Page 9 of Unwritten Rules

My voice trembles on that final word, and I feel my body vibrating. A lump threatens the back of my throat as emotion starts to crowd into every pore, needing to find an escape more than my lungs need my next breath.

“Please, Nathaniel.” V’s concern-filled voice washes over me. “Please stop this. You don’t need to punish yourself by staying away from your support network. I don’t think it’s helping anymore. Frankly, I don’t think that it’s helped at all. Please talk to—”

As I twist my head to face her, my accusing eyes find hers.

“Viv, you came to me when this place was on its last legs. Begging me to resurrect the—” I snort darkly before spitting. “The legacy our fathers created.”

Her beautiful features contort in confusion. “Nate, I—”

“No. You promised that if I ever needed you – for anything, you’d be there for me. And I need you to keep me from running to her and burning both worlds to the ground. I’m no good for anyone, and she’s barely an adult, for Christ’s sake! I’m as bad as him. And you fucking promised—”

She cuts me off when she places a hand on my face, tracing her thumb across my cheekbone. “I did, Nate. I did. And I do. I just think if you spoke to one of them. I’m not saying speak to Henry – especially given the subject matter. But even Caden…he’d know better than I what to say.”

My stomach churns at the thought of telling one of my best friends what I’ve done—how I’ve fucked things left and right.

I spin around, facing her head-on. Concern is dripping from every feature on her striking face – this woman who has kept me from falling apart with duct tape and a prayer. With a kind word, a shoulder to cry on, and a monthly distraction when the need to go home becomes too great.

And despite the fact that she’s heavily pregnant with a toddler at home who won’t settle with the nanny and a husband who likes to fuck around on her, I don’t pull any punches because V – she knows me. She knows I’m a selfish fucking prick.

“You think it’s a good idea to tell Caden I’ve fallen in love with Henry’s little sister – with a girl more than twelve years younger than me and as off-limits as they fucking come?”

CHAPTER 4

NATE

Mila’s sweet laughter meets my ears as I drag her mountain of suitcases along the corridor of the over-the-top hotel we’re staying at for Henry and Liv’s wedding. The concierge had insisted we wait for assistance, but, well, Mila wants, so Mila gets.

At least from me. And Henry – fuck, the only person on this planet who has him more by the balls is his soon-to-be wife.

“Please, Nate. Please carry our luggage. I’ll help!”

She moves forward to take one of the larger cases, but stops when I step playfully in front of it.

“I’m a gentleman, littlest DeMarco. And I’ll have you know that gentlemen do not allow ladies to carry their own bags.”

Her eyes twinkle in sheer delight, and my chest unconsciously puffs out, preening like a peacock under her exuberance.

“So, I believe this is the part where I say, ‘As you wish.’”

She tosses me a wink, her pink tongue peeking out from between her pouty lips playfully. “My own personal Westley.”

We’re both still giggling at our ongoing The Princess Bride joke from the first time I got to pick the movie for our weekly movie night as we make the quick journey to our rooms.

Mila jogs out of her room back along the corridor towards me, her silky locks swishing around her body, resting around nipple height.

Fuck, Hawthorne. Quit it. She may look and act like a woman, but she’s out of bounds.

“Look, Nathaniel! They’ve allocated us adjoining rooms.”

Bollocks!

I don’t even make it to my room before Mila’s tugged me into her room and bumped it closed behind me, using her ass. Then she proceeds to shove me and her luggage towards the super king-size bed in the middle of the space.

With a strength that belies her diminutive stature – at least compared to my height – she shoves me hard to send me tumbling onto the soft mattress whilst suitcases crash to the floor around us. I look up at her laughing face, unable to stop the deep chuckle that rises from within my chest.

“I’m picking the movie—”

I cut her off with a snort. “Shock fucking horror, no surprise there, then.”