Page 62 of Rulebreaker

“He’s a good guy.” Dash’s words are true but ground out.

I nod. “We can all still want to kill him though.”

Our gazes connect again, and we nod, perfectly in sync.

West may be that good guy.

But if he hurts Briar, he’ll be in for a world of pain.

“You’re sulking,”Briar says after everyone else has gone home and Frankie is asleep.

“I’m not,” I mutter as I rinse the last of the wine glasses and pass them over to her.

She sets them on the dish rack so they can dry then wipes her hands on a towel. “You so are.”

“I’mnot.”

“You know that I’m the younger sister”—she leans back against the sink beside me—“which means I can do this I’m-not-you-are nonsense all day.”

“I’m not sulking,” I say, snagging the towel and wiping my own hands. “I just miss Lily. We’re both frustrated at the distance and want more.” I shrug at her expression–a mixture of shock and happiness–and get back to the point at hand. “I can still focus on other things, though.”

“Like background checking my boyfriend?” she asks archly.

I shrug. “Nah,thatI delegated. I just read the report. But you looking happy?” I say before she can unleash the snark again. “I’m glad for that, kid. Truly. Evenifhe’s a hockey player.”

“Why do you all keep saying that? You were hockey players in college!” she protests, shoving my shoulder.

“Precisely,” I say, wrapping my arm around her neck and giving her a noogie that has her shoving me away. Or trying to. “Which means I know exactly who it is that you’re dating–ow!”I jump away from the fingers digging into my side and put some distance between us so she can’t pinch me again.

“I like West.”

I open my mouth to keep on teasing her, but there’s a flicker of something in her eyes that gives me pause. “Why do I feel like there’s abutcoming,” I say quietly.

She jerks, that flicker growing before she looks away. “There’s no but.” A shrug.

“Except, he’s not Frankie’s dad.”

She jerks again and I know my instincts have won out again when she looks at me, mouth falling open. “Atlas,” she begins.

“I’m not pushing,” I say. “But I’ve also not missed that this is the first time you’ve been withsomeone since you had Frankie. That has to have brought up some big feelings for you.”

She wrinkles her nose and blows out a breath. “Why are you being logical?”

“That’s who I am.”

Her mouth quirks. “That’s notallyou are–at least according to Lily.”

That feels good–I can’t lie. But I don’t let her distract me. “Do you want me to find him for you?” I ask quietly.

“I know where West lives, Atlas, but thanks,” she says dryly.

I tug at her ponytail. “You know who I mean, Thorny.”

Her face goes blank and she looks away again. But doesn’t reply.

And when the silence reaches a breaking point. “It wouldn’t be hard, Bri. I promise. I could?—”

She turns to face me. “I know you could find him.”