Page 42 of Rules

Yeah, right.

Laughter erupts out of my belly. “You or is it the mysterious John?” Not that it’s either of them, but I decide to humor her. I’ve been taking care of myself for so long I’ve forgotten what it feels like to have somebody care for me.

“Which one is it,Mom?” I taunt.

We rarely talk, mostly making a point to avoid each other as much as possible. I stay out of the house—school, Lia’s, work—it doesn’t matter as long as I’m not here, but even when I am, I lock myself in my room and don’t come out unless absolutely necessary. It’s the same old game we’ve been playing for years. Ever since… I try to swallow past the lump in my throat as memories I’ve locked away try to come out, but I shove them back down without any mercy.

“What do you know about John?” Her glossy eyes narrow at me as she takes a gulp out of her glass, drinking vodka like it’s water.

“Besides the fact that you’ve got something on the guy and want money to keep quiet? Not much.” I observe her carefully, waiting for any slip that will reveal something more. “What do you have on him, Josephine? Or is it all just a bluff?”

Dark, glassy eyes harden as she looks at me.

“Stay out of it, Brook!” She lifts her bony finger and shoves it into my chest so hard I’m sure it’ll leave a bruise. “This has nothing to do with you.”

“Nothing to do with me? You’re the one bringing the guy here! You’re…” But I don’t get to finish because her palm connects with my cheek, making my head snap with the motion.

The familiar sting spreads through one side of my face, blood rushing to the surface and coloring my skin. Licking my dry lip, I taste a light metallic flavor on my tongue.

“You don’t get to judge me, little girl,” she hisses. Her hand grips my hair as she pulls my head to the side, hazy eyes staring at me. “You haven’t seen or heard anything. If I hear you even mention his name, you’ll be sorry.”

With those words, she turns around like nothing happened and goes back to her day drinking.

My hand touches my cheek, feeling the warmth radiating underneath my touch. Anger and shame burn inside me as I work my jaw, swallowing the hiss in pain. I could already feel the bruise forming.

Whatever was happening with this John dude had to be important or else she wouldn’t be so secretive about it. And I’ll find out what it is. But for now, I have to get out of here if I don’t want to be tempted to strangle her.

* * *

I gulp down, the queasy feeling in my stomach growing with each passing second, but force myself to press the doorbell regardless. The sound echoes inside the mansion, dulled by the heavy downpour outside.

When I grabbed my things and rushed out of the apartment, the last thing I expected was rain. I probably would have noticed it if I hadn’t been angry at Josephine for slapping me while at the same time pondering all the possible connections she could have to the mystery John, but even if I had noticed it, it wouldn’t have stopped me from leaving. I needed space. I needed to breathe fresh air so I could clear my mind and think.

Only when I got outside did I realize it was raining and I didn’t have a destination in mind. At first, I thought I’d go to Lia’s. That’s what I’d usually do, but then, halfway to her house, I remembered she mentioned going to Derek’s to look after him since both his parents were working the night shift. If I showed up, looking like this, wet and with a bruise on my face, she’d cancel and that was the last thing I wanted.

The door opens, pulling me out of my mind.

“What are you doing here?” Jeanette’s stormy eyes take me in from head to toe, noticing everything from my wet, tangled hair to the soaked clothes plastered to my trembling body.

It’s the middle of November, and it’s getting colder every day. Soon the snow will start to fall and it’ll be full-on Michigan winter. For now, the weather is still bearable. Well, as long as you don’t end up in the rain without an umbrella and are forced to walk around until you finally decide on your destination.

This was a mistake.

It’s not like you had any other option, now did you?

I shift my weight from one leg to the other, feeling uncomfortable but not wanting to show it.

“This was a mistake.” I say out loud the words I was thinking seconds ago. Shaking my head, I turn to leave.

This was the last place I ever thought I’d end up willingly. My relationship with the Sanders twins is complicated at best, but this was the only place that came to my mind when I was wandering the streets. It’s not like I had many friends to choose from.

A hand wraps around my wrist, stopping me just as thunder strikes. “Get inside, Brook.” She opens the door wider, her gesture a complete opposite to her sharp tone.

I turn around, startled by her determined voice, and we stare at each other for a while. I don’t know what she’s thinking. No matter how hard I tried, I could never figure out the Sanders twins. Yes, I could see through the mask they wear for the world to see, but I wasn’t quite sure what was hiding beneath it.

I know I should turn around and find some other place to stay, maybe even go home, but something on her stubborn face makes me turn around and enter the house.

It’s quiet inside, dim light illuminating the spacious hallway.

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