Page 5 of Golden Rule

I smile at the thought of it, Sterling getting to be more present in Jaxson’s life, but I’m fighting a flash of sadness. We all thought Sterling and Lexi were forever. So, when things started to fall apart a couple years into their relationship, it shook usall.To the core, actually.But, of course, no one was more broken than the two at the epicenter of the breakdown.

Especially Lexi.

To this day, Istilldon’t have the full story. At first, I think things were just too fresh for Lexi, too painful. But shortly after the split, she found out she was expecting Jaxon, and that only complicated her feelings further. I can’t imagine what that must’ve been like. Not only coping with the heartbreak, but also having to adjust to her new reality—that she’d be a single mom, and that Sterling had just been signed to Miami.

Then, adding insult to injury, a little over a year ago, he moved on and settled down.

With Tiffany.

I fight the disappointed scowl I feel settling on my face, but it can’t be helped. Sure, she’s nice enough, but I can never shake the feeling that it shouldn’t behersharing Sterling’s dream.

It should be Lex.

And with all three of them now living in the same area code, I pray things don’t go nuclear. My stomach twists in a knot just thinking about it.

“I know you said it isn’t a big deal, but I really am sorry for not being much help.”

West’s words jar me from my thoughts, and it’s clear he’s misreading my silence for frustration.

“I feel like you got stuck with all the tedious shit—everything with the movers, hiring new security personnel, getting the cleaning crew out to get the Bellvue house ready. You did it all,” he adds after listing the tasks he remembers off the top of his head.

I peer up, waiting until he meets my gaze before I speak. “I hear you, but you’re forgetting the most important thing.”

“What’s that?” he asks, and I don’t miss how his eyes lower to my lips.

“Everything you just listed is part of being a team,” I remind him. “You did your part, and I did mine. It’s why we work, and I’m not keeping score.”

He blinks, finally staring at my eyesinstead of my mouth. “Do you do things like this on purpose?”

The off-color question has me snorting a laugh as the flight attendant passes us with a smile.

“Things like what?” I’m careful to speak my question quietly, but West’s voice is almost at full volume when he responds.

“Do youintentionallysay shit that’ll make me want to fuck you?”

I cover his mouth with my hand, feeling him smile behind it. “West! She’ll hear you.”

He arches a brow, then gently lowers my hand so he can speak. “So… you don’t think she already knows we fuck? I’m confused.”

He’s quieter now, but it’s too late. The damage is done. The flushed look on the flight attendant’s face is proof of that. Meanwhile, I can hardly catch my breath from laughing.

“You aresuchan asshole.”

“Usually,” he rasps, then the warmth of his fingers creeps up the side of my neck when he grips me there, bringing me to him. “But you’ve gotta admit. For an asshole, I got pretty damn lucky.”

He breathes the words against my mouth, kissing me deep before I have a chance to shoot back a flippant remark. In an instant, the playful vibe between us disappears, turning into something far more exciting as I find myself wishing there were more bodies on this plane. If there were, we could easily slip off to the bathroom together without being noticed. But by it just being us and the limited crew, we’d never get away with that now.

“You’re mine tonight,” he practically growls, tilting his head to capture my mouth from a new angle.

“Aren’t I yourseverynight?”

“Smart-ass.” A smile curves his lips as I lightly kiss the bottom one, then gently nip it just to be a tease. “Careful,” he warns, “since you care so fucking much what the flight attendant thinks of us.”

I laugh against his mouth, and without looking, I’m certain that warning wasn’t for nothing. If I had to guess, he’s hard right now, bulging through his sweats.

My phone sounds off with a notification, and I ignore it at first. But it chimes again, then again. Text messages now, and West’s phone begins vibrating inside his bag. He grumbles when we separate. Then, we both have our phones in hand the nextsecond, scrolling in silence. I read the text from Scar first, but it isn’t just us anymore. It’s the group chat we message in with all the girls. Well, all the girls except Tiffany, that is.

Scarlett: This doesn’t mean anything. It’s probably just someone trolling. It can’t be therealher.

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