Page 20 of Rulebreaker

“Asking her out isn’t the issue,” Jade says. “It’s the fact that she said yes. For as long as I’ve known her, she doesn’t date.”

“You don’t date?” I ask her curiously. “How come?”

Briar rolls her eyes. “Everyone thinks they know my business. No, I don’t date a lot because I’m fucking busy! I’m a single mom to a four-year-old, and I have an extremely demanding job that requires a ton of time and travel. When I’m home, I’m with my daughter or the family. When do I have time to date?”

“Apparently on Thursday,” Jade quips.

“Exactly.”

“When did this happen?” Dash demands, a scowl on his face. “I mean, how long has this been going on?”

“Don’t do that.” Briar points at him. “Seriously. I am not a child. Don’t treat me like one. We’ve known each other for a while but he was dating someone. They broke up a while back and he reached out. We’re just going to dinner, okay? We’re not flying to Vegas to elope.”

“But you better call me if you do.” Jade nudges her. “Because I need to be there to stand up for you!”

“Don’t encourage her,” Dash groans.

Briar just laughs. “You guys need to mind your own business. And for the record, Lily–thisis the other reason I don’t date. These boys will give any guy I go out with the third degree.”

“Not true,” Dash protests. “To my knowledge, you’ve never gone out on a date.”

Briar smiles. “And that’s all the knowledge about my dating life you need.”

SEVEN

Atlas

I’mlike a fucking moth to a flame, unable to stop looking at her, to stop hovering, to stop slowly drifting closer and closer, heedless of the fact that I’m going to be burned to shit.

Then I hear Dash quote that stupid shit fromPride and Prejudice—he’s been obsessed with the book and movie ever since he and Willow got together.

That’s strange enough—and certainly enough for me to give him shit.

But then I hear Briar say she’s going on a date.

MyBriar.

With West McGregor no less.

The guy’s had more pussy than should be legal—does she even know what she’s getting into?

But even as I close the distance between me and the girls—without fucking running into a wall or a table or a chair that’s suddenly appeared out of nowhere—Briar lifts her hand, palm out, in my direction.

“Nope. I don’t want to hear it from Dash, and I don’t want to hear it from you, my over-protective boss or not.”

“I could fire you for that insubordination,” I threaten, though it’s half-hearted.

Because Briar knows she’s my other half.

To lose her from the business would be the definition of cutting my nose off to spite my face.

“But you won’t.”

“Want me to investigate him for you?” I ask, not really joking—something Briar knows because she lifts on tiptoe and presses her lips to my cheek. “I can unearth all of his skeletons for you.”

Her mouth hitches up. “Doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose of dating someone?”

I frown, not getting it.