Page 47 of Rules

My own memories fight to get back into my mind.

Jeanette—small and broken, lying on the ground unconscious while I held her in my arms waiting for the ambulance to come and pick her up because I didn’t see it. Because I couldn’t see the signs that my sister was breaking right in front of my eyes. Not until it was too late.

Shutting the lid to that box firmly closed, I tighten my arms around her. She’s the anchor that’s keeping me grounded. Keeping me sane.

Brook needs me. She needs somebody calm and composed, not a scared little boy, so I push those memories back and concentrate on here and now. Concentrate on her.

“Please…” she whimpers quietly, her voice breaking. “Don’t do this…”

Breaking something inside me.

Something wet falls on my hand. My brows furrow in confusion until I look down at her face and see the tears sliding down her cheeks.

She’s stopped fighting me and is now completely motionless. Resigned to whatever her brain thinks will happen next, her body curled in a fetal position, protecting itself from whatever’s hurting her.

I turn her so that I hover over her. My hand cups her cheek, thumb swiping away the tears.

“Brook, baby, wake up,” I whisper as quietly and as gently as possible. The last thing I want to do is scare her. She’s had enough of that already. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”

Nobody will hurt you, not on my watch.

But I don’t say those words out loud. I can’t make that promise, because I already did. I made that promise to my sister, and I failed her. Miserably so.

After a few more soothing strokes, her eyes finally flutter open. They’re red and puffy, her long, dark eyelashes glued together.

“Hey there…” My thumb brushes over her cheekbone, and I see her wince in pain. “What is wro—”

But I don’t finish my question because I see it. A dark purple bruise on her cheek. I open my mouth, but she stops me.

“It’s nothing.” Brook turns her head to the side so I can’t see the damaged flesh. Or maybe she’s trying to hide her tear-stained gaze? Either way, I’m not letting her run away. I’m not letting her hide.

“It obviously isn’tnothing. You have a bruise the size of Texas on your cheek, Brook. And you were having nightmares.”

She tries to get out from underneath me, but I don’t let her go. If I do, I’ll never get answers. Never find a way to help her.

“I said it’s nothing. Leave it alone.”

“It’s something, all right.”

“It was an accident,” she grits through her clenched teeth. “Happy?”

My eyes narrow as I look at her. I don’t believe her one bit. “Is that why you’re having nightmares?”

Her body shudders, yet she still lifts her chin in defiance.

Strong. That’s what Brook Taylor is. So fucking strong.

Even after reliving her nightmares, she finds the strength to face the likes of me, and tells me where to shove it.

“My nightmares don’t concern you, Sanders.”

“They do if you’re having them in my bed.”

I know this is a low blow as soon as the words get out of my mouth, but there is no taking them back now.

Green eyes narrow in fury, her lips pressing in a tight line as she shoves me away. “I’m done with this shit.”

Although she’s small, the sudden action has me sprawled on my back.

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