Rule, page 15
ALEXANDREA
“Wake up, Baby Girl.”
I groan and bury my head in the pillow, my hand reaching out for him.
“Alex, we need to go.” His voice prompts me to sit up.
Blinking, I try to focus. The room is dark, and my body feels like I’ve walked a hundred miles.
“Why? What time is it?” Closing my eyes, I try to ignore his demand. I was so comfortable only moments ago…
“Babe.” My eyes pop open as he sits next to me, and my brain slowly starts working again.
“It’s four thirty in the morning, but we need to get your car out of the parking lot.” His hand pushes my hair off my shoulders.
He stands. “You’re lucky I’m not making you go running with me first.” With a laugh, he tosses the covers off me, and I groan.
“Oh my God,” I say. In my attempt to stand, I reach for his arm like I’m ninety. “I’m never surfing again.”
I push off his arm, wanting to crawl to his bathroom. Instead, I straighten, holding up my hand. “Give me five minutes.” Slamming the bathroom door, I moan again and turn on the light.
“I’ll get you some Advil,” he calls out.
I turn the faucet and splash water on my face, blinking at how tan my face got in just one day. I grab my toothbrush, which sits next to his in the holder, and my heart aches. I don’t want to leave. See, I’m getting attached, and I only spent the weekend with him.
I take a deep breath. In a way, I’m so exhausted I don’t have time to fully analyze my feelings. Maybe I should just skip classes today and sleep, I think as I brush my teeth with my eyes closed.
“Alexandrea, we need to go.” Brett’s voice makes my eyes pop open. I lean over and spit, then smile as I drop my toothbrush back next to his.
Turning off the light, I open the door to be greeted by the deep orange, red glory of the sun rising. I move back to the bed where my two dresses are both folded perfectly along with my one pair of black panties.
“Ready?”
I turn to him as he hands me the Advil and some water. “Did you do my laundry?” I say, popping them in my mouth.
“Yes.”
I swallow them and give him back the water.
“When do you sleep?” I cock my head at him.
He doesn’t respond, just walks back into the kitchen. With a sigh, I acknowledge Brett’s amazing skill at avoiding questions, either by ignoring them or distracting me. I reach for my panties and groan again as I pull them on, then slip on my dress.
When I walk out into the main room, I spot my backpack on his island, along with my tennis shoes and sandals on the floor.
“I’m ready,” I call out, slipping the sandals on since those are easier.
“Brett?”
Resting my chin on my hand, I notice my phone sitting next to my backpack. Jesus, I’ve literally been so occupied with Brett that I haven’t checked it. I grab it and toss it inside. I can’t deal with that right now. I jump when the door opens, and Brett walks in, talking quietly on the phone. His eyes sweep my form, and he grabs my backpack. I follow him out into the dawn.
I’ve never been a morning person, and today is no exception. Barely able to see, I follow Brett in the early-morning darkness.
“That sounds good,” he says as he hangs up on whoever he was talking to and opens my door.
I slide in, biting my lip so as not to ask him who he was talking to. He walks around to his side and starts up the car. We drive in silence.
“I’m gonna follow you back to Skylar’s.” He reaches over, his hand rubbing my knee, and I almost burst into tears. Which is completely irrational.
“You don’t have to.” I look around as he turns onto the empty campus property.
“Come here, Baby Girl.” He puts his car in park.
Unbuckling my seat belt, I want to climb into his lap, but instead, I simply turn toward him. He reaches for me, his hand at my neck, bringing me to his lips as he kisses me. Softly and slowly, so different from last night when everything was rough and intense.
“See you in class.” He drops his hand from my neck.
I force myself to move. Just get out of his car and into yours. You can go over everything later.
“Thanks, Professor Powers,” I say over my shoulder as I exit, slamming his door. I head to my car. There’s a note on the windshield, but he’s sitting there watching me, so I put all my focus on not dropping my key fob. I climb in and start it.
As I move forward, I turn to wave, only to see him following me. My heart aches; he really is going to make sure I get home safe. I don’t know what to think.
