Hurt flashes in her gaze. She knows that’s my way of asking her to look past this Kendrick thing.
“Will,” she whimpers, but I don’t want to hear the rest. I’d rather go deaf than hear what she says next.
She’s going to leave me.
I know it.
I feel it.
“Remember that favor you owed me?” I croak.
She blinks at me, perplexed.
“That time forever ago when you asked me to crash your date with that rapist dude Simon? I said you’d owe me a favor.”
She nods.
My eyes burn with unwelcomed emotions. Shit, am I… tearing up? What the hell has this girl done to me?
“Well, this is it. Right here. I’m calling it in.” I cup her face, choking on my plea. “I need you to fucking stay.”
My request sends gallons of tears pouring down her cheeks. They fall hard and fast, yielding me a sliver of hope. This could either be a good sign… or the worst sign in the world. I hold my breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Finally, she answers my first question with a sob. “No, it’s not enough.”
There’s the other shoe.
It feels like my goddamn heart is trying to claw its way out of my rib cage. Trying to run. To escape before it comes.
The end.
“You were right. Maybe we shouldn’t tell him. Maybe…” She sniffles. “Maybe there should be nothing to tell.”
“What? No. Fuck no. Don’t say that.” I clench my teeth together to keep the pain at bay.
She wipes her face. “I don’t want a secret relationship. I’ve been there before, and I promised myself I’d never let it happen again, and I…” Sniffle. “I can’t be your secret, Will. No matter how much I love you, I can’t do this to myself. I’m sorry.”
“What are you saying?” My voice gets stuck in my throat.
“I’m saying…” She’s shaking, her body howling with sobs. “I’m saying it’s over.”
Then she takes her heart and walks away.
Just like that.
I watch her give up on me.
And take it all in. Every scenario, every bit of what my life is going to look like without her. I picture us never speaking again. Imagine things going back to the way they were. Before. Back when she was nothing but my best friend’s controlling sister. Then I realize I don’t have a choice.
And if I do have a choice…
I choose her.
“Go get him,” I command.
She stops cold, gaping at me over her shoulder.
“W-What?”
I make my way over to her.
“Go get your brother. We’re telling him. Now.”
She’s shocked, keeping quiet for an excruciating while.
“R-Really?” She cries harder.
I nod.
“I don’t care what I have to do. I’m not losing you.”
I’ve never, in the many years I’ve known her, seen her look this happy. She flings her arms around my neck, planting a salty, tear-soaked kiss on my lips. I pull her into me, relishing in every second. Usually, she’d take my breath away, but right now… her kiss feels like CPR. It lets me breathe again. Fills my lungs with missing air.
“God, I love you,” she cries.
“I love you, control freak,” I say, and she laughs through the tears.
“Are we really doing this? I mean… are you sure?”
“As sure as I’ll ever be.”
“Okay, I’ll go get him.” She squeals and pecks my mouth. “Stay here.”
She takes off running toward the house. The moment it engulfs her, I feel relieved.
Free.
I haven’t even told Kendrick yet, but knowing this will all be over soon is the equivalent of getting out of jail—except I chose to step inside the cell. And I was holding the key this whole time.
Fifteen minutes go by.
Not that I’m surprised. Might take her a while to find Kendrick in there. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s somewhere upstairs getting someone pregnant. My phone chimes with a text from Kass.
Control freak: Found him. On our way now.
Just as I’m typing a reply, a laugh flares behind me.
“Seriously? Your best friend’s sister? You haven’t changed at all, have you?”
I stop moving.
Breathing.
Doing anything that requires functioning like a human being.
That croaky, honeyed voice…
I know it.
I swivel around, my throat feeling clogged when I drink in the ghost staring back at me. I saw that pink shirt earlier tonight. My eyes dip to her necklace. To the name written in gold.
Mia.
What the fuck?
“Are you going to say something or…?” she mocks.
One second.
That’s all it takes to send me back there. A single second and I’m reliving the worst day of my life. Back to suffocating. Gasping for air in a burning building. Praying the truth about what really happened that day will die along with me.
But I can’t run anymore.
Because behind me,
Is the girl I killed…
“Lyla?”
Thank you so much for reading Forgotten Rules.
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Also by Eliah Greenwood
BINGE THE RULES TRILOGY NOW!
Unwritten Rules (Haze & Winter, Book 1 in the Rules series)
Unspoken Rules (Haze & Winter, Book 2 in the Rules series)
Unbroken Rules (Haze & Winter, Book 3 in the Rules series)
Forsaken Rules (Will & Kass, Book 5 in the Rules series) Available 2020-2021
Acknowledgments
Oh, boy, where do I start? I’ve never been good at these things.
First and foremost, I want to thank Amanda Anderson (@allaboutthatromance) for literally showing me how to do this indie thing right. You’re ALWAYS there to answer my questions (let’s be honest, many of them are dumb), the very first to shout about my books and, most importantly, you’re a great friend. This release wouldn’t be what it is without you. Love you, girl.
To the talented Alexis Brooke Clark (@so.picture.this on Instagram), thank you so much for giving me the perfect cover and bringing my vision
