Page 42 of Unwritten Rules (The Sunburnt Hearts #1)

“No, dear, my arthritis isn’t giving me too much grief these days. Having your sister here has been life-changing, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

My brows crease into a frown as I read between the line of her words. “Why do I get the feeling there is a but you’re not saying?”

“But…” Gran drawls, setting my nerves on edge. “Mia did have a panic attack this morning.”

Ice floods my veins as my spine straightens. “She what? Is she okay? What happened?”

“It’s all right, Sin, she’s fine,” Gran says, her gentle voice trying to calm the turmoil in my chest. “I spoke with her earlier, and she’s doing much better.”

“What caused it?” I squeeze out, throat tight. “She’s been going to therapy, so I thought she was past this.”

“Well, you know my neighbour, Noah Sterling?”

“The guy who Mia is now babysitting for? Yeah, I know the one.”

“He left a coffee for her at the house this morning. You know how much she loves those iced lattes to get through the day.”

I frown, struggling to understand how Noah bringing Mia a coffee ended with her having a panic attack. “Gran, I’m not following.”

Gran exhales a long breath before saying, “She was freaking out because she wasn’t expecting Noah to do something like that for her.

To know a simple detail about her and respond in kindness.

In her eyes, the small gift was crossing into a territory she hasn’t navigated since Ryan, hence why she panicked. It was a lot for her to handle.”

I blink, processing everything Gran said. It kills me that I can’t be there to support my sister through this. I’m the best at getting her to calm down, pulling her from the depths of her mind and that dark place I don’t want to ever see her in again.

“I told her to keep her distance from him,” I rasp. “But she didn’t listen to me.”

“Mia deserves to be happy, Sin,” Gran says, voice wavering. “And I’ve known Noah for years. He’s a good man who will do right by her. If anyone can give that girl what she deserves, it’s him.”

Tatum said the same thing last week.

“I don’t know…” I run a hand through my hair, tugging at the roots. “I’m worried about her.”

“Me too, dear.” Gran exhales a slow breath, and I take this as a chance to focus on my breathing, trying to combat the storm brewing in my chest and weighing heavily on my heart.

“Mia is a strong woman. I have no doubt that with time, she will get through this. And if I know anything about Noah, he’s the anchor she needs to keep afloat. ”

“I hope you’re right,” I murmur. “I’ll talk to her, okay? Please keep me updated if anything else happens.”

“Of course, dear. And you look after yourself, too, okay? I know you shoulder a lot of pressure from your parents, but just remember that you don’t have to carry it by yourself.”

Throat thick, I nod. “Thanks, Gran.”

“Take care of yourself, darling. Talk soon.”

Bidding farewell to Gran with the promise of calling her next week, I shove my phone into my pocket, along with my ear buds, and push my hand through my hair.

Tension pulses through the muscles in my back as I tip my head to look up at the stars.

I need something to ground me before I lose my fucking mind.

Tomorrow, I’m getting Mia on the phone to find out what’s going on with her and Mr Thirty-Four Supercars driver.

Because if he thinks he can weasel his way into her life before she’s ready, he has another thing coming.

Mia is my best friend, so I will do whatever I can to protect her and her heart—no matter what.

Footsteps sound through the empty car park, falling in time with the erratic rhythm of my heart. Lowering my head, I catch sight of the one person I don’t want to see right now, much less talk to. She stalks toward me, gym bag slung over her shoulder.

“Sin,” Zoe drawls. She stops two metres from me, honey eyes roaming my face. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“What do you want?” I bite out, folding my arms over my chest. “I’m not in the mood, Zoe.”

Zoe whistles lowly. “It seems someone is in a foul mood despite the big win tonight. I thought you’d be happy.”

“And I thought you’d gotten the hint that I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”

Her jaw clenches at the jab, but I can’t find it in me to care if it upset her or not.

“Jesus, Sin, what has gotten into you?” Zoe demands, tilting her head to the side. “Something must be wrong if you’re trying to pretend you don’t want me, and then go on to ignore my texts and calls.”

“I’m not pretending,” I say through gritted teeth.

“And I’m not having this conversation with you again.

We keep going around in fucking circles, and quite frankly, I’m over it.

So, if you can’t understand the simple phrase I don’t want you , then that’s not my problem.