Is he just doing this so he doesn’t have guilt? Or is he doing this because he feels the same as me? My stomach flutters at that thought. I turn into Skylar’s driveway, turn off my car, and get out.
The neighbor’s dog barks, but to be honest, I’m too tired and emotionally raw to quiet him. I just pull my backpack out and run up the steps, putting my key in, getting ready to wave, but he’s already pulling away.
I slowly slide inside and gently lock the door. The last thing I want to deal with is my sister. I’m too delicate right now. Maybe if I lie down, I can get a couple of hours’ sleep. I’ll curl into a ball, hug my pillow, and pretend it’s him.
“Where the fuck have you been?”
I scream and drop my backpack with a thud as I spin to see Skylar in her doorway. She’s in her robe, but she’s wearing makeup already.
“Jesus, you scared me.” I reach for my doorknob.
“I asked you a question.” She steps out, and I take a breath.
“Out,” I snap back, swinging my door open only to have her perfumed body block my entrance.
“With who?” she spits and I almost gag.
“None of your business.” I wipe at my face as she sniffs me. “What the hell are you doing?” I back away. Is she completely deranged?
“Where were you?” she screams, and I’m done.
Maybe it’s because of Brett, and this weekend, or maybe I’ve just had enough of her.
“I’m going to give you exactly three seconds to get out of my way, or I’ll move you myself.” My voice doesn’t waver as I stare straight into her eyes. She must see I’m not kidding because she steps away.
“I can smell him on you,” she hisses, walking back into her bedroom and slamming her door.
“Psycho.” I grab my backpack. Lifting the edge of my dress, all I smell is a fresh, downy scent. She’s trying to trip me up, right? I drop down onto my bed, kick off my sandals, and flop across the mattress.
Ten minutes. I’ll take a ten-minute nap, then deal with her, my feelings, and everything else.
ALEXANDREA
“What the hell is that?” Bolting up, I glance around my room, trying to adjust to the light. Turns out the loud beeping and violent rumbling sound is coming from the garbage truck outside. It prompts me to drag my ass out of bed. I’m still sore but better. At least I can bend down to reach my backpack and grab my phone.
Seven thirty in the morning. Okay, I’ll take a quick shower, then I’ll tackle my life. I turn my phone off sleep mode and hesitate before I open my door. Memories of Skylar a couple of hours ago make me cringe. Clearly, she’s not stable. Even though I’m sleeping with Brett, there is no way she could know that.
Plus, he’s assured me they’re not together, and I believe him. Breathing deeply, I exhale and crack my door open. I can instantly tell she’s gone. It’s like the house itself is happier. Too bad she does live here. I could definitely enjoy this cute place if she didn’t.
I’m in and out of the shower in ten minutes. After pinning my wet hair up in a messy bun, I do my eyes and slather on some shimmering pink lip gloss. I step back to assess myself. The sun definitely helps: that and orgasms. I’m practically glowing, and excitement makes my stomach flutter. As I run my tongue over my lips, my pussy throbs at the mere thought of last night. The way it burned, yet somehow felt good. He’s just so… filthy and exciting.
I walk back into my room, wondering if I should get myself off. Just close my eyes and think about him. It won’t take long. Letting my towel fall to my feet, I lean against the door. My hands touch my sensitive breasts. Closing my eyes, I pinch one nipple and moan, then freeze. Is that my fucking phone?
Like an annoying wasp, it vibrates on my bed. I don’t move, just wait for it to stop. Closing my eyes again, he’s there, his full lips smiling as he demands me to—
“Holy fuck. What?” I scream into the air because my phone is going off again. I push off the door and grab it. If it’s Skylar or Jordan, they picked the wrong time to mess with me.
“Hello?” I snap.
“You being a naughty girl?” His deep voice stops my breath, and I sink down onto my bed.
“Brett,” I whisper, clutching the comforter.
“I asked you a question.” His voice sounds so demanding.
I swallow. “No…” I wonder if I sound guilty, and I can almost see him smile.
“I think you are being naughty.” His voice goes straight to my throbbing clit. “Baby Girl? Talk to me. Tell me you weren’t getting ready to touch my cunt.”
