Page 56 of Broken Rules
She quickly wipes under her eyes, then stands, walking toward her duffle bag. “I need to pack.”
My stomach drops from her first attempt at distancing herself, hating the wall she’s building when all I want to do is hold her close. Standing, I stroll toward her while pocketing the ring, and she doesn’t look at me as I kiss her temple, then leave the room.
* * *
The truth is, there’s no leaving Sin City the same person you were going in, and for me, I’m not the same man I was yesterday—hell, a month ago. I understand why Evie’s pulling away. We’ve barely had the time to get to know one another, and it hurts that we can’t. I want to shout from the rooftops what happened in Vegas because I can see a future with Evie, but her hesitance, the uncertainty in her beautiful brown eyes, says it all.
She won’t.
We must forget we ever shared vows, that our marriage can’t be, our actions are nothing more than a mistake, but the truth is… I’ve fallen in love with a woman who doesn’t want to fall in love. Palming Evie’s ring in my hand, I close my eyes, hoping one day I’ll be able to glide it back onto her finger, to proclaim my love to her, to the world, to tell all how lucky I am, how wonderful my wife is. She’s only a few feet away, yet the distance feels like miles between us. How can we give up on something that’s yet to begin?
“My house is the white one there,” Evie says to our driver, and he stops in front of her two-story home. “Thank you.”
I leave him an extra tip, then exit behind her. We stand in silence at the end of her driveway, my Mustang a few steps away, but I don’t want to leave, not like this.
“Evie—”
“Thank you for accompanying me, Lennox. I want to pay you for your time. Will you take cash?”
My brows furrow, her words punching me in the gut, and the ache forming within is agonizing. She’s really going to throw money at me as a way to push me away.Sorry, Peaches, but you won’t get rid of me that easily.
“No.”
“Oh, a check then?”
“I’m not taking money from you, Evie.”
She sighs, crossing her arms. “Please. It’ll make me feel better knowing you are compensated for your time.”
“I told you on that plane I wouldn’t take a penny from you, especially when it came to ensuring you’re safe.”
“Just like I told you what this arrangement was. A business trip.”
“How can you say that?” Walking closer, I take hold of her hand, running my thumb along her bare ring finger. “How can you truly believe what we’ve been through is strictly business? For fucks sake, Evie, I’m holding your damn wedding ring—stop lying to yourself. There’s no pretending what we went through didn’t happen.” I caress her cheek and whisper, “It’s okay to be afraid, baby. Please, don’t push me away.”
Her bottom lip trembles and she steps back from my hold, glancing into the distance. “I think you should go…thank you. I’ll mail you the check.”
“No,” I breathe, shaking my head. “Keep your money.” Drawing out my keys, I stride toward my car and leave without a glance in her direction.
The drive to the cabin is one long distraction, walking along the pathway to my home with no course of action. There’s no dealing with a situation when it revolves around a person’s lack of acknowledgment—giving me no other option but one, which won’t do. Leaving wasn’t me giving up, but giving space. Time—I’m a patient man with plenty of that to offer. To show her why I’m worth trusting, and if my only way is watching her from a distance, then so be it.
Does that make me selfish?
No.
Call me committed.
NINETEEN
YOU WON’T BE TOUCHING YOURSELF TONIGHT
There’s no escaping when it comes to a business like Vivid. As much as I want to run away from these doors and what awaits me, I step inside. The truth is, I am Vivid, these walls have been mine for as long as I can remember, and there’s no turning away, no running from who I am when my entire life is etched into every crevice. I cross the main floor, meeting Gin’s heavy gaze before I walk straight for the stairs, taking each step toward the office with one goal. Jared will take accountability for his actions.
These broken rules have ruined me beyond repair.
Without knocking, I enter the office, Jared’s head snapping up from his phone as I stroll to the front of his desk. He meets my upturned face, my jaw clenching when a slight smirk creeps into his lips, and I want to smack it away.
“Do you believe you still have a job here, Evie?” he asks calmly.
