Page 122 of Unwritten Rules

She took a swig of it, hissing with the intensity of the burn. “Is this straight alcohol?”

“I told him to make it strong. He must have made me the Lucifer special,” I said, throwing the rest of the drink down and holding up my cup, signaling another round.

She eyed me up and down, crossing her arms and tapping her pitchfork to her shoulder. “Uh, did something happen that I don’t know about?”

Letting out a breath of frustration, I gave her a defeated look. “I’m just tired of feeling a hundred steps behind others. Getting kicked down the stairs to the reality of everything has been jarring. I learned some new info on ourfriend,Brent, and my trust levels are low. Being involved in certain things feels against my moral code.”

My eyes grazed back over to the team when I caught his name on the back of his jersey. Of course he worethatmask. I shook my head as Kelly rubbed my arm trying to comfort me in my mental anguish. “Things are complicated,” she cooed, “but things will be good. I’m here with you, and I’m not going anywhere. Our friendship is real and as solid as bedrock—or diamonds or something. It’s unbreakable and I’m sorry this has been happening. If I could change anything...”

I grabbed her hand and squeezed it, feeling temporarily comforted by her touch. She was my best friend in the whole world. Secrets or not. “Love you,” I said, kissing the back of her hand.

“Then let’s party!” She raised her drink in a mock toast before taking a long swig of it. I followed suit, downing the rest and tossing it to the bar. The alcohol was warm as it slid down my throat, quickly fusing with the beat of the music that thudded through the house, shaking the walls and vibrating under my heels.

I let out a heavy breath, forcing a smile as Kelly pulled me onto the dance floor.

Just for tonight. Forget about everything for a little while.

I pushed the creeping anxiety down, forcing it to fade—even for just a few hours. I focused on the warm hum of alcohol seeping into my veins and thumping music around me.

Kelly grabbed my hand and spun me around as onlookers watched the devil twins getting lost in the moment in a crowd of dancing bodies. The beat wrapped around everyone, the fog machines making a thick haze across the room. I focused on the beats to ground my heart and forced my nerves to play pretend.

But then I saw him.

A baseball uniform wearing figure at the edge of the crowd, semi-hidden behind a group of dancing students. A girl desperately trying to get his attention. His face was fully pointed in my direction hidden behind the bloodied ghost mask.

For a moment, I felt the old paranoia creeping back in. The doubts. The uncertainty. But I bundled it back up and shoved it down. I wasn’t going to let him get in my head.

Tonight was about feeling normal for once in the chaos that erupted around me like a volcano.

He stepped forward, fixated on me as he parted through the crowd. The air became thicker than the fog with tension as he made his way closer to me. I tried to pretend I didn’t notice by twirling with Kelly and swaying to the beat. I knew he could feel my pulse quickening with each step he took in my direction, how my skin tingled with awareness of him.

I couldn’t escape him.

He was behind me, close enough that I could feel the heat of his body. Those hands of his hovered over my hips, teasing me with his presence. Even covered by a mask I could see the coy grin playing on his lips. I fought an arch in my back as I caught my breath in my throat, he brought the mask dangerously close, grazing my ear.

“Dance with me,” he had a low sultry tone, commanding a dance with me.

I couldn’t say anything—I didn’t trust the adrenaline in my veins. I let him move closer, his hands snaking low on my hips in a firm grip, our bodies synching up. I felt the magnetic pull between us once more, just like it was when he was in my bedroom.

The scent of him—a mix of leather, smoke, and something uniquely Brent—filled my senses. Despite everything, I couldn't help but lean into it. I hated myself for it, wanting to tell him no.

I hated how easily he affected me. How easily he made me forget the darkness with a single touch or the way he gripped my hips.

“Why are you doing this?” I whispered low enough so only the two of us could hear. It was heavier in meaning. Why me? Why did I get dragged into this mess? Why did he make me feel things I didn’t want to?

His hands dragged upwards, grazing across my stomach as we swayed. I fought back a shiver from his touch, the feeling of his body on mine, the way his hands moved on my naked body clear as day in my mind. “I can’t help myself with you, Blondie.”

I let him sway with me a moment longer, feeling the blissful buzz of the alcohol shoo away my clarity of mind.

But reality had other plans.

“I got your message,” he breathed, low and soothing while his hands roamed my body to the rhythm of the music. “Want to chat by the bar?”

Yes, get me out of here. I nodded before he took my hand and led me from the group of moving bodies to a more secluded spot. Kelly was still having a blast, feeling herself on the dance floor, and letting her inhibitions fall away.

“There’s some really screwed up crap happening,” I groaned when he brought me to a corner void of people. His body closed in on me, one hand going to the wall as he grazed the other up my side.

His breathing was heavy behind the mask, his chest rising and falling from dancing a while. “Before we get into it, I want to let you know that you look so fucking incredible. God...” his voice was so low, almost possessive while he searched for words. “You are an absolutely stunning woman.”

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