Page 5 of Rules Of Our Own

He barks out a laugh. “Of course you did. You know, most people would’ve gotten drunk at the bar.”

“Since when have I been most people?” I reply, reaching to mess up his already messy brown hair like I’d seen him do to Piper.

We’d grown close, living in the same city for the last few months, both equally happy to spend time with Sidney.

He laughs. “Just promise to relax for a while. You’re getting stress lines.”

My hand flies to my forehead, and I glare at him. “Listen, you—”

“Who did you sucker in to watch Crooks?” Sidney asks, wrapping an arm around Jax’s back, deflecting nicely.

“Kid down the hall’s watching him.” Crooks, aka Crookshanks, is my orange tabby cat.

“Did you get an emergency contact number in case he’s attacked?” Jax asks, fighting back a grin.

I roll my eyes. “What? She’s sixteen. I’m sure she can handle one cat for the weekend.”

“That would be true if your cat wasn’t possessed,” Lucas adds unhelpfully.

“He’s not that bad. Stop exaggerating.” I look between the three of them for backup, but they’re all wearing matching smirks.

“Oh, yes he is.” Jax holds up his arm, revealing the thin lines of scars. “Vicious.”

“I told you not to pick him up. He doesn’t like that.”

“Oh, how could I forget. Don’t pick him up. Don’t touch him. Don’t sit in his favorite spot. Don’t breathe in his direction.” By the time Jax is done, he’s full-on laughing.

On second thought, maybe I should send the cat sitter a quick text.

“Okay, okay. Let’s check you in.” Piper grabs my hand, cutting me off, her smile a little too wide, and there’s a suspicious-looking glint in her eyes as I follow her to the front desk.

The attendant welcomes me to the resort, and I tell her my name. She takes a second to search through the computer before her eyes meet mine. “I’m sorry, miss, but I don’t have a room under that name.”

Shit.Piper booked all of this, and I didn’t even think to check. She’s overloaded with wedding stuff. I should’ve known better. Piper squeezes my arm as if she senses my unease and says, “Check the villas.”

I shoot her a look, saying she’s insane. They’re like ten thousand a night.

“Ah, there you are. I’ve got you down for four nights. Is that correct?”

I’m too stunned to speak, so Piper answers the rest of the concierge’s questions. The woman slides a yellow bracelet over my wrist before I have time to process anything.

“This will give you access to your room and all other areas of the resort. Enjoy your stay.”

The second we’re away from the desk, I grab Piper’s shoulders. “You can’t be serious. It’s way too much.”

Sidney joins in, wearing the same mischievous look Piper had on earlier. “Relax, it’s fine.”

They’re clearly up to something, but Lucas and Jax grab their girls before I can confront them.

“We’ll see you in the morning, ’kay?” Piper calls out as her fiancé tugs her along to their room.

“Can’t wait.” She booked us a full salon prep day, and I’m seriously looking forward to it.

“Right this way, miss.” The bellman latches onto my bag before I can get to it and leads the way through the maze-like paths. It’s lit by a soft, warm glow, with a quiet and peaceful ambiance. The music from hidden speakers blends into the background, creating a tranquil atmosphere. Everything seems inviting and charming, providing an escape from everyday life.

A girl could get used to this.

We stop in front of villa number two, and I take a step back as my brain tries to process it. It’s a standalone building the size of a small cabin, crafted with a mix of wood and steel that just screams money. “This can’t be my place.”

---