Rule Breakers (Off Limits #2) - Nicky James Page 0,78
me, and you never do that. I thought maybe you found out about them. But now, tonight, with all three of you together, I have no clue what to think. Denver is glued to your hip. Every time I glance over, he’s squeezing your shoulder, your neck, or touching your leg. You’re going to war over Edison. And there is just this… vibe. If I was right about the Denver and Edison thing and you’d found out, I figured you’d be hostile with Denver, but you’re not. In fact, you’re almost clinging to him. And Edison…” She shook her head. “Harley, just tell me what I’m missing here.”
I tried to swallow around the lump in my throat. “I hate how perceptive you are sometimes.”
“Yeah, too bad. Talk to me.”
I sighed and closed my eyes. “You won’t like it.”
She waited.
I buried my face in my hands. Where to start? How did one go about telling their sister they were in a sexual relationship with their brother and son?
Vanya squeezed the back of my neck and rubbed up and down my spine. “Spit it out. No matter what you say, I will still love you.”
“Yeah? I’ll hold you to that.”
She waited.
“Denver, Edison, and I are in a polyamorous relationship.”
I waited. Vanya’s hand stilled in the center of my back, but it was just for a second before it kept moving. “Polyamorous?”
She knew what it meant, but I guess she wanted clarification. “We’re in a consensual sexual relationship together. We’re all living at Denver’s. That’s why I haven’t been home when you went by. I’m selling the house.”
What more could I say? That was it in a nutshell. I kept my face buried and waited for the yelling. I waited for the world as I knew it to implode.
It didn’t.
Several minutes ticked by. The noises of talking and piano and Chase babbling too loud drifted up from downstairs. Vanya’s hand moved up and down my spine. Slow. Controlled.
Then, “Edison knows what he’s doing?”
“Believe me, we’ve talked about it to death. He does.”
Her hand stopped. She bumped my shoulder, a silent plea for me to raise my head. I still didn’t want to look at her, but I submitted.
There was concern on her face but no judgment in her eyes. It could have been worse. She could have hit me, yelled, thrown us out of the house and told us not to come back. But that wasn’t Vanya.
“We’re all on board. We know it’s unconventional, and we have to be careful. We know it’s technically illegal. We know it’s… maybe gross or wrong in your eyes. It sounds fucked up but—”
“Are you all happy?”
Something loosened in my chest, and I nodded, trying to smile. “Yeah. It’s… Van—”
“My biggest worry is Edison.”
“I know. Mine too. Trust me. He’s good. I promise. We didn’t jump into this lightly. We’ve talked. A lot.”
“Okay.”
“Okay? That’s it? You’re not going to tell me it’s disgusting and wrong and that we should stop?”
“No. My personal views have nothing to do with your private life. If it works for you guys, then…” She shrugged. “It’s not my business. You said it was consensual. That’s the important part. You’re all adults.”
And that was why I loved my sister to death.
“Can I be honest with you?”
“I hope so.” She smiled and patted my knee.
“I think Eddy and I work better as lovers than father and son.”
Vanya snorted, and I cringed, hearing it out loud. It had sounded better in my head.
“Yeah, it’s pretty fucked up, Harley. I’m not even sure what to say to that.”
I chuckled. “It’s true. I know it’s weird. Our relationship has never been better. We talk more than we ever have before. It’s… it’s good.”
“Good. I’m glad. In a way. I also don’t think I want to think about it that much because… well, you know.”
“I know.”
“Dan can’t find out.”
“I know.”
“I don’t think he’d get it. Mom and Dad are—”
“Idiots.”
She pinched my side. “Ouch. That fucking hurt, you brat. They are.”
“You still shouldn’t say that.”
“Whatever. If they want to keep talking shit about Edison, then I want nothing to do with them. They’ll lose Denver too at this rate because he won’t put up with it either. He’ll be his usual zen self for only so long, and he’ll try to make peace, but he’ll fucking snap too. He loves Eddy.”
“Their loss.”
Vanya wrapped me in her arms and hugged me tightly. I relaxed for the first time since we entered the room, grateful for how this whole conversation had