Beautifully Broken

“Good behavior. He sprung for a lawyer this time and the guy’s fucking rank.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah, shit. Have your fun while you can, but the clock’s ticking. I’ve got a buddy with a house in Memphis we can stay at for a few days. One of mom’s old friends. We’ll be safe until we have a solid plan.”

“You’re a deadman the moment we leave together. You know that right?”

Bane shrugs. “Gerald may be my sperm donor, but you’re family, Piper. You’re all I’ve got left.”

Breakfast was amazing. I rinse my plate in the sink and set it in the dishwasher. Bane and Rex are getting along which I’d normally be ecstatic about, but Bane’s words hang over me like a dark cloud. Cooper ambles into the kitchen, a hand running through his already disheveled hair. “How the fuck did I get here?”

I wipe my hands on the towel then start fixing him a plate of what’s left. There’s not much. Rex eats enough for two on his own and Bane’s keeping up. “Better question, what were you doing at Bane’s?”

“Piper I—”

“Morning sunshine!” Bane claps his hand on Cooper’s shoulder. The timing, which could be a coincidence, is suspicious. Nothing in my life has ever just happened. I can’t help but wonder what they’re hiding.

Cooper takes in Bane’s shirtless appearance, brows furrowing. “What the hell happened to you?”

Bane shrugs. “It’s nothing, just a hazard of crossing the tracks. I’ve got a great scar from a few years ago.” He points to his Spiderman pajama covered leg. “Wanna see?”

Cooper shakes his head. “Nah, man, I’m good.”

“Piper, you’re meeting with Cherrybroom starts in thirty minutes. Are we skipping today or do you want to go?” Rex asks bringing the empty serving dishes to the sink.

“We should go. My meeting with her is part of my graduation requirements.”

“Speaking of,” Bane interjects. “Did you get that situation sorted?”

Cooper eyes me. “What situation?”

“It’s nothing, and not yet.”

“Piper,” Bane warns.

I shoot him a shut-the-hell-up-look. “Can you take the bus back?”

“I’ll take him,” Cooper offers.

Rex runs around the front of his Range Rover and opens the door from me. A few girls stare at us as I take his hand and step out. I bite back a smile, amused by their jealousy. In the four years I’ve been in this hell hole, no one’s ever wanted anything of mine. Then again, no one’s ever looked at me the way Rex does, as if the world begins and ends with me. He grabs my bag, putting it on his shoulder and asks, “Can I walk with you?”

“What do you mean?” I turn and lean against the side of his car. The black paint is warm against my back, but not unbearable because the sun hasn’t been up long. “You walk inside with me almost every day.”

“True.” Rex places his hands on either side of me. He whispers into my ear, his breath tickling my cheek. “But I want to walk inside together.”

“I’m still confused,” I whisper back, my breaths short, my heart fast.

Rex brings his lips to mine, one hand threading through my hair, the other tangling our fingers together. I can’t remember what we’re talking about. Every thought is lost on how perfect Rex’s lips feel against m

ine. How every time we kiss, it feels even more right. Someone yells at us to get a room and Rex pulls away. I whimper, drunk on his kiss, high on his scent, needing more. Remind me why I agreed to go to school today? I’d rather spend the day in his room exploring each other.

“Let’s go make our first appearance as a real couple.” He put his arm over my shoulder, escorting me to the main entrance of the school.

“I don’t remember agreeing to be your girlfriend,” I tease. I do remember and love the thought of being Rex’s girlfriend, but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t make things a little difficult.

We stop walking. Rex spins me once, capturing me in his arms. “Should I kiss you again? Would that jog your memory?”

“Only if you promise to push me up against the lockers over there and make a mess of me.”