Broken (Breaking the Rules)

by Webster, K

  The girl who told you so,

  Pepper

  I responded with my confirmation to dinner and quickly looked up when Jackson’s door swung open. Before I could ask him about lunch, he stalked past me and out the front door. So he couldn’t even talk to me now. What an asshole!

  Ignoring my stomach, I answered some calls and input the appointments on Jordan’s and Jackson’s calendars. I could smell microwaved meals being heated up by the other employees in the breakroom. My stomach growled again. I was screwed because I hadn’t seen any vending machines earlier when I’d taken the tour with Margie.

  The front door opened back up about twenty minutes later and Jackson came back in. Not looking at me, he stalked past me with a sack of food back into his office, slamming the door behind him. Feeling a little sorry for myself, I felt a tear slip down my cheek. Realizing I was going to have to talk to him, I shakily stood up and walked over to his door.

  When I knocked, he gruffly shouted, “Come in!”

  I tried to calm myself as I walked to his desk. He still wouldn’t look at me. “Um, Jackson? I was wondering what time I could leave for lunch,” I meekly spoke.

  My stomach growled loudly and his eyes met mine. They were full of heat and anger but he still didn’t say anything. I could feel another stupid tear fall. His gaze softened but his tone was still harsh. “Sit,” he commanded.

  I sat down, trying to keep my shaking to a minimum. By this point, I was starving, and now I was in a battle of wills with Jackson. This day really sucked.

  Pulling out two to-go containers from his sack, he sat one in front of me. I looked down at it, confused. “Eat,” he ordered. My eyes darting back to his, I frowned. He was opening his own container, avoiding my gaze. I started to stand, grabbing the box so I could eat in the lunchroom but his voice growled at me, stopping me in my tracks. “I said eat. Here,” he barked, glaring at me.

  Margie wasn’t kidding. He was such an asshole! How had I not seen this over the weekend? This couldn’t be the same guy who had tenderly stroked my hair while we watched a movie. It couldn’t be the same guy who had laughed like a little boy when I tickled him. This man was cold. I didn’t like him at all.

  Sitting back in my chair, I opened the box. It was sushi. I couldn’t help the grin that broke over my face. He remembered that I love sushi. Scooping up a roll with my chopsticks, I dipped it in my soy sauce and greedily dropped it into my mouth.

  Considering I was so hungry and I was eating my favorite food, I moaned in pleasure at the delicious taste of the roll. His eyes flew to mine but dropped to my mouth as I licked my lips. When they made their way back up to mine they were full of need. These were the eyes I was used to seeing.

  He cleared his throat and turned his attention back to his food, trying to avoid looking at me again. At least I knew he was having trouble keeping up his asshole premise.

  I quickly devoured all of my rolls and stood to go back to my desk. “Come here,” he whispered, sounding like he choked on his words a little.

  My eyes met his, and I couldn’t help wanting to have a repeat performance from this morning. Asshole or not, he was fantastic in bed. Gesturing for me to come closer, I nervously walked around to where he was sitting.

  “Come here,” he quietly ordered again. He took my hand, pulling me a little closer. I closed my eyes as I leaned forward, wanting to kiss him so badly. He chuckled and stuck something in my hand. I blinked open my eyes, looking at what he had given me. A fucking fortune cookie. He let go of my hand and swiveled in his chair away from me. Grabbing the phone, he started dialing and waved me away. Fucking waved me away.

  Completely pissed, I stalked out of his office and tried to refrain from slamming the door. Once I got back at my desk, tears stung my eyes again, but this time they were angry. I opened my cookie and read my fortune.

  “Everything will be okay. Don’t obsess. Time will prove you right. You must stay where you are.”

  Damn you, wise fortune cookie. Damn you.

  A DARK TWO WEEKS…

  My eyes flutter open and I take in my surroundings. I’m in a hospital room. I can feel a tube down my throat and an IV attached to my arm. My head is in such a fog. What happened? I can see people seated in my room, but I’m having trouble focusing on them. Tears begin falling down my cheeks as I start crying, further blurring my vision.

  I can hear shuffling of feet and whispers before a small hand grasps one of mine. “Shhh, Andi. Everything’s okay. They were able to pump your stomach but a lot of the medicine and alcohol is still in your system. The IV is trying to flush it out for you. You scared us when you stopped breathing, so they are keeping you safe with the breathing tube. Don’t try to talk. Just know that we’re all here with you,” Pepper gently comforts me.

  I hear her barely whisper, “You need to leave, motherfucker.”

  And in an angry whisper that matches her, I hear Bray growl, “Fuck no.” His hand envelops my other one. My tears are really falling now and I am sobbing uncontrollably.

  “I’ll get the nurse,” I hear my mother say coldly. My mother? If she is here, this is really bad.

