Page 60 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

“What kind of pizza?”

“Veggie.” Bertie tucks her legs under her and brings her glass to her lips.

“Anything else?” I arch a brow, waiting.

“Cheesy breadsticks would be great too.”

I sigh. “You got it.”

In the kitchen, I place the order. Then I pace. I’m full of restless energy without a good way to burn it off. A year ago, my life was vastly different. Now, I’m flailing around like a fish waiting forsomething. We’re at a standstill in the custody petition while we wait for the DNA test to come back and confirm what I already know.

I text Cree to see if he’s free but pocket my phone when he doesn’t immediately respond. I doubt I’ll hear from him. He’s so far up Ophelia’s butt it’s not even funny.Allmy friends are settling down. It’s fucking weird. Laughable, coming from me, since I’m the one who’s actually married.

The worst part is, I’m starting to think I might be a little jealous of their situations.

I haven’t had a girlfriend since high school. Sure, I’ve been out with several girls more than once, but I never stuck around long.

Rosie appears in the doorway, startling me from my wandering thoughts.

She shakes her head back and forth like I’m a mirage she can unsee. “Why are you sulking in the kitchen?” She grabs a glass from the cabinet and adds ice. When we came home after Thanksgiving, several large boxes full of dishes and glasses from Anthropologie were waiting on the porch. Rosie was like a kid on Christmas after I carried them in. She tore into each box, oohing and aahing over every piece. Literally every one. Even dishes identical to the previous one she’d opened.

“I’m not sulking.”

As she fills her glass with water, she gives me side-eyed look. “Sure looks it.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Well, I’m not.”

With a laugh, she sets the glass on the quartz counter. “Sure looks like it.” She nods at my crossed my arms. “You can hang out with us. You don’t have to hide away if Bertie is here.”

“I don’t want to intrude on your girl time or whatever.”

“All right.” She picks up the glass with a smile. “Suit yourself.”

After the pizza arrives, I snag a plate for myself, then take the boxes to the girls. Look at me, being all domestic and shit.

Rosie’s eyes follow me as I leave the room. I can practically feel her laughing at me.

Poor Daire. He doesn’t know what to do with himself.

No. I shake my head and push away the thought. I can’t imagine Rosie pitying me in any way.

Pizza in hand, I head to my room. I’m still sleeping on an air mattress and living out of a suitcase. Damn, it’ll feel good to sleep in a real bed once the rest of the furniture is delivered.

I plop onto the mattress, making a note to add air to it before going to sleep, and turn on the TV I’ve got propped against the wall. As I scroll through the channels in search of something to entertain me, I take a bite of greasy pizza. None of the shows or movies I come across grab my attention, and I’m not in the mood to play video games. I’m still too damn restless. Now’s the time I’d usually workout, but I no longer have access to an in-home gym like I did when I lived with my friends. I could use the one on campus, but I have no interest in driving all the way there.

“Maybe I should go for a run,” I mutter to myself. If I do, though, I should stop eating. Otherwise, I’ll get sick. I lower my head and inspect my slice of pizza. Nah. I’d rather eat.

A couple of hours later—after I’ve brushed my teeth and stripped down for sleep—my bedroom door eases open. Rosie pokes her head in.

“Bertie left. You can stop hiding now.”

I stifle a yawn. “It’s all good. I’m ready for bed, anyway.”

Guilt prickles at me as I take her in. Her eye really does look bad. I didn’tmeanto hit her, but it doesn’t change the fact that I did. Worry worms its way in along with the guilt the longer she stands there. Could her injury be used against me in the custody battle that’s bound to ensue? I hate that my thoughts go there, that I’m so preoccupied with how her black eye could affect me, but I can’t help it.

“What’s going on in that brain of yours?”

I chuckle humorlessly, crossing my arms behind my head. I have to crane my neck to look up at her from the air mattress.

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