Page 41 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

Rosie side-eyes me.Do we tell him?That’s what she’s silently asking me.

I hold back a sigh. If we tell Roman, he’ll save us the trouble of breaking the news to the rest of my family. But I can’t imagine my father would appreciate that approach.

I give a subtle shake of my head.

“I guess you could say that,” she replies with a genuine smile.

Her smile has nothing to do with me, and fuck if that doesn’t make me all the more annoyed.

“Well, come on.” He throws his arm around her shoulders, tugging her up the last few stairs to the front door. “Get in here. Cash will be happy to see you.”

I clench my jaw at the comment. My older brother had a thing for Rosie for years when we were growing up. For all I know, hestillhas a thing for her, since I had no idea they kept in touch.

Out of all my brothers, I’m the closest to Cash, who’s only a year older than me, and Roman, who’s two years younger.

I’ll never understand how my parents handled having five boys practically back-to-back, regardless of how much help they had.

Inside the foyer, Roman hollers out, “Cash! Guess who’s here?” To Rosie, he says, “I think he’s in the kitchen. Are you hungry?”

“I could have a snack.”

“Perfect.”

I stand on the threshold, watching them head in the direction of the kitchen. Part of me is tempted to go off on my own, but a bigger part, the nosy part, wants to witness the way Rosie interacts with my brothers.

“Rosie!” Cash grins from ear to ear when he spots her. He’s sitting on one of the barstools at the large kitchen island, mouth stuffed with a piece of the fudge Elsie, our family cook, makes every holiday season. “What are you doing here?”

He pulls her out of Roman’s arms and envelops her in a hug. I swear he even sniffs her hair. Cash holds her a little too long, at least in my opinion. Clearing my throat, I step closer and wait for him to let her go, but he doesn’t.

Rosie doesn’t encourage him to release her. In fact, she hugs him back just as tightly.

“You smell good,” she tells him. “New cologne?”

“Maybe.” He kisses her cheek.

Okay, now I’m pissed.

Rage courses through me, heating my blood, as I stride closer. “Hands off my wife, Cash.”

Everyone in the room freezes, myself included, and every eye goes wide.

Fuck. Why the hell did I say that?

Rosie shoots awhat the fuck?look my way. It’s warranted, since I just told her not to spill the beans to Roman.

“Wife?” Cash laughs uproariously. “You’re fucking joking, right?” He shakes his head. “I didn’t know we were pranking each other this early, but this is a good one.” With a wag of his finger, he spins, picks up a piece of fudge, and offers it to Rosie. “Fudge?”

She takes it from him with her left hand. Where, suddenly, her wedding band has appeared.

Hand trembling, I dig in my pocket for mine and wiggle it on.

Cash’s jaw drops as he grabs her hand and gapes at the ring. “You’re going all out for this prank. Those look like real diamonds.”

“It’s not a prank,” Rosie says softly, her cheeks pinkening. She glances over at me, lashes lowering so she doesn’t fully meet my gaze. “We’re married.”

I lift my left hand as well, now that I’ve put my ring back on, and wiggle my fingers. The glower is still firmly fixed to my face, since my brother still hasn’t removed his hands from my wife. I don’t care if it’s Rosie, if I still hate her. I’m legally bound to her now, and that should be enough of a reason for my brother to keep his distance.

“I’m not going to ask you again,” I bite out through clenched teeth. “Take. Your. Hands. Off. My.Wife.”

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