Forgotten Rules (Rules 4)

Here it comes.

“I like you, Kass.”

My brain malfunctions.

“I like you. Of course I do. How could I not? You…” He cups my cheek, and my eyes fall closed. “This.” He traces along my cheek with his thumb. “I may be cold sometimes, but I would have to be fucking heartless not to feel it, too.”

My heart does a whole-ass backflip.

“And fuck, you’re stubborn. And blunt. But I like that.” He feeds the space between us, inches away from my mouth. “And if things were different, I’d throw you on that bed right now.”

I. Can’t. Breathe.

“W-Why don’t you?” I whisper.

“Because you’re…” He seems to forget how to speak when I’m hit by an unexpected surge of confidence and grip his collar. I see his Adam’s apple bob.

“I’m what?” I whisper.

He leans in, but seconds before we ditch the rules, he shakes his head, as though he’s just come to his senses, and pulls back.

“Because you’re Kendrick’s sister… We can never happen.”

His rejection cuts me to the bone. One second he’s letting me in, telling me exactly what I want to hear, and the next, I’m back to where we started.

One step forward, five steps back.

“Are you even listening to yourself? How can you say that after you just said you have feelings for me?”

“Don’t you get it? It doesn’t matter what I goddamn feel, Kass. We’re stuck. We can never be more than this.”

Screw it. I’ll play the eager chick if I have to.

“Why the hell not?” I blare. “What’s stopping us? Kendrick? He’d get over it.”

“No, he wouldn’t. You didn’t see how pissed he got when Blake made one, tiny comment about you that one time. You know he only agreed to let you go out with Alex because he’s a fucking saint compared to the rest of us. He made it clear. No touching his sister. That’s his only rule, Kass. And I can’t break it.”

My throat hurts.

“Well, you already did,” I remind him. “Over and over.”

Guilt crosses his face.

He heads for the door. “This conversation is pointless. You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Says who?” I screech.

“Says the shit ton of alcohol running in your veins. You can’t make your own decisions right now.” He opens the door. “I’ll go get you a glass of water. Get changed.”

Stunned, I watch him thump down the stairs. Well, that went well.

Squeezing out of my dress, I throw on an oversized white T-shirt and gray shorts before letting the ache in my chest guide me out of my room. I wander around the halls aimlessly. I don’t have the slightest idea of where I’m going. Yet, my feet come to an abrupt stop in front of my brother’s room.

He’s still at Blake’s. He’d freak if he saw me in here. I twist the knob and barge in, flicking the light on and wincing at the mess. Dirty clothes all over the floor, a smelly, empty pizza box on his desk. Boys will be boys. At least his bed is made. Even gone, he’s affecting my life. He’s always been the first choice. The one who mattered. The priority. With Blake. With my fucking dad.

With everyone.

And now… It’s happening all over again with Will. In all fairness, it wouldn’t hurt for you to stop going after his friends. I know this one’s on me. I’ve made my bed. Time to lie in it.