Holy shit, how could he know? Swallowing, I glance around my room.
“I wasn’t.”
“Liar.” He laughs as my cheeks burn.
“How did you know?” I demand as I start to smile.
“Because I’m sitting in my office with my cock in my hand, thinking about how I wish it was deep inside your tight cunt.” His voice is deep and gravelly.
“Now tell me the truth. Are you being a naughty girl?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Yes, what?” His voice reaches down to my core, making me so wet it’s almost dripping out of me.
“Yes, I’m being a naughty girl, Dean Powers,” I say breathily.
“Such a dirty little slut, Alexandrea. What are we to do? Last night, my cock was fucking your ass, and already you need to touch my cunt.”
I moan out at his words, which should be making me angry. Instead, I think I could come listening to his filthy mouth.
“I can still smell you, feel you. Take your hand, baby, and rub that clit.”
I shiver. It’s as if I’m on fire, but my body is covered in goose bumps.
“Oh God,” I stutter out. Leaning back on my bed, I open my legs and rub my clit.
“Talk to me.” His voice is tight. “Are you thinking about my hand stroking my cock? Because I didn’t lock my office door. Anyone could come in.” His voice is low as I rub hard back and forth on my clit. “What if I told you I had a woman in here, and her mouth was sucking on my cock?” he grunts.
My eyes pop open. “What?”
He chuckles. “Or what if that woman is in your room, and her head is between your legs, licking your sweet, swollen clit as I watch.”
“Brett, what are you doing?” I gasp.
“That’s it, baby. It feels good, doesn’t it?” He praises me. “I’m right here with you. Now close your eyes and let her eat what’s only mine.”
“Oh my God…” Something is wrong with me. As I pant, my pussy gets even wetter, and I frantically rub myself.
“Yeah, just like that. Look at her eat you, baby. You getting ready to come? Because I am.” And I’m barely holding on as my eyes flutter shut, letting his dark fantasy spill out of his mouth.
“Brett…” I whimper, my hand gripping the comforter as my other hand keeps rubbing. “I… need…” As the pressure builds, I moan loudly.
“That’s my little slut. Come while I watch her get you off,” he growls, and I do, spiraling over, pulsing and jerking again and again.
“Fuck, Alexandrea,” he grunts, and I listen to his own release.
Staring up at the ceiling, I struggle to catch my breath, then sit up.
“What the fuck, Brett?” I say, mortified, when he starts laughing as I look around, wanting to crawl under my bed and never come out.
“Alex, relax, it’s only phone sex. You’re okay.”
“I… you just,” I sputter.
“I tried to have her suck my cock, but you weren’t digging it.” He laughs again, and I can hear he’s moving around.
“I didn’t… I just…”
“Okay, I’ll make a deal with you. From now on, I’ll keep it just us.” He starts laughing again.
“I need to go,” I snap, standing.
“Me too, office hours.” His voice sounds way too happy as I press End.
“Fucking adrenaline junkie.” Tossing my phone on the bed, I march over to my dresser. In seconds, I’m jerking on my bra and panties. “He’s turning me into one of them,” I huff, grabbing a black tee and some leggings, ignoring my phone, which is ringing again.
It’s not Brett. I can feel it’s not him by the way my stomach doesn’t flip. As I hop on one foot, putting on my ballet flats, I glance around to make sure I’m ready for my day.
I have a physics quiz that I need to focus on since I got zero studying done this weekend. Maybe I’ll skip English and go to the library for a quick review. I grab my backpack and stupid phone.
“Christ.” I groan at the massive line of notifications. Missed calls from Jordan, of course, then Skylar, rolling my eyes because I’m surprised she knew my number, my dad, my mom, Jordan again and again, and now Jude.
Fantastic.
I’ll call my brother back in the car, I decide, as I lock the front door. I need a solid plan here. People know I always answer my phone and return texts.
“Hey, Walter.” I smirk at the neighbor’s dog waiting for me on his porch. The dog happily runs to the fence, jumping and barking as I walk by. He’s starting to grow on me, probably because he’s the only one happy to see me come and go.
