Unbroken Rules (Rules 3)

My mind lags behind on the word girlfriend.

He’s back.

We’re back

I have no idea where we’re going. But I know we’re going somewhere better. We’re on the right track. I gave him a choice. Tell me or let me go. And, for once…

He’s chosen right.

“Where are we going?” I ask, looking out onto the empty and silent streets. The snow decided to disappear as soon as we stopped standing in the storm, and I’m not even surprised. That’s just the universe mocking me. The usual. Getting into Haze’s car felt like the right thing to do at the time but now? I’m very aware of my father needing my presence. I called Jay to make sure he could handle my dad for the night, and thankfully, he was awake. Okay, I woke him. He groaned and hung up, but I know that was his way of saying, “Yes, Winter, of course I’ll take care of Dad.”

“We’re going to the only place I can get you alone. Vic’s.” Haze takes a turn. It feels unreal. That we’re actually good right now—and by good, I mean that we might stand a chance if he sits his pretty ass down and explains everything from beginning to end.

“Maybe we should go back. My dad needs help and—”

“I promise we’ll be there to take care of him first thing in the morning, but I want you to myself for one night. Just one. Is that a crime, Officer?” he teases.

I find myself fighting the butterflies in my stomach. I know I should be requesting an explanation. I should’ve done so when I got into the passenger seat, but I haven’t been this happy in a while. We come to a red light, and Haze turns his head to look at me. That’s all he does: stare. Of course, with his oh so famous panty-dropping grin and a lock of hair dangling in front of his eyes.

I don’t know if it’s the intensity of his gaze or the fact that I’m just overall an idiot, but I can’t help word vomiting. “Well, technically, we have around six hours before we have to be back, and so we won’t get a long enough night of sleep because we’ve been on the road for thirty minutes to get to Vic’s place and…”

I shut myself up when his smile grows wider.

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “What? Is there something on my face?”

He shrugs. “No. Is there something on mine?”

“No?”

“Because there should be.” His stare drops to my lips.

I frown. “What should be on your face?”

“You.”

Oh my God.

Did he just…

I burst out laughing, and he joins, proud of himself.

That’s why. Why I’m a fool for him.

Somewhere along the way, I heard him laugh at his own joke and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life laughing with him.

“You can’t just drop a line like this on me like nothing happened. We still have so much to discuss. I—”

“And we will. I promise.” His voice is soothing, reassuring. Thinking of what happened last night reminds me of how much pain he put me through recently. I can’t let these events slide. I need an explanation before we can even start thinking about making this work. We step into Vic’s silent apartment and slip out of our coats

. Haze was right. Vic’s car isn’t out front. We’re alone.

“Haze, we can’t go on like this,” I say once our eyes lock.

He steps closer.

“Hold that thought.”

“Wha—”