  Seconds later, a nurse shuffles in. Bray and Pepper are still stroking my hands and whispering soft, gentle things to me.

  “When will the psychiatrist be here?” my mother questions the nurse. The nurse informs her that he is making his rounds and that it will be soon. She also tells her that in the meantime she will give me something to relax. I can feel a cold sensation seeping into my vein and trickling up my arm. Trying to fight the pull it is having on me, I squeeze Pepper’s and Bray’s hands once before the medication wins and fully drags me under.

  The afternoon went by quickly because the phone rang off the hook. I handled the clients with ease and was able to force the confusing thoughts about Jackson from my mind. He stayed in his office the entire time. Jordan had come back a while ago and stormed into his office. His meeting must not have gone well because he had been visibly upset about it.

  When the work day was almost over, Jordan emerged from his office, looking very tired and stressed. He walked over to my desk and sat on the edge. “How was your first day, Andi?” he asked. He was smiling at me but it didn’t reach his eyes.

  “Um, it was great. I think I handled things well. The question is, how was your day?” I wondered genuinely.

  Reaching his hand up, he rubbed the stubble along his jawline. “I’ve had better. How did Jackson treat you? Did he act like an ass?” he questioned, looking into my eyes.

  His genuine interest coupled with the horrible way things had evolved today had tears forming in my eyes. I tried to blink them away so my boss wouldn’t see how I was letting Jackson affect me.

  Anger swept across his face as he gently wiped a tear that had managed to escape down my cheek. Jackson’s door opened beside me but I ignored it since he was going to do the same to me anyway. Hopping off the desk, Jordan softly ordered, “Come here.” He grabbed my hands and pulled me in for a hug. It appeared that we both needed a hug after our shitty day.

  Something slamming on my desk caused me to jerk away from Jordan’s embrace. Jackson was glaring at the both of us, eyes darting back and forth. His jaw worked furiously, clenching and unclenching. Jordan tensed up beside me and they had a fucking standoff before Jackson finally spoke. “Real fucking professional, Jordan.” Without waiting for a response, he stormed out of the office.

  Jordan patted me on the back. “Welcome to the gang,” he huffed, sighing as he walked back to his office. “Hope to see you tomorrow.”

  With that, I snatched up my purse and left. Returning was still up for debate.

  “I still can’t believe it,” Pepper murmurs, shaking her head as she sips her wine. We’d already had dinner at the café and had moved to Dempsey’s to have some after-dinner wine. It was a slow night at the bar so we were able to find a quiet booth near the back.

  “Yeah, it’s pretty awful. I am just hoping it will get better. There
aren’t many jobs out there, so I’d be a fool to quit, but that doesn’t make it any easier. If I didn’t have my stupid game, this never would have happened,” I whined as I downed the rest of my glass. My game was a joke anyway. It was time to stop what I’d started months ago and start trying to act like a normal human being. The server came over and refilled our glasses.

  I heard Ian’s booming voice behind the bar, welcoming some guys as they walked in. Following his gaze, I was horrified to see Jordan and Jackson.

  “Shit, Pepper. They’re here. Jordan and Jackson are here. We should go,” I urged, scooting out of the booth. When Jordan saw me, he waved and started walking over to me. Jackson jerked his head in my direction and glared at me.

  “Andi! Surprise seeing you here. Let me buy you and your lovely friend here a drink,” he smiled when he reached our table. Whatever stress he had been dealing with earlier seemed to have dissipated.

  “We were about to leave,” Pepper informs Jordan, knowing that I was beyond uncomfortable.

  “Nonsense! You can have a drink with us. Jackson! Get your ass over here. Ian! Bring a round of drinks to us. Surprise us,” he ordered as he scooted into the booth next to Pepper, causing her to yelp. He looked over at her and grinned.

  Normally she could be as frosty as they come, but right now her cheeks were blazing as she shakily scooted closer to the wall to get away from him.

  Jackson finally made it to our table and reluctantly sat down beside me, as far away as he possibly could while still sitting on the same bench. I sighed and turned my attention back to Jordan. Keeping my hands busy, I rolled my napkin and folded it over and over again. Jordan was smiling at me. Clearly he was the more charismatic of the two.

  “Excuse my socially inept brother. He doesn’t get out much. I blame it on Mom for babying him so much,” he chuckled. Jackson grumbled something under his breath and tried to ignore Jordan.

  I looked over at Pepper and she had composed herself again. Frosty Bitch was back. “Andi here was just telling me about her wonderful day at work,” she said sarcastically, glancing over in Jackson’s direction. I cringed at her words. Jordan didn’t seem to notice that they were sarcastic, but Jackson flinched ever so slightly.

  “Great! I’m so glad, Andi. I think you’ll really like it there. Everyone works hard to make it a successful company,” Jordan beamed as he bragged about his employees.

