Rules Of Our Own (Rule Breaker Series Book 3)
Rules Of Our Own: Chapter 7

FUCK ME. I wish I’d been the one to go back for that speaker. I still have a semi just from River describing Mia playing with herself. I know he loves that she’s into toys just as much as I do. Falling asleep to the sound of her breathing was something else. It’s more than being horny—there’s an overall comfort I don’t dare to name. I knew I was gone for her in university, but after three years, I didn’t expect just being near her to have me so fucking undone. Because that’s exactly what I am. A walking fucking disaster of hormones and emotions, bubbling to the surface. I’m not sure I’m going to survive this weekend if I can’t get her in my arms. I’m also not sure I can get her under me and let her go. Again.

The first time had been like a knife to the gut, and I had no choice in it. This time, I know exactly what I’m walking into, and I can’t fucking stop myself.

I walk around the path between the resort buildings and spot where the crew is set up. Jax, Sidney, Lucas, and Piper have already staked out a large area by the pool. They have their own gazebo and sitting area, no doubt costing a fortune. Even in a high-end resort, I’ve seen people snap photos of us. Hockey players aren’t as famous in the States, but that doesn’t mean people don’t notice.

I approach them from behind, a cold beer already in hand, and pause just in time to hear their conversation.

“She’s staying. Finally gave up finding another room.” Sidney’s voice travels to me easily from where she sits on a wide seat meant for one, curled up into Jax’s side with her legs over his.

“Who’s staying, Trouble?” Jax hands her a cool drink, and she rests her back against his chest, leaning her head onto his shoulder and settling into him before smiling at Piper across from her.

“Mia’s staying in the villa. She’s finally given up harassing the front desk to find another room.”

“You mean the villa with River and Alex?” Jax laughs. “I should’ve known that it was the two of you.”

Lucas tips Piper’s chin up. “What did you two do?”

“I mean. I didn’t do anything. The resort must have messed up with their rooms. I definitely didn’t accidentally on purpose put them all in the same villa.” She can’t contain her grin, and neither can Sidney.

He holds his soon-to-be wife’s jaw in his hands and arches a brow at her before a smile of his own cracks across his face. “How much did that cost me.”

She shrugs. “Enough.”

You’d think that would piss Lucas off, but if anything, his expression turns soft, like he’s impressed with her.

“Just hope that it doesn’t come back and bite you in the ass. There’s history there,” Jax adds while wrapping a strand of Sidney’s hair around his finger before letting it go, only to do it again.

“Oh, come on. There’s almost history there.” Piper scoffs. “Those three are in desperate need of an intervention.”

“By forcing them to stay together?” Lucas asks.

Piper blinks her blue eyes at him, and all of his focus is on her. Her voice is soft when she says, “You mean conspire to have your two best friends bang our bestie, preferably at the same time?”

He groans and drops his forehead to hers. “You said that entirely too innocently.”

She shrugs. “Someone had to do it.” She holds up her glass to Sidney, and they cheers. From what Jax has told me, while Piper and Mia were friendly senior year, they didn’t get close until they started working together on the Prosthetics For Kids charity.

“All I know for sure is they were inseparable one night, then Alex showed up with a black eye the next day. Mia admitted to me that she fell for them both and refused to make them choose.”

My breath catches in my chest as Sidney’s words slam into me. Of course, I knew there was something special between Mia, River, and me, but hearing her confirm Mia’s feelings is like a fucking blow to the chest. I’m not sure if it’s excitement or devastation of the lost opportunity.

Sidney continues. “So she cut all ties and never spoke to them after that.”

“There’s only the one bed and the pullout couch. Who do you think’s on the couch?” Piper asks curiously.

Lucas cut in. “I’d bet all my money it’s Mia in the bed and River and Alex on the pullout.”

“Is there something between them?” Sidney asks.

Even though we’re all closer now, she doesn’t know us the way Jax, Lucas, and Piper do.

“If you mean a fuckload of pent-up tension, then yes. If you mean has it gone any further than that, no. River’s bi, but if Alex is, he’s never done anything about it,” replies Lucas.

