Rules of the Game (Rule Breaker, #2)

by Jessa Wilder

I panted, holding her close to me, and tried to regain control. I trailed my tongue up her neck, grinning at the goose bumps pebbling her skin before pulling back and tipping her jaw up. “Better than I fucking imagined.”

All that happy glow that had been building inside me flashed to flame, and I took a step toward her. Lucas caught me around the middle, his chuckle soft in my ear. “Easy there, Killer. You’ve got me. Let’s go.”

Lucas ran his nose along the column of my neck, drawing my attention, before nipping my earlobe. His tone was amused when he said, “You’re supposed to trust me, remember?” I relaxed into the wall, dropping my head back, and met his hooded eyes. “We’re in the open.”

His touch was softer than before as he took his time exploring my mouth and cupped my cheeks between his massive hands. He pulled back and kissed between my brows. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to do that.” I stiffened and tilted my head to the side. “You mean kiss me?” I looked at the hollow at the base of his neck, unable to meet his gaze. “You never even looked at me.” He laughed and kissed me again before speaking against my mouth. “I’ve never looked away.”

“Baby, I’ve got to get you somewhere private before I make a fucking scene.”

Warm fingers met mine, and I looked back to meet Lucas’s wide gaze. I ran my tongue along my bottom lip before biting it. A wicked smile turned up his mouth, and he cleared the two steps between us. The heat of his chest connected with my spine as he rasped, “You keep looking at me like that and I’m going to forget we’re in public.”

I didn’t make it ten feet before Lucas spun me around, lifted me off my feet, and crashed his mouth into mine.

“Lucas, this means something to me.” His fingers dug into the back of my hair, his thumb and forefinger massaging my scalp, and his low words reverberated through me. “You’ve always meant more to me. I should’ve told you sooner.”

“Use your words, baby.”

Lucas traced my jaw and my cheek with his thumb. “Tell me to stop.” “Don’t stop,” I pleaded, and a low sound reverberated from Lucas into me.

“You’re fucking with my control,” he growled, his voice strained. “I don’t want you to be controlled.” I wanted him undone.

“I want to taste you, Piper. I want to feel you come on my tongue. Do you want that, baby?”

“I’m never going to be the same after tasting you.”

He licked his lips. “I could eat you all fucking night.”

“At any time, if you want to stop or you aren’t comfortable, let me know.”

“I shouldn’t be doing this. Tell me to stop.” “Don’t stop, please.” “I couldn’t if I wanted to, and I don’t want to.” His fingers trailed over the inside of my thighs before spreading my legs as he positioned himself at my entrance and entered me with one fluid thrust.

“So fucking sweet,” he said before his fingers dug into my hips, holding me still, and he thrust in again. “You are made for me.”

“Lucas.” She was laughing now, the sound seeping into my chest, and my mouth curled into a smile. I growled and nipped at her ear. “What?” “You’re lucky I’m on birth control.”

An unexpected warmth formed in my sternum at the thought of what could’ve happened. It wasn’t the right time, but I didn’t hate the idea.

The realization that Piper was the one for me soothed a deep fear in my chest. She was mine.

One kiss from her and I knew it was all over. Nothing would ever compare to having her in my arms. The scent of apples filling my lungs, the sweet taste of strawberries on my tongue. For years, I’d been denying myself, but giving in was the best thing I’d ever done.

when she looked at me with wide, clear eyes straight into my soul, like she knew every part of me. I didn’t deserve her—hell, no one did—but I had the rest of my life to change that.

trusted you.” Marcus’s fist connected with my jaw, sending me stumbling back. I grabbed his shoulders and held his hands in place, pleading with him. “You trusted me to keep her safe, and I will,” I promised.

“You’re right, it’s not, because you’re not going anywhere fucking near her.” Anger burned under my skin, and I spun him until he slammed into the wall. “I’m not asking you, Marcus. Don’t fuck with this.”

“I know how special she is. I would never do anything to hurt her. You’ve got to believe after all this time that I wouldn’t do that to her. To either of you.”

“I love her, and I’ll fight for her, Marcus. Even if that means fighting you.”

He took off down the stairs, and shame soured my mouth, not because I’d just lost my best friend, but because I knew it was worth it. She was worth it.

I grabbed him by the shoulders, and he struggled to get free. “Jax. It’s me. Fuck, Jax, look at me.” Startling gray eyes pierced mine, and the tears he’d been holding back flowed over his cheeks and dripped down his jaw. “I have to find Piper before someone tells her. I have to tell her.”

