Unbroken Rules (Rules 3)

“Winter. She’s a spitting image of her father,” she elaborates.

Still with my back facing her, I shove my hand into my pocket and grab my phone.

“I was sixteen. Just turned sixteen the month before. You should’ve seen him. He was so charming. Some would say irresistible.”

I swivel around.

“Mysterious, reckless, gorgeous. The kind of guy who could get anyone he wanted without blinking. Girls would have killed for his attention, but he only wanted me. Or so he said.” She gets up, miserably holding on to the table to maintain her balance. “I really thought he loved me, and God, did I love him. They all told me to stay away, but I didn’t. Because I thought I had found the love of my life.” She scoffs in a self-deprecating manner. “I was as stupid as Winter is right now. She really is my daughter after all. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, he changed. There was no forever, no I love you. You know all the bullshit promises you made my daughter? Well, he used to make them to me. My parents wanted nothing to do with me the second they found out. I was a shame. The family’s disgrace. They wanted me to get rid of her. And when I didn’t listen, they tried to put her into the system. Said I wasn’t keeping her for the right reasons. I was so naive. I thought he’d change his mind and come back to me if I kept the kid. I was sixteen for fuck’s sake.”

That’s why Winter was treated like a piece of furniture since she was a baby. Because Lauren got dumped.

“Maria, on the other hand, was so perfect. She got perfect grades, led the student councils, had her entire future mapped out. She was going to become a doctor, marry this American guy she’d met, move to Florida with him, have kids. Then there was me, the troubled daughter who got knocked up before she could pass her driver’s license test.” She steps forward. “Every time I look at her, I wish I had gotten an abortion.”

My fists clench on their own.

“That’s your daughter you’re talking about.”

“You think I don’t know that?” she cackles. “That’s precisely the problem. Some great fucking idea it was to keep the baby. I’ve tried… I’ve tried to look at her the way I look at Maika, but I can’t. I’m guilty.” She pauses, as if to savor the moment. “I don’t love her. There. I’ve said it. I don’t love her, and I never will. Because every time I look at her, I see him.” A wicked smile stretches across her face. “God, it feels so good to finally say it out loud. I’ve never let myself admit it. I don’t love her. I can’t stand to even look at her.” She laughs in realization.

“Congrats. You’re a piece of shit. If you can’t see that your daughter is the most beautiful, amazing, and caring person on this goddamn planet, you’re absolutely insane. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

She doesn’t reply, eyeing me.

“I’ve got to give it to you, you put on a quite show. I’m sure you got her fooled into thinking you love her.”

I scoff. “Aw, don’t be jealous just because no one loved you enough to stay.”

“You say you love her now, just wait until she gets knocked up. We’ll see how fast you run back to Florida.” She mutters under her breath, “I wish she’d run back to Florida, too.”

I snap. “Are you seriously blaming your child for being born? It’s not her fault you fell in love with the town’s trash.”

She snickers and makes air quotes with her fingers. ?

??The town’s trash didn’t look so trashy, trust me. In fact, he was as gorgeous as you.” She stalks toward me, careful not to step in glass. She braces a finger on my chest, tracing down my torso, and I move away in disgust. “Muscled body, chiseled face. You remind me of him a lot, Haze. You look like the guy who ruined me. Such a shame that he was also the best sex I ever had.” She bites on her lower lip and rests her hand on my bicep to feel my muscles.

“What the fuck?” I shove her away from me.

“Come on, humor me. My husband’s dying. I promise, I won’t tell.” She plucks the first button of her shirt open.

I need to sanitize my eyes.

“Do you even hear yourself? Your husband is fucking dying. How could you do this to him?”

“Give me a break. It’s not like I ever loved him anyway.” She walks back to the table, takes a long sip of whiskey, and wipes her mouth. “He was a respectable man. He had the job, the money. And I wanted the kids. Kids I could actually love. They said he has very little chances of making it anyway.” Her eyes grow in realization. “When he dies, I’m going to lose the house—can you imagine? Be forced to move back into some shitty apartment because I can’t afford this lifestyle. I’ll even be stuck with his son.” She crinkles her nose in disgust. “Can you blame me for needing a drink?”

“Harry is a great man and a great father.” I grit my teeth. “I can’t believe he married you.”

“Oh, I assure you I was quite the view in my days. So was he. Too bad he lost it all. Maybe I wouldn’t have had to bang the neighbor for years if he’d kept the abs.”

At this point, nothing she says surprises me.

“I’m leaving now.”

“Have it your way.” She tumbles back to her seat. “Oh, and Haze? Be a dear and don’t tell anyone about our conversation, will you? One word and I’ll make sure Winter never sees her siblings again.” She smiles widely.

This woman is a psychopath.

I shrug off her warning and hurry to the door. After everything she’s just revealed to me, I’m very possibly the biggest threat to her perfect little life made of lies. So many thoughts are at war in my head. I climb inside my car, well aware that she’s watching my every move through the window. I feel sick to my stomach.