Page 119 of Break the Rule
“Eden,stop.”
“Look, I don’t know what Andrew told you, but nothing happened. And I meannothing. He had a bit of a crush on me, always following me around, trying to do my homework and shit. He was desperate forme. Then when I finally offered to show him a good time, he acted scared of my dick. He always was the less fun twin.”
Andrew grabs his glass of wine off the side table, downing it all in one go. It takes every ounce of self control Eden possesses not to grab the empty glass and smash it over Zach’s head.
“The fuck did you say?” Eden jumps up from the couch. “You fucking apologize to him right now.”
“What do you have a hard on for him or something? I thought you were dating Charlie? Unless there’s some kinky twin shit going down, and you’re with both of them, but I doubt that. Unless Andrew got a personality transplant. He’s too boring to be kinky.”
“Say another word about Andrew, and I’ll fucking kill you,” Eden yells, apparently loud enough to draw the attention ofCharlie, who comes running into the room with dripping wet hands and a dish towel over his shoulder. Seconds later, Jason and Emerson follow along, leaving them with an audience.
“What’s going on?” Charlie asks, clearly trying to piece the situation together.
“This guy is a raging acephobic asshole, that's what’s going on,” Eden shouts.
Anger makes his hands shake. Anger for Andrew and what he endured. Anger at people like Zach, who get away with being pieces of shit while making other people feel bad about what they like or don’t like. Anger at himself for caring so fucking much. Anger at Charlie for inviting this guy here. So much fucking anger it’s hard to breathe.
“You know what, I’m out of here, I don’t need this shit. If you decide to get rid of him, give me a call,” Zach says, all but storming out of the house.
The front door slams, the walls still echoing with his departure when Alec and Theo come running out of the hallway, half-dressed and looking worried.
“What the fuck is going on?” Alec asks, tugging his shirt down.
No one answers, all of them staring at Eden or Andrew.
“Annie?” Charlie whispers.
“It’s fine, Charlie,” Andrew tries, but judging by the hunch of his shoulders and the look in his eyes, it’s not remotely fine. “Let it go.”
Andrew drops his head into his hands, and Eden snaps.
“Fuck you for inviting that dick bag after what he did, Charlie.”
Confusion is painted across Charlie’s face. “What did he do?”
“Like you don’t fucking know,” Eden retorts.
“He didn’t know, Eden. I never told him.” Andrew sounds so sad that Eden doesn’t know what to do. Since the day he metAndrew, he’s been so in control, so calm and steady. Hearing him be anything but triggers Eden’s fight or flight.
“Fuck this,” Eden bellows, doing exactly what he promised himself he wouldn’t do this morning and heading for the door.
“Eden, wait.”
The need to escape is unbearable, and Eden ignores Charlie’s shouts as he takes off across the front yard.
“Eden.”
Judging by the frantic way Charlie calls his name, he’s following Eden, but he can’t turn around, knowing he will break if he sees Charlie’s face.
With shaking hands, he unlocks his car, starting the ignition and peeling away from the curb without looking in the rearview mirror. This is for the best. This thing with Charlie was never going to last, and it’s Eden’s fault.
Maybe everyone was right to walk away. Maybe Eden is exactly like the people who broke him growing up, only this time he’s the one breaking someone else’s heart.
Edenisdifficult. Edenishard to love.
Breaking his own heart, and maybe Charlie’s, Eden does what he’s always done best—he runs away.
20CHARLIE