His gaze flashed from determination to pain. His brows pulled together, and his jaw clenched like he didn’t want to deliver this blow. “It’s Marcus.” It would’ve been less of a shock if he’d have shot me. It didn’t make sense. “No…no. It’s okay, you’re wrong. I just saw him.” His chin trembled, and he turned his head to the side, and the weight of the world descended on my shoulders, crumbling everything I’d known. “He was in a car accident down the road.” “No…” I stumbled back, unwilling to believe what he was saying. “He was just here.” “I saw him, Lucas. I saw him.” Jax put his head against mine and said the words that broke me apart. “He’s dead.”

Nausea climbed my throat, and I bent forward with the need to puke. Fuck. I did this. He was angry at me when he took off. Guilt racked through me, and I took a step back. My gaze traveled over Piper’s silhouette, committing every line to memory before I turned and walked away. She would never forgive me.

He reached a hand to my face but dropped it before I could feel the warmth of his touch. “I sent Jax to stay with you in case you had a nightmare.” “You heard it?” The night bugs were too loud, buzzing in my ears as I tried to work out what was happening. He’d heard me having a nightmare and sent Jax?

My chest caved in with the force of my exhale when Lucas Knight answered the door in all his perfect glory. Completely ignoring my common sense, my gaze tracked over him, taking in every detail. I swallowed hard, following a droplet as it traveled from his neck through the valleys of his muscles and disappeared into the towel wrapped around his hips.

Brown eyes rimmed in honey gold met mine, and my feet cemented firmly in place. Staring back at me was my Lucas.

He chuckled. “Dickwad—what are you, twelve?” “Move.” I took a step, so close I could feel the heat radiating off of him. His mouth dipped, and his breath fanned across the shell of my ear. His demand came out low and rough, like sand. “Make me.”

I picked up a familiar worn-out black band T-shirt, pulled it over my head, and was quickly engulfed in the soft, thin fabric and the fresh scent of sandalwood and cinnamon. Memories threatened to pummel me, but I reminded myself that none of it mattered. Because no matter what I thought was between us, he’d made it clear it stopped the night Marcus died.

When he’d call me Killer back then, it felt like an endearment. Like he was secretly whispering something sweet without the guys knowing.

One thing was for certain: she couldn’t know that I was friends with the guys. She’d lose her freaking mind.

I knew full well that was a lie. I couldn’t be in her orbit without being drawn in.

“Marc—” Pain laced through her gaze, and her chest collapsed as she struggled to take a breath. I stepped toward her, needing to help, even if I had no idea how, but she took a step back, holding up her hand.

My heart pounded in my chest at the look of victory in her eyes. Her cheeks flushed with the heat of kicking our asses. “That’s your only one, Killer.” She laughed, her body relaxing into it, and it wrapped around me. It had been entirely too long since I’d heard that sound. I used to go out of my way to hear it.

She was ready, and I desperately wanted her to chase me.

She turned to me with a giant smile, and shock registered through me. What the fuck. My body slammed into the brick wall that was Alex, and I bounced back, losing my footing. He easily stole the ball while I stood fucking stunned.

Jax collapsed down beside where I was already on the ground, panting. He looked over to me. “How the hell does she have that kind of endurance?” “Fucking Energizer Bunny.” I poured water over my head before sucking back half the bottle.

Jax’s smile widened as he turned to me. “Couldn’t let us have all the fun, could you?” “Need to keep up my winning streak.” A small sound came from Piper, but when I looked over to her, she glared up at me.

A million questions ran through her gaze. Why won’t I talk to her? Why did I pull away? Why did I abandon her when she needed me most? I couldn’t answer any of them. Because she’d never forgive me if I did.

Piper lifted her shirt, revealing her smooth stomach, and my mouth went dry. I followed its path over her sports bra and right into her pissed-off gaze. Wherever the sweet Piper was, she was gone now.

“Like fuck you are.” I grabbed her arm and practically dragged her to the ice bath. The blonde stared up at Jax, but he just looked between Piper and me with a light in his eyes. Fucking guy saw too much.

The second her foot submerged into the water, she made a high-pitched squeal that went right to my fucking dick. At least I knew the water would take care of it before it became a problem.

She shook so hard it created ripples in the water. Screw this. I reached forward, grabbing her by the hips, and dragged her backward until she sat snugly between my legs.

Her skin was smooth and silky beneath my fingers, and I momentarily short-circuited.