Page 66 of The Rules

Her fingers flew over the keyboard before she could second-guess the choice.

Hey. I'm sorry for scaring you. I ran into Joshua—he's walking me home. He'll stay with me for a while, don't worry.

Send.

She stared at the message for a heartbeat, the guilt pressing heavy against her heart. Then the phone disappeared back into her bag like a secret too sharp to hold.

Joshua said something soft beside her, a joke maybe.

She didn’t hear it.

She just kept walking.

Allowed herself to be led, her body still reeling from the adrenaline and the fear that hadn’t quite let go.

He felt safe, arms had offered comfort she hadn’t even known she needed—until she had it.

But that comfort came at a cost. And Ben had paid it.

In silence. In absence. In a call that never got closure.

She hadn’t meant to betray anything. Hadn’t meant for it tofeellike betrayal.

And yet, the weight of it lodged in her chest like something left unsaid. Like a thread pulled too tight.

Kath forced the thoughts down—one step, then another.

Let Joshua guide.

No looking back. No second-guessing. Not tonight.

Just get home.

Just breathe.

???

Katherine stepped into her apartment, the door closing behind her with a soft click. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if seeking a protective embrace, a barrier against the lingering fear that had taken root deep within her.

The silence that typically provided a sense of comfort and familiarity now felt oppressive, suffocating. She knew she was safe, her mind understood that rationally, but her body hadn't caught up. The adrenaline still coursed through her veins, heart pounding against her ribcage, echoing the footsteps that had haunted her mere moments ago.

Joshua’s presence settled into the room without fanfare.

He stood by the door, jacket already discarded, as if he belonged there—as if this space somehow recognized him.

It didn’t feel like an intrusion. It felt steady. Grounded.

A quiet constant in the middle of everything unraveling inside her.

He spoke gently, voice low and cautious, like approaching something fragile.

"You okay?"

Kath forced a smile—one that felt tight, strained. "Yeah. Thanks for walking me home." The lie slipped from her lips with ease, a reflex born out of the need to appear strong, to maintain control.

But Joshua didn't buy it. She knew he could see right through her flimsy facade, his gaze piercing.

Joshua stepped into the space between, his movements deliberate, expression serious. "I don't have anywhere to be tonight."