I toss all my crap onto my passenger seat and push on Jude’s number, then start my car, making the call go to Bluetooth.
“So you’re alive?” Jude pants into the phone.
“Of course. I lost my charger.” I wince a little. Not only do I suck at lying, but I don’t even know why I’m trying to. Jude’s gonna know.
“Hold on, I’m in the gym.”
“No, that’s okay. I need to go to class. I saw you called, so I’m just returning–”
“Yeah. Nice try.” He cuts off my frantic, cheerful rant, as I mouth shit. “Okay. What the fuck is going on with you?” His voice comes in clear, aggravating me while I attempt to concentrate on the road.
“Why? What have you heard?”
“Well, Mom and Dad have been calling you and me because Skylar called crying this weekend, saying you’re fucking up in school and fucking her boyfriend.” His tone sounds dry, which means he’s pissed.
“Wow.” That’s all that comes out because I don’t really know what to say.
“Wow? That’s it?” he yells as I take a deep breath, my hands tightening on the steering wheel.
“Calm down. I’m driving,” I shout back. “Okay.” I take another breath. “I’m only telling you this, and you have to promise as my brother, my twin, that you will not tell Mom and Dad.”
“Fuck that. No way, talk, or I will let Dad pay for me to come to LA, which would be bad for everyone since I might be playing on Saturday,” he gripes.
“All right, I met someone. It’s not her boyfriend…” My voice trails off because technically, I’m not lying, although the line goes silent. “Jude? Are you there?”
A loud sigh then, “Yeah, who is this guy?” I swallow. Do I tell him? No, that would be bad. Visions of Jude barging into my Environmental Engineering class and confronting Brett make my chest start to itch and flush.
“A guy I met in class.” Silently exhaling, I wait at a stoplight.
“So not her boyfriend?”
“No.”
“Jesus Christ, Alex.” He laughs. “She’s a real piece of work. You should hear the crazy shit she’s feeding Dad.” He sighs. “Thank fuck. I really didn’t want to have to come kick some ass.” I have to bite my tongue not to say, Yeah, that might be harder than you think. Brett is the same height as Jude, but Brett is… well, Brett. He’s got that whole I don’t give a crap vibe, which makes him dangerous. I push all that aside and focus on Skylar.
“What else did Skylar tell Dad?”
“She’s convinced that you’re out to ruin her life. Apparently, this man, whom she says is her boyfriend, is going to propose, but only if you’re gone. And you’re eating all her food and costing her a fortune on utilities. I don’t know, Alex, is she on medication?”
“Who knows. She’s so weird. Like I really can’t get a read on her, I’m starting to think she’s a compulsive liar.” I sigh, turning right into the campus lot.
“Well, whatever, I’ve got to go. Call Mom and Dad, and just stay away from Skylar, and answer your fucking phone,” he yells over a siren in the background.
“I will. I was just trying to spend time with him…” But he’s already hung up. I sit for a second and think. Clearly, I need to tell Brett about her. I mean, if she’s telling my dad stuff, is she telling others? God, I can’t imagine anyone being her friend, but anything is possible. I wonder how bad it would be if it got out about us. Would it ruin his career? Of course, it would.
“Jesus.” I sigh and rub my forehead. He’s just so confident, it feels like nothing can touch him or bring him down, but what if that’s not true?
Suddenly, I’m scared, and not for me. Brett needs to be careful. People are watching him. The last thing he needs is Skylar talking. She’s angry and delusional, and that makes her dangerous. She could hurt him.
I pick up my phone and text my parents saying I met a guy and forgot my charger. Not that they will be thrilled, but at least that sounds better than the truth. Now, I need to talk to Brett. How did things get so out of hand so fast? My heart burns, and here I thought I was guarding it, protecting myself for exactly this reason.
As I walk toward class, it hits me: more than likely, this is over. He will, of course, break it off, much like he should. That doesn’t make it hurt less. Suddenly I stop and glance around at the campus. People are coming and going, everyone having no clue that I’m suddenly in pain, that my heart hurts, even though it has no right to.
