Page 58 of Rule Breaker

Once outside, I finally let go of the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding in.

There were a few people hanging around, but Ethan and Finn were gone, probably inside with the rest of the team. I was in such a rush to leave I hadn’t noticed.

My stomach was in one giant knot. It had to be the beer and tequila, right? Drinking that mix was a mistake. Like coming to the party tonight. What the fuck was I thinking? I didn’t fit in here. I didn’t fit anywhere. Not like Kayden, who everyone, including Hailey, wanted to be around.

I was happy to be alone again, but walking through campus, the quiet was suffocating.

When I got back to my dorm, I kicked off my boots, threw off my jacket and shirt and flopped down on my bed. But sleep didn’t come.

My phone buzzed. I didn’t even bother to check. I knew who it was. And when there was a knock at my door ten minutes later, well, I ignored that too.

CHAPTER 21

KAYDEN

“Open up, Mad! Let me in!”

I knocked again, harder, louder. Why was he so goddamn stubborn like this?

“Mad! Why’d you take off like that?”

I was about to knock again when the door opened. Maddox stood in front of me in nothing but those ripped jeans and a scowl. Fuck, he was so damn sexy I couldn’t think straight. Except to say, I wasn’t straight. Nope. Definitely not.

Maddox crossed his arms and leaned against the door. “What the fuck are you doing here? Go back to the party.”

He made to close the door, but I put my hand on it.

“You didn’t even stay for fifteen minutes. And you shouldn’t have walked home alone,” I replied.

“I told you I’d stay for an hour. I stayed. I left,” he scoffed. “And in case you can’t tell Kay, I’m a big boy. I take care of myself.”

“That’s your line for everything; ‘I don’t need anyone’ or ‘I don’t like people’ or ‘fuck off.’ Why? I need to know why.”

Maddox shook his head and motioned to his room. “Get inside before you wake up the rest of this floor.”

I stepped into his room, and it was dark, save for the glow from the lamp by his bedside.

“Why are you even here? Shouldn’t you be sucking face with Hailey right now?” he snapped.

That sounded a lot like jealousy. And that wasn’t my high talking. I was getting better at reading my angry bee. I bit back a laugh at that image. I’d been stung by Mad so many times, and I kept coming back for more.

“She’s real nice,” I murmured. “Pretty and fun. Sweet, too.”

With every additional word that came out of my mouth, Maddox’s blue eyes grew darker. His jaw clenched, his lips pursed in a pout. Oh yeah, I was on to something here. He wasn’t happy that I might be interested in Hailey. Even though I wasn’t. Not at all.

“But I don’t want her,” I confessed. “There’s someone else I can’t stop thinking about.”

Shit, did I really admit that out loud?

“You mean Sam?” Maddox hissed, pacing back and forth.

I shook my head and sat down in his chair. There was no mistaking the ominous creak when I made contact.

“New chair, stat,” I chuckled.

Maddox stopped pacing and stood in front of me, hands on his lean hips. My laughter dried up as I realized how close he was. So close, I could reach out and touch him. His chest was rising and falling, fast, like he was out of breath. He wasn’t the only one. Pretty sure he could hear my heart pounding like a jackhammer.

When I realized he’d taken off from the party, I didn’t hesitate to say goodbye to my friends and follow him home. I didn’t care about anything else. Couldn’t explain it. I just…wanted to be with him. Not that I knew what the hell I was doing. I’d never been with a guy. What if I made a move, and he pushed me away? For good?

---