Rule Number One (Rule Breakers Book 1)

by Nicky Shanks

  Her hand slides up my leg and stops a few inches up my thigh. “Can you get rid of him? He’s such a bummer.” The girl smacks her lips and frowns.

  I agree. “Yeah, he is a bummer, isn’t he?” I glare at him. “Bye now.”

  I turn to face the redhead and wait a few minutes before Harley finally leaves. I instantly regret letting him walk away from me. She giggles and sips some pink liquid. I see her perfectly manicured fingernails and fake designer handbag and smile.

  Now this is my type of trouble.

  “Do you have a girlfriend?” the redhead whispers into my ear.

  Lucy. Her name is Lucy, right?

  I shake my head. “I’m not really sure anymore.” I let her play with my belt buckle a little before I feel a little guilty about it. “I mean, yes, I do, I have a girlfriend.”

  Lucy giggles. “I don’t really care either way. She’s not here and I am.”

  I nod and the room spins faster. “That’s a true statement, Lucy. She’s not here because all I ever do with her is fight and have some sort of drama, right? I mean, what do we really even know about each other? I can’t believe I was so fucking stupid to think that I could fall in love with someone I hardly even know and now look—she’s fucking pregnant? Maybe? I mean, not that she did it on purpose…I’d never accuse her of that, but my fucking God, when does it end, Lucy? It’s too hard.”

  Her eyes grow wide and scared. “Well, I can help you forget about…” She frowns, but swallows her confusion down. “…all of whatever it is she did to you.”

  She didn’t do it to me.

  I did it to her.

  Me.

  Oliver Jackson. Grade-A asshole.

  I shake my head. “I can’t do that to her,” I say softly.

  Lucy laughs. “I’d be doing it to you, silly. There’s loopholes for everything in life, didn’t you know that?”

  I can’t even believe I’m thinking about doing this.

  I’m not this guy anymore.

  I wish Harley hadn’t left me alone with her.

  “Your place, then?” she coos in my ear. I stand up with her and walk through the doors. The night air hits us; I would’ve liked some sense to be knocked into me as well. I linger at the valet station with her so she can follow me in her car. The entire thing doesn’t even feel real. I see her wink at me and pull off to the side so I can find my Jeep in the parking lot.

  I don’t think.

  I can’t think.

  I want everything to go back to normal.

  I broke the first rule—the very first rule—that I forced myself to follow to protect myself.

  I fell in love.

  Hard.

  The only way to come back from breaking the rules…is to start all over again.

  I won’t let my guard down this time.

  BEFORE YOU GO…

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  Acknowledgements

  A huge thank you to all of my very first fans who have been there the whole way (in no particular order):

  Ashley Short

  Christina Benson

  Heather Orleman

  Kristena Cannon

  Linda Diamond

  Sara Pugh

  Theresa Globoke-Fauth

  About the Author

  I live in Kansas City with my husband and our son, Ryker. I have been writing for over a decade, I started out writing songs and music and then realized that those stories were too short for the tales I wanted to tell, so I switched to writing books and articles, which then blossomed into writing contemporary romance and fantasy novels. I am in indecisive person at heart, I love coffee more than a Gilmore girl and my most favorite time to write and create is during a rainstorm (with coffee!).

  I love hearing from those who read my stories, I love to hear how much people relate to each character and how they are rooting for their favorites to succeed! I don’t only create stories, I create entirely new worlds and people that come to life!

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