Page 104 of Changing Rules

I step into her, but she stands her ground, lifting her chin.

“I set boundaries with Audrey. I separated myself from Stacey. I did everything I could to make things right, and you couldn’t even bother to give me the chance to explain myself.”

She narrows her eyes. “I didn’t need your explanations. I chose to move on, and I hoped you’d move on too. I did it for you as much as I did it for myself.”

“You took away my choice, is what you did.”

Her sharp laugh echoes off the walls of the small room. “That’s rich coming from you, Alexander.” She presses her hand to her breastbone and takes a deep, controlled breath. “I want to leave. Take a step back, please.”

Her apathy is like salt in my already festering wounds. I want this mask she’s wearing to fucking drop. Instead of backing away, I take a step forward, my chest pressed to hers.

She sucks in a breath, and her gaze lowers for a second. That’s the only sign I need.

With a groan, I slam my lips to hers.

Instantly, I’m hit with a completely different kind of heat. A rush of warmth spreads from my groin outward as I kiss her, hard and demanding, savoring her.

Rather than push me away, she sighs into my mouth, granting me access. I take full advantage and slip my tongue along hers. An electric energy zips along my skin and settles in the pit of my stomach.

I bury my hand in her hair and tug, pulling a whimper from her lips. With her head dropped back, I pepper kisses down her neck, sucking at the skin of her throat. I missed her taste so much. When she moans, I press myself closer to her, covering her lips with mine again. My cock strains against my jeans, desperate for her, urging me to grind against her hip.

Suddenly, her hands are on my chest, and she’s pushing me away. I stumble back, my head spinning. Her hair is messy, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her skin flushed as she presses her fingers to her lips.

“I need to go.” She storms past me.

I stay rooted to the spot, afraid to breathe.

Hope blooms slowly in my chest, the tiniest sprout. So defenseless, so fragile. I’ll do anything I can to protect it, to nurture it.

A smile splits my lips, and an energy I haven’t felt in months, not even on the field, courses through me.

My girl is here. She still loves me. My heart knows it, because it heard its other half beating in her chest. We are two pieces of one whole. No matter what she told me…she is mine. I won’t give up. I’ll make sure she knows I love her. I’ll remind her as often as I can that she’s the best thing to ever happen to me.

She’s my priority.

My everything.

CHAPTER 29

TRAITORS

BELLA

August

My traitorous hearthas just blown my cover and led me astray. It pounded so loudly, there was no way Xander couldn’t hear it in that confined space.

It’s clear now that not only can I not trust Xander with my heart, I can’t trust myself around him.

It’s official. I’m still insanely attracted to him.

What’s worse, that kiss only proved I’m still in love with him.

And now I’m worried he knows it.

Fifteen minutes after I rejoined the party, I still can’t stop thinking about him and our kiss. His lips on mine felt like coming home, giving me a sense of connection and familiarity I’ve desperately missed. His scent, his warmth, his muscular body pressed against mine made my skin hum, consuming my senses and corrupting my thoughts.

I worry my bottom lip, twirling the stem of my wineglass between my thumb and index finger. I should’ve left the moment I came out of the bathroom, but I didn’t want to upset Meg, and I didn’t want to create unnecessary tension between her and Marco.

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