Page 55 of Rule Breaker

“No way, you need to come in and say hi to everyone.”

“It’s me, Kay. Go already,” I snapped and lit up my cig.

Oh yeah, I needed that drag. Smoking—it’s the introvert’s excuse when you don’t want to people.

“I’ll wait,” Kayden insisted.

“You’re such a pain in the ass, you know that?”

“I live to please.”

Fuck it. Might as well get it over with. I threw the cigarette on the ground and motioned to the door.

Kayden opened it and gave me a wink. A freaking wink.

“What’s with you?” I snarled.

“What?”

“Don’t what me.”

“You’re the one that gave me the edibles. Now, stop grumbling and get your hot hockey ass inside.”

Hot hockey ass?

Ethan and Finn’s chuckles echoed behind me as Kayden and I stepped inside the house. And yeah, it was a huge-ass party. Wall-to-wall packed, with loud, crappy (in my opinion) music, and a shit-ton of pheromones in the air. A lot of students were playing drinking games and quite a few were sucking face. I glanced around and spotted Dane and Jace talking with another guy I recognized. Jack? Jake? Kayden mentioned him a few times, but I couldn’t remember the guy’s name. All I knew was that he was one of Dane’s friends.

I ambled through the crowd, but I got jostled, and nearly freaked out again.

Until Kayden did something that I was not expecting. Something that, if anyone else tried it, would have me backing right out the door.

What did he do? He put his hands on my shoulders and guided me through the room. To him, it was probably nothing. To me? It was major. I hadn’t allowed anyone to touch me in years. What was more shocking? I really fucking liked it. My heart was pounding louder than the music. Kayden smelled so damned good; and with his body at my back? I was protected. Safe. Not that I needed his protection, but still.

What was in those edibles?

When we cut through the packed room, people moved out of the way. And when we finally caught up to Dane and Jace, they turned and stared at us, shit-eating grins on their faces. Great. I shrugged off Kayden’s hands. No point in getting used to that. He was trying to be helpful; he wasn’t touching me because he wanted to. And I didn’t enjoy it. I was high.

“Salty and Sweet have finally arrived!” Jace called out.

I gave my honest reaction to that comment via my finger while Dane and his friend tried, unsuccessfully, not to laugh.

“I am definitely making bracelets that say that!” Kayden laughed.

I gave him my best glare. “Don’t you dare.”

“Before you get into the bickering, Maddox, this is Jackson West,” Dane announced. “Jackie’s my…best friend. He’s not a hockey player, but we invite him to hang with us, anyway.”

Everyone was a comedian tonight. I nodded at Jackson, who elbowed his friend and then cocked his curly head.

“I was at the game today and saw you get hit,” Jackson replied. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” I nodded. “I got the air knocked out of me. It happens.”

Lying about how I was doing was second nature to me thanks to years of practice.

“That’s why I’ll stick to rowing,” Jackson replied. “No danger of getting cross-checked.”

“Just an accidental oar to the face,” Dane teased.

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