Page 168 of Rules

Tears gather in my eyes at his words. Hope, that little traitorous bitch, blossoms in my chest. I can see Andrew is honest; it’s written all over his face. And a part of me wants it, every single thing he said, but the other part, thereasonablepart knows differently. Because when he finds out, when they both find out about my secret, mybetrayal, they won’t think the same.

Nodding my head to appease him but not saying anything, I let my eyes wander once again to the guy standing behind his back.

Andrew breaks our bond. “I’ll be outside.”

But before he leaves, he leans closer, so only I can hear him. “Give the guy a chance. He’s been one miserable fucker since you’ve been gone.”

Not waiting for my answer, he walks around me and to the back of the house in the direction Mrs. Perry disappeared. The sound of the door closing behind him somehow sounds final, leaving me alone with the last person I ever thought I’d see again, but the one I wanted to see the most, nonetheless.

Chapter Sixty-One

MAX

The door closes behind Andrew, leaving me alone with Brook.

My Brook.

Seeing her for the first time in weeks has brought back so many emotions, I was left speechless. I was actually glad Andrew was with me, taking the initiative to talk to her first and giving me time to wrap my head around the fact thatwe. Have. Found. Her.After wondering, overthinking and worrying, she was here, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her because if I did, she could disappear once again.

When Andrew’s dad hired the PI and we met with him, giving him all the information that could help him find Brook, he was brutally honest with us, saying that the chances of finding a runaway girl like Brook were slim to none. She’d turned off her phone, she didn’t use credit cards and she didn’t have any family to speak of. She was practically untraceable.

But Andrew never lost hope, something I can’t say for myself. When she left, I was angry. Angry at her, angry at myself, angry at life. Jeanette had just been in an accident, and we thought she was pregnant, only to be told she wasn’t, in fact, pregnant. Something about a false positive pregnancy test. How the hell is something like that possible in the twenty-first century? And then everything about Dad was revealed. The cheating, asking Jeanette to be quiet, how it all played into her to ending up in the hospital. And in all that mess, I remember Brook coming to talk to me, but I was too stuck up my own ass to pay her any attention, and then she left. Not that I can blame her for it. When I needed her, she was there, but when she needed me, I turned my back on her. Who does something like that? Apparently, I do.

And then a few weeks later, the shit hit the fan again. Josephine Taylor broke into Hill’s house, screaming and causing a ruckus, demanding to know where Brook was and revealing more secrets. Between the Hills and Sanders, we’ve had enough secrets to fill the Atlantic. Was this it, or were there more things, more secrets, we weren’t aware of?

Pushing the dark thoughts away, I let my eyes scan her body. She looks good. All that dark hair pulled on top of her head in a messy bun. Her make-up-free face, covered in traces of paint, has a natural glow to it. She’s wearing a white button-down that also has paint on it. It’s too big and falling down to mid-thigh with black leggings peeking underneath it.

Beautiful and definitelynotpregnant.

“You look…” I start, but my voice sounds all squeaky, like a twelve-year-old boy’s, so I clear my throat before continuing. “Good. You look good.”

I cringe at my words. Great, Casanova, just great. Can you be any lamer?

But isn’t she supposed to be pregnant? Andrew said he saw the test. It was positive. Maybe it’s too early for her to show? I try to do mental math, but the truth is, I have no idea when the woman is supposed to grow the belly. Maybe it’s too early. Or maybe her test was wrong like Jeanette’s was…

Who are you going for: Brook or the baby? Because if it’s just because of the baby, because you want to do the right thing, I’m going to ditch your ass right now… Brook deserves better than some dick knocking her up and then forcing her into something just to be a hero. If you’re not the man she needs…

Andrew’s earlier words ring in my mind. Forcing myself to take a deep breath, I push my worries away. He’s right; Brook deserves better. And baby or no baby, I’m here for her.

Brook’s cheeks flush under my watchful stare, and it takes all I have not to extend my hand and brush the red smudge off her cheek.

“Things have been… better since I got here, calmer.”

I nod my head in understanding, although everything in me revolts at the idea. Calmer? What the fuck does that even mean? Does she want to stay? Want to have her calm, drama-free life away from Greyford? Away from all of us? Is she happy here?

I want to bombard her with all the questions, but I settle for a simple: “You like it here?”

“It’s nice.” She shrugs, the delicate movement of her shoulders making the too-big shirt sway with the motion. “Mrs. Perry has been really kind to let me stay until I figure out what to do next.”

“So you’re not staying?”

She’s not staying. I want to breathe out in relief. If this is just one stop on the road, maybe we can really…

Different possibilities start going through my mind. Possibilities of what could be if Brook came back with us. She lifts her hand, probably to run it through her hair, only to realize it’s tied at the top of her head, so she lets it fall.

“This was never part of the plan, but I learned long ago that there are no certainties in life, and you have to adapt to what life throws at you. I had quite a chunk of money saved on the side so I could start from scratch somewhere after I turn eighteen, but when Josephine stole it…” Brook shakes her head, like she still can’t believe what her mother did. I knowIcan’t. What kind of mother steals from her own daughter? “Ten grand gone in the blink of an eye. My future, gone.”

Her face is impassive, like she’s made peace with what her mother did. And she probably has. I couldn’t even imagine how she must have felt when she found out. I might not have known her as long as the others have, but I’ve gotten to know Brook in the last few months. Know parts of her that she usually hides from other people. Brook is extremely hardworking and determined. If she set her mind on something, there is no way she wouldn’t accomplish it, and nothing would stop her.

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