I’m not ready to examine whatever’s going on between River and me, but something is going on. I can’t lie to myself and pretend I haven’t noticed the slow build of something I haven’t named yet building between us. Not that I plan to act on it.

I clear my throat, announcing my presence. The group jolts, and they at least have the decency to look embarrassed for being caught gossiping about us.

I take a seat between both couples, polish off the rest of my drink, and accept another from Jax.

“You ready for us to kick your ass next year?” Jax asks, a fucking smirk on his face. The fucker is one of the most competitive people I know. It’s a miracle he found someone so perfectly matched in Sidney.

“You talk a lot of shit for someone who plays for a team who hasn’t won the cup for a century,” Lucas replies, and I laugh, some of the tension loosening from my shoulders.

“Yeah, but now they have me.” I can practically hear Jax’s grin.

Lucas rubs his hand down his face. “Cocky bastard.”

I snorted, fucking loving all of this. There’s a comfortableness when I’m with them. Something I hadn’t felt before…before meeting River. Where the hell is he?

Jax relaxes into his chair, bringing Sidney back with him. “Okay, dickwad.”

Piper busts out laughing. It was her favorite insult since they were kids, and Lucas hated it.

“Oh, you think that’s funny, Killer.” Lucas drops his face into the crook of Piper’s neck and snarls. Her mouth snaps closed, and her hands tighten on his thighs.

Lucas carries on like he isn’t groping his girl in public.

“You guys are gross.”

Jax chokes on a laugh. “Just wait. This will be you soon.”

A thrill shoots down my spine as my mind conjures an image of Mia sprawled over me while we all hang out together. I shake my head. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

All four of them look at me like they know more than I do. Like, they’re just waiting for my dumb ass to catch up.

River saves me from responding by dropping down in the free spot across from me.

“What are you talking about?” he asks. He’s always been less quiet with us than with anyone else.

“Nothing,” I force out, trying to be casual, but the way his right brow raises, I know I failed miserably.

“Okay.” He tilts his head, drawing out the word. We’ve known each other since we were thirteen, playing for the same AAA team, and he’s always been able to read me like a book. Back then, he was the only one to notice my family didn’t come to my games.

Now that I think of it, it’s probably when we started to treat each other more like family than friends. River’s parents weren’t around either. He didn’t live with them, and they didn’t bother making the few-hour drive to watch him play.

My phone buzzes, and I roll my eyes at the article my mom sent. Some new achievement my brother’s done. It’s not that I’m not proud of him, because I am. We might not be close, but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect the shit out of what he’s done for the scientific research community.

No, what fucking stings is the only thing that’s ever impressed my parents is being intellectual, and I’ve always been just a jock to them. Fuck. Making the NHL barely deserved a call from them.

River watches me, and the muscle in his jaw ticks. I can tell he wants to ask, but he won’t. He knows not to push it. That I’d rather pretend my parents weren’t dicks than admit it bothers me.

“Heads up.” River tosses me a new beer, and I catch it easily. He searches my face, and I give him a faint nod, letting him know I’m fine.

The group’s silent, heads bouncing back between River and me like they’re trying to decipher our silent conversation.

I plaster on a smile and tell a joke to divert the conversation like I always do. Being the funny one is just as much of a defense mechanism as it is a part of my personality. “Pips, I can’t believe you’re marrying this asshole. It’s still not too late to run away with me.”

“Say it again, I dare you.” Lucas growls, pulling a laugh from me. I love fucking with him.

I ignore River’s hot stare, tired of him reading my mind, and stand, pulling my shirt over my head with one hand. “It’s too fucking hot. I’m jumping in.”

I don’t wait for anyone else before executing a perfect dive into the crisp liquid, letting it cool my heated skin. I stay down until my lungs burn and I have to fight against the need to take a breath before swimming to the shallow side and surfacing. The water hits just below my waist, and the warm sun already heats my exposed skin. I shake out my hair, then rake my fingers through it, pushing it off my face. River’s sitting shirtless on the edge, feet dangling in the water, watching me.

Heat floods me, and I swallow hard, wondering if he can read all of my secrets.

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