Page 133 of Unspoken Rules (Rules 2)

“Yeah, but you won’t use it. You don’t have Daddy’s money to save your ass. I, on the other hand…”

On their faces is pure and undeniable defeat. They know he’s right. Whatever they have against him, he can find worse, and he’ll always come out unscathed on the other side. They can’t take him on. They’d most likely end up behind bars, but Haze… his parents would get him the most expensive lawyers just to save their company.

“If I find out that even just one

of you is plotting against me, I’ll have everyone’s dirty little secrets sent to the police in a heartbeat, you got it?”

No answer.

“Did you fucking get it, yes or no?” he snarls.

Frustrated, they nod.

Haze places a hand on my back, applies pressure to get me to start walking, and opens the unknown car door for me. I quickly climb onto the leather seats. Next thing I know, we’re driving down the street and watching Haze’s old life disappear in the rearview mirror.

“Please talk to me,” Haze begs, squeezing my thigh with his hand. I’m speechless from everything he’s just told me. Ryan may be a psychopath, but he wasn’t lying about Haze staying away to keep me safe. Apparently, they even sabotaged his car so that he couldn’t come to my rescue if he found out about their plan. We’re in some guy called Trevor’s car. “I wanted to tell you, I really did, but I couldn’t. I had to play perfect leader for a week to get them off my back. I thought I was protecting you. Even if it turns out the bastards knew all along. Don’t be mad.”

I inhale and take my hand to his.

“How could I be mad?”

He gave up the only thing that made him feel better after his sister’s death. He quit fighting when he’s been training his whole life. He didn’t even hesitate.

“You didn’t have to give it all up for me, you know.”

“Yes, I did,” he says. “They were basically asking me to choose between the fights and your life, Winter. That wasn’t an option.”

“You could’ve just never seen me again.”

“Like I said…” He interlaces our fingers. “Not an option.”

I flush.

He clears his throat. “I think it’s for the best anyway. I realized that maybe… I don’t want this life anymore.”

“Why not? What happened?” I say softly.

He turns to look at me at a red light.

“You happened.”

My stomach turns into a fuzzy mess.

There he goes again with his damn swoony lines. Do they come naturally to him, or does he rehearse?

“You know you could’ve just told me you couldn’t see me for a week, jerk,” I say, ignoring the heating up of my cheeks.

“It had to be believable, prude,” he teases.

“Trust me, it was. I really thought we were done.”

He starts laughing.

“What’s so funny?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Nothing, it’s just cute.”

“Cute? What’s cute?”