Page 43 of Hate Game

“What for? She’s dead and has been for ten years.”

“It doesn’t matter. Stop at the market.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Fuck, she’s bossy. And I’m digging it.

We stop at the market and purchase a bouquet. I park the GT-R at the cemetery and, getting out, I instruct Rue to stay in the car. I’m a disappointment to my parents, but it doesn’t mean I ignore how they raised me.

I open the car door and extend my hand to her. She takes it, and I am in awe of how small her hand is in mine and how fragile her fingers and wrist bones are compared to my thick fingers and sizeable knuckles that can split someone’s lip open with one hard punch.

I take her hand. The air is chilly, but the sun is out, and there is a comfortable silence between us. Rue slips her hand out of mine, and, hugging my arm, she leans into me.

She doesn’t have a jacket on. I pull my hoodie over my head and put it on her. It’s so big that she’s swimming in it, but damn she is smoking hot wearing my favorite black hoodie.

She glances up at me and smiles. “Thank you.”

The sun shines through the gaps in the trees, bringing out the blue in her inky hair. Her brown eyes shine, reminding me of a drop of rain on a leaf changing colors in fall. Rue is beautiful.

This sense of peace settles over me. It's something I haven’t felt in a long time. I go with the flow and pull her into my arms. I bury my face in her hair and inhale. Rue smells good—sweet and airy. Jesus, I could stay like this for a lifetime.

“I’ve known Isaac since I was fourteen.”

What she said brings me back to reality and how little I know of the new Rue Lee. “Four years and you two are comfortable enough he has you in his bedroom with his arms around you? Did he give you that?” I gesture at the ring on her ring finger.

“No. He and I aren’t like that. We’re friends.”

“Like Red is yourfriend?” I put her at arm’s length and glower. When will I be fine with her having guy friends? When will I trust her for her word? Yet, I am the one who asked for a do-over. I apologize for being a jerk.

“Apology accepted.” She smiles, and I smile back, liking this apologizing stuff I’m doing. I give her my arm. She loops her arm through mine again, and we start walking to my Nana’s gravesite.

“Isaac has treated me like I’m his little sister ever since I saved his life.”

“Hold up. He’s the one that owes you?”

“Yes.”

“What’d you do?”

“I went for a swim in the lake. Guys I’ve never seen in town were beating up on him. They threw him over the cliff and left. I saw him struggling and went in after him. He thought I was one of them and swung at me.” She shakes her head. “He only stopped when he realized his clothes weighed him down, and he would drown if we didn’t do something quickly. He had on this bulky jacket. I helped him out of it and the rest of his clothes and hauled his butt onto the bank.”

“As big as he is, that must’ve been tough.” I ignore the part about Isaac’s nakedness and that Rue saw another guy’s dick prior to seeing mine.

“It was,” she admitted. “But I couldn’t be a disappointment and let someone die. Not when I can swim in my sleep.”

“You’re good people, Rue.” We walk by several gravesites. We’re almost to my Nana’s.

“I’m not. It’s common decency to be there when someone is in need.”

Does that mean my parents aren’t decent people? Then neither is Rue’s mom. And who and where the hell is her father? Wherever my dad goes, at least he comes back. It hits me hard. My parents come back, but Rue’s haven’t.

“We’re here.” We stop at a headstone with an angel and a cross on either side of my Nana’s name. “She’s buried next to my great-grandfather.”

“How romantic.”

“It’s more tradition than romance.”

“Stop raining on my parade.” Rue pouts then smiles that lopsided smile of hers.

She’s adorable as fuck. I take her hand in mine and rub out the cold as best as I can while she’s holding onto the bouquet.

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