Page 146 of Unspoken Rules (Rules 2)

I’m about to kiss him when the sound of someone repeatedly hitting a cocktail glass with a spoon rings out in the room.

“May I have everyone’s attention, please?”

We look up to see who’s talking.

Tanner.

He’s standing on top of the massive spiral staircase built in the center of the room. We haven’t seen him once in the few hours that we’ve been here. We haven’t seen much of the East side either. Last I remember, Will was off talking to some blonde and Kendrick was eating his body weight in food somewhere. I almost forgot about his announcement.

“First, on behalf of my wonderful parents, I’d like to say that we are incredibly happy that you could all make it tonight.” He smiles. When the guys said Tanner invited them earlier, I saw the tiniest light glow in Haze’s eyes. It was a short, fleeting moment of hope. Even after what Tanner did, Haze would still like to believe his brother can be redeemed. I grab his hand and intertwine our fingers to show him my support.

“As you all know, we are gathered here tonight to support my dear mother’s new clothing collection. But before we proceed with her speech, I have a big announcement to make.”

Haze doesn’t seem to realize how tight he is squeezing my hand, but I don’t budge one bit and let him drain the blood out of my fingers. He needs it.

“Maybe some of you don’t know, but I’m the eldest son. I’m twenty-two. And I feel like the time has come for me to start building a life for myself by pursing the Adams legacy.”

A heavy hush descends over the reception room, the chatters and whispers dying down abruptly.

“My father once told me, the son who married first would become the legal heir of Adams Inc.”

Haze’s jaw drops.

“And so, it is my pleasure to tell you that I have found the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.” He clears his throat. “This woman and I go way back, and even though we lost our ways when we were younger, we’ve recently found each other again. Honey, come join me,” he says to someone on the second floor. We can’t see them from where we are.

Then it happens.

She walks down the stairs, and I immediately want to stick the collapsing pieces of Haze’s heart back together.

“Everyone, meet my wife, Riley Evans.”

Color drains from Haze’s face as his brother cuts the very last thread still holding their relationship together. As he daggers him right in the back. As he shoots the final bullet.

The bullet Haze will never heal from…

Nothing makes sense. Tanner and Riley? When? How? Where did this even come from?

“But that’s not all,” Tanner adds.

Riley climbs back up the stairs for a second, and joins Tanner again, but this time… she’s holding the familiar angel that I’ve grown to love even through the hell Haze and I went through. One second is enough.

Everything falls into place.

Every lie finds its truth…

“This is our son, Jacob.”

31

Flames And Revenge

Tanner’s eyes haven’t moved. They’re stuck on Haze. He’s staring. He’s waiting for a reaction, for Haze to break something—everything. And I know I’d be lying if I said that I’m not waiting, too. Haze hasn’t moved a muscle. Or spoken. Not once. He’s in shock.

“Haze.” I call his name because, frankly, it’s all I can do. I want him to look at me. Just me. I want him to know how sorry I am, even though sorry doesn’t come close to scratching the surface of how I’m feeling right now.

Only Kendrick understands how bad this is. Will is completely clueless. My eyes meet Richard’s for a second. He’s not surprised. I think he knew. I always said that Jacob had to come from the Adamses. I was right. He did. Just not from the Adams we thought…

“Get him out of here,” Kendrick tells me, and if he thinks Haze is about to lose it, he won’t have to ask me twice. I turn to my boyfriend, who seems to be in some sort of a trance. He’s fighting every nerve in his body not to explode.