Rule Breakers (Off Limits #2) - Nicky James Page 0,77

up the stairs and down the hall toward her bedroom and locked us inside.

My sister was tiny but fierce and just as outspoken as me when she wanted to be. We were mirror images in a lot of ways. Same wheat blond hair, same gray eyes, same expressions and laugh. She’d always been a bit more levelheaded than me—like Denver. And smarter, also like Denver.

She leaned against the locked door and crossed her arms, staring at me like she had a few times since we’d arrived. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips did this thing where they pulled to the side.

“Don’t do that,” I said, waving at her face.

“Do what?”

“You’re doing the whole rooting through my head shit. I hate it. Fucking stop.”

“Then tell me what’s going on?”

“What do you mean? Nothing is going on. I’m here. I’m pissed at Mom and Dad because they treat Edison like shit, but that’s it. There’s nothing else.”

“Bullshit. I haven’t seen you in months. Months, Harley. We talk on the phone, but every time I try to get together with you, you’re full of excuses. I’ve been to your house a dozen times, and you’re never there.”

“So?”

“So?”

“Van, nothing’s up, okay. I’ve just been busy.”

“No. You’re different. I said that to Dan the other night. When we talk on the phone, you aren’t the same, and I’ve never seen you so fucking protective of Edison before. Ever.”

“I’m always protective of Edison. What the hell does that mean?”

She shook her head. “Not like this. It’s different.”

“You’re losing it. It’s not different.” I stood, intent on leaving, but the minute I was on my feet, she glared at me, and I sat my ass back down because my sister scared me a little.

“Also,” she continued, “Denver is acting strange. He’s almost smothering you. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you two sharing silent conversations. Plus, why the fuck is he all handsy with you tonight? Double plus, Eddy isn’t making eye contact with anyone but you. Explain this to me.”

I opened my mouth and shut it before throwing my hands up. “What do you want me to say? You’re seeing things.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

She cocked a brow and pinned me with that look I couldn’t stand. It was the one that turned me inside out and dared me to lie to her because she’d know. She already knew. I was utterly fucked.

My internal temperature skyrocketed, and I broke eye contact. “Look, Van. Please don’t ask me what’s up, okay? It’s better you don’t know.”

She crossed the room and sat, facing me, tugging my hands onto her lap. “I hate when you keep things from me.”

“They’re things you won’t like, so it’s best I don’t tell you. Can we leave it at that?”

Of course we couldn’t.

“Does this have something to do with Denver and Edison?”

I stilled. My next breath caught in my lungs.

“I thought so,” she breathed.

I couldn’t play guessing games. “What do you think you know?”

“It’s probably nothing. It’s probably stupid, and you’d kill me for saying it.”

“Just say it, Van.”

“All right. Don’t shoot me. Maybe I’m wrong. For, like, half a second, I thought maybe something was going on between them. Something… sexual.” She paused. I refused to look at her or say anything, so she continued. “I know that sounds fucked up, but hear me out. Edison made comments last summer about Den, and they kinda pinged my radar. They were stupid things. Probably nothing. He just talked endlessly about Denver. Everything out of his mouth. He acted like no one else in the world existed outside of his uncle. Like how a teenager might talk when they experience that first taste of love. That massive crush that consumes them, you know? Then it just stopped one day.” She studied my face before continuing.

“I asked Denver about Edison, and I’ve never seen him so panicked in my life. He avoided all talk of him like Edison’s name was cursed or something. Things seemed to peter off. Then, out of the blue, Edison is living there. He’s bubbly again. Denver has this secret smile about him and says nothing when I ask him how he’s doing. He watches Edison like you do now. It’s… more than what it should be. Like he has some big secret.”

She paused, rubbing my hands between hers. I was trembling, and there was no way she missed it. I stared at our connection, unable to meet her eyes, unable to breathe. “Then you started acting weird too. Shady and jumpy. You’re avoiding