Page 109 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

“My shoulder are lighter, that’s for sure.”

She wets her lips and regards me, wearing a nervous expression. “Did you… did you tell him the truth about us?”

With a sigh, I close my eyes. I probably should have.She’s got an easy out now, a reason to end this early. Here I was thinking I’d be the one eager to dissolve this as soon as possible, but instead, I’m holding on with both hands. I rub my thumb against the thick band on my ring finger. Ilikeit there. I like the message it gives. That I’m taken. That I belong to her.

“I didn’t tell him it was fake.”

Fake.

The word tastes like acid on my tongue.

Standing, she nods. “Okay. I’m not sure how we should go about telling my mom about this one.”

I arch a brow. “What about your dad?”

She gently transfers Sammy from her arms into the crib. When he stirs, she puts her hand on his belly and gently shakes him to mimic the rocking she was doing. The little boy immediately settles back down.

“My dad isn’t talking to me, so he doesn’t matter.”

The hurt in her voice has me closing the distance between us and pulling her into my arms. Instantly, she melts into me. The reaction is surprising, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it. For a moment, it feels like we’ve gone back in time. To when we were teenagers, watching movies and falling asleep on the couch together.

“Baby,” I say softly, holding her even tighter against me. “I’m sorry.”

She clings to me, keeping her voice low so she doesn’t wake Sammy. “It’s okay.”It’s not. “I understand why he’s upset, but it just sucks, you know?”

The warmth that spreads through me as I hold her is spoiled by the pain in her voice. I wish I could magically make the situation with her dad better.

“You know,” I tip my head in the direction of the crib, “you’ve got way more of a motherly instinct than you think.”

She rolls her eyes up at me. “I don’t think so, but thank you.”

I cup her cheek and study her face, the urge to kiss her next to impossible to ignore.

She clears her throat, stepping out of my touch. “We should go back down. Your dad and Roman unoccupied for too long can’t lead to anything good.”

I can’t do anything but agree. “Yeah, you’re right.”

Still, I’m disappointed she backed away.

I turn the monitor on and check my phone app to make sure it’s connected before we leave Sammy in the darkened room.

Downstairs, my dad and brother are—thankfully—where we left them.

“Are you guys hungry?” I ask.

The fridge isn’t exactly stocked, but considering it’s Christmas day, it’s not as if I can run out and pick up food. We’ve got chicken and veggies, salad fixings, and a horde of frozen pizzas, because I can never remember whether we have one, so every time I’m at the store, I grab another.

“Starved.” Roman rubs his belly.

“I could eat,” Dad says.

Frozen pizzas it is.

Rosie stands uncomfortably in the open archway into the family room.

My dad straightens on the couch and frowns down at his hands. “I’m sorry about earlier, Rosie. How are you?”

“Good,” she replies quietly. “Let me go see what we have to eat.”

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