You need to find some other fucker to take my place because I’m done. Are we clear?”

Zoe steps forward, her hand closing the space between us to rest on my chest. Her sweet perfume invades my space, and I find myself remembering the vanilla and floral scent I have grown accustomed to.

“You don’t mean it,” she drawls seductively, dragging her bottom lip between her teeth. She bats her false eyelashes at me, and I fight the urge to shudder. “I know you still want me, Sin.”

“Get your hand off me,” I demand, my self-restraint rapidly decreasing the longer she touches me. “Now.”

“Come on.” She steps closer, her minty breath fanning across my lips. “I’m sure you remember all the fun we had together. I know I do. Which is why I know you still want this. You want me.”

“Get. Your. Hand. Off me. Now ,” I growl. “If I have to ask again, it’s going to be far from nice.”

Zoe lifts on her toes, her lips brushing mine the tiniest bit before my hands find her shoulders. Guiding her away from my body, I stare down at her with a look I can only assume represents the sizzling anger in my bones.

“That’s enough,” I strangle out, throat tight. “I need you to get the fuck out of my sight before I do something I might regret.”

Zoe stumbles back, her gym bag falling to her side. Heat burns in her honey eyes as she stares me down and straightens her spine. She refuses to be made to look weak, and I know handling her that way made her feel exactly that.

“You’re an asshole,” she spits, venom dripping from her words.

“And you’re still standing here when I told you to leave.”

Zoe huffs and flips me the bird. She spins on her heels and stalks across the parking lot, leaving me to fester in a pool of worry and fucking anger. Worry that my sister is hours away and struggling, and anger that Zoe refuses to leave me alone.

“Fuck,” I grunt, fisting my hands at my side.

I feel her before I see her, and my heart rate spikes in my chest.

“That was… intense.”

Tatum steps out of the shadows with her handbag slung over her shoulder. Even in a polo shirt and black zip-up hoodie, she’s the most beautiful person I have ever laid eyes on. Or ever will. Her hair is in loose waves over her shoulders, spiralling down her spine.

“You saw all of that?” I rasp, slumping against my car.

Tatum replaces the space Zoe greedily took from me, her scent inviting and so fucking calming. I had forgotten how to breathe when Gran told me about Mia’s panic attack, but with Tatum so close, and her voice and scent wrapping me in a tight hug, I inhale a deep breath and close my eyes.

“Most of it,” she responds with not a hint of anger or jealousy in her tone. “Are you okay?”

My eyes snap open, greeted by jade eyes peering at me through long—real—lashes. “You’re asking if I’m okay?”

Tatum nods. “You seem upset, and stressed.”

“Not upset, just annoyed,” I clarify, running a hand through my hair. “But I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” she presses, her hand finding my chest, my heart. “If you need to talk about it, I’m listening.”

I place my hand over hers, the warmth from her skin soothing away the storm rolling through me. “I’m good. Promise.”

Tatum grins. “I’m sure it’s nothing a steamy ten-minute make-out sesh in your car won’t fix.”

I choke on the saliva in my mouth, causing Tatum to laugh. Yeah, she really is too much. But in the best way possible.

“I think you might be right about that.”

Tatum smiles and steps between my legs, stealing the air from my lungs. Her hand slides to the back of my neck, tracing gentle circles into the skin. “I can trust you, right?”

My hands find a hold on her hips, chest tightening. “Why are you asking?”

“Just… because,” she murmurs, blinking up at me. “Can I?”

“Of course you can,” I murmur, tightening my grip on her. “Can I trust you?”

She nods without hesitation. “Absolutely.”

The scary thing is, I believe her. Every emotion she makes me feel and how my body reacts to her…

It’s overwhelming at the best of times, but when it’s just us with nothing but the open road ahead and the music seeping into our veins, I have never felt safer with a woman—someone I can be myself with. And it’s fucking terrifying.

“Then let’s stop wasting time, strawberry. The backseat of my car is calling our names.”

Tatum giggles when I attach my lips to the base of her throat, teasing the skin as I blindly reach for the handle of the door.

I’m going to savour every moment I get with her because deep in my soul, I know this isn’t going to last. The forces determined to keep us apart will overpower us soon enough, and I’ll have no choice but to let her go.

And until then, I’m going to commit every inch of Tatum to memory so I never forget her.