tears well. As long as he could remember, he’d thought of her as his to protect. That first day he’d met her, her cheeks had been soiled with dirt, knees scraped from the scuffle she’d gotten into with her cousin, Rex. Said relative had sported a black eye, and Heath had adored her feisty attitude ever since. Maybe her tears affected him so much because he knew when she cried her heart was broken.
    He considered pulling over so he could hold her, maybe console her a little, but ditched the idea and opted for driving straight home as fast as possible.
    “ Jase loves you.”
    “ Yeah.” She sniffled.
    He reached over and buried his fingers in her hair. “Don’t cry.”
    “ I’m sorry, Heath. I’d never hurt you on purpose.”
    “ I’m not hurt.” I’m pissed off you feel the need to lie. Was this her way of protecting him? If so, he couldn’t process the reasoning behind it.
    He massaged her nape , and her tears subsided as they neared home. Neither of them spoke. Many things were on his mind, but he had no clue how to broach any of the subjects.
    Derringer and Keys’ vehicles were in the driveway when he pulled in. Great. Either Jase had called them or the reporters had alerted them to the scandal as well.
    “ Time to face the firing squad.” The insecurity in her voice angered him. “How bad do I look?” She