Page 180 of Rules

“Screw the odds. If I got you to fall for me, nothing is impossible.”

“You made me break my rules.”

“And I’d make you break them all over again just to have you in my arms. You’re mine, Brook Taylor. All of you belongs to me, and I’m not letting you go. Not now, not ever.”

With that, his lips seal over mine in a kiss that leaves me breathless, stopping every possibility to protest. Not like I wanted to. Because everything he said was true.

All of me belongs to him, just like all of him belongs to me.

Forever.

Epilogue

BROOK

“Brook, are you done? We’re already late!” Andrew calls from the living room, where he’s been pacing for the last half hour. I don’t know what has his panties in a twist like that. After all, we’re graduating today.

After an eventful few weeks that I spent mostly catching up so I could even be considered to graduate, we were finally going to walk across that stage and be done with it. Not the most exciting way of thinking, but I was done with Greyford High.

“Coming!” I yell back, picking up my cap and placing it on my head.

Giving myself one final look in the mirror, I barely recognize the girl—woman, really—who’s looking back at me. Her make-up is light, but tasteful, her hair curled in loose locks that fall down her back. She’s all grown up, although a little bit cranky and a lot more hot.

The dark blue polyester robe that I’m wearing doesn’t help too much with either of my problems, but I suck it up because I promised both Andrew and Max I’d do this.

Happy, as much as I can be, with my reflection, I leave my room and go in search of Andrew.

True to his word, he found us an apartment the same week I got back to Greyford. It was fully furnished, which was a big plus, and made moving out a lot easier because we only had to pack our clothes and our few belongings and we were good to go. And although things with Max were amazing, I just preferred staying with Andrew. Not only because I knew Max’s parents were still adjusting to the whole Max-has-a-pregnant-girlfriend thing, but also because I wanted to spend time with Andrew before we all left for college at the end of the summer. We’ve grown really close in the last weeks, and I was going to miss him once we weren’t living in the same town anymore.

“You look nice,” Andrew says as soon as I step into the living room.

“Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself,” I say, taking him in. Like me, he’s dressed in a matching blue robe and cap, dark dress pants and shoes peeking from underneath it. “Ready to go?”

“Actually.” He stops me before I manage to turn around. Frowning, I look at him pull at his collar.

“Is something wrong?” It’s not good when Andrew starts to get nervous like he is now.

“I wanted to talk to you about something before leaving.”

“Okaay…” I drawl waiting for him to continue. What was this all about? Didn’t he just say we were late?

Rubbing at the nape of his neck, he sighs. “John is coming to the graduation.”

“I don’t see how that has anything to do with me.”

John Hill and I haven’t talked since he gave me the money to help me disappear. I haven’t had any contact with him since, and I didn’t want to. He wasn’t a subject Andrew and I discussed, and I preferred it that way. Having Andrew and my friends in my life was more than enough for me. They were my family, and although we weren’t perfect, it was a family ten times better than my birth parents could ever give me.

“I know you said you don’t want anything to do with him…”

“What is this really about, Andrew?” I ask, deciding it’s better to cut to the chase.

“This,” he sighs, thrusting a folder into my hands.

“What is this?” I look down, my hands too shaky to open it.

“It’s a trust fund.”

“Andrew…”

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