  When I started to nervously shred my napkin, Jackson’s hand covered mine, taking it from me. I couldn’t ignore the heat that ignited between us. Quickly, my eyes found his, which were drinking me in. My heart started racing, but thankfully the intense moment was interrupted when Ian set down two rounds of shots. “It’s on me, guys,” he said, winking at us and returned back to the bar.

  Jordan began telling a funny story about one of his newer clients. We were all laughing at him, but I was having a hard time giving him my entire attention. Jackson was beside me, practically knocking me over with the intense waves rolling off of his body. I’d like to assume they were of desire, but I realized it was probably anger at having to sit with me.

  We all started to relax a little more as Ian brought another couple of rounds. When Jackson’s knee touched mine and stayed there, I froze. The electricity that pulsed through us was almost visible. Pepper and Jordan were talking about some art exhibit, but I could barely understand their conversation because I was too caught up in this moment with Jackson.

  When his hand gingerly rested on my thigh, I shuddered at the intimate touch. I’d wanted all day for him to show some indication of the man from this morning and he had finally thrown me a bone. His hand started gently rubbing my thigh over my skirt. I gasped silently when his hand pushed my skirt up, giving him access to my panties.

  Jordan and Pepper were now in a heated discussion about something, but I completely ignored them. Jackson slipped a finger underneath my panties and rubbed across my clit. I jerked but forced myself to stay calm. He began a delicious pattern over my sensitive clit. I choked down my panting and eagerly awaited the orgasm that was very close.

  With his other hand, he slid my wine glass in front of me and nodded to it. Shakily, I snatched it up and brought it to my lips. My orgasm hit hard and was intensified when he shoved two fingers inside my wet core making me buck off of the seat a bit. Swallowing down my moans with my wine, I shook with my aftershocks. He pulled his fingers from me and slid my skirt back into place. Oh my God, he was something else.

  Sliding from the booth, he said to all of us, “I’m tired. I’ll see you all later.” Without another glance in my direction, he left the bar. Jackson was so damn hot and cold. But the hot was almost worth the cold.

  A DARK TWO WEEKS…

  “She’s coming back to Indiana with us,” my mother informs the psychiatrist, Dr. Sweeney.

  “Ma’am, I think we need to let Andi decide what she wants to do,” he says gently, looking over at me. It has been a couple of days since the accident and they are ready to release me. Dr. Sweeney wants to see me again on Friday.

  “Mom, it’s okay. I’m supposed to be moving in with Pepper this weekend. I promise I’ll be okay. Dr. Sweeney and I have really been working out some of my problems,” I assure her, sighing. My mother isn’t a very affectionate, loving woman. It is weird that she even appears to care. Dad and my sister Megan couldn’t even find time from their schedule to come see me at the hospital.

  She sighs but nods in agreement. Dr. Sweeney scribbles out a new prescription for me and asks me to promise that I not take them with alcohol. I nod sheepishly. The whole thing really was an accident. I wasn’t really trying to kill myself, but I almost succeeded, even if by accident. If it weren’t for Bray, I shudder to think what could have happened.

  Bray has remained on constant vigil by my side throughout this entire hospital stay. Pepper refuses to speak to him anymore and gives him death glares when he’s nearby. Yesterday, though, Dr. Sweeney put an end to his visits. He said that part of my recovery revolves around healing myself without Brayden’s help. Bray was really torn up about his suggestion but said that he really wants to help me and would honor Dr. Sweeney’s wishes. After a gentle kiss to my forehead, he left me, saying that when I was healed from all of the pain he’d caused maybe we could work on a friendship at the very least.

  I really don’t want Bray out of my life but I fear I’ll always be in a fragile state unless I handle my problems without him. This weekend I plan on starting the next phase of my life. I’m ready to start living again. The last two weeks have been an awful blur, and I never want to feel that way again.

  This morning I was on top of things despite my pounding head from the shots last night. I found a really sexy suit a little on the shorter side now that I knew who I’d be wearing it to impress. After I slipped on some thigh-highs and then some impossibly high heels, I walked over to my full-length mirror and admired the view.

  Jackson would have to be dead to ignore me today. My blonde hair hung in sexy curls down my back, my makeup was a little on the darker side today, and my outfit screamed “Fuck me.” In a moment of bravery, I slipped my panties off and kicked them to the side. Knowing that I would be working without panties near Jackson almost had me running for my vibrator in my bedside table. Ignoring the desire coursing through me, I snatched my purse and headed out.

  Right before we pulled up to the building, I reapplied my red lipstick and paid the cab driver. Heads turned as I walked into the building, boosting the self-assurance that had been stolen by Jackson yesterday. I held my chin up and confidently rode the elevator up to our floor.

  When Margie saw me, her eyes lit up. “Hey gorgeous! You’re going to knock them dead today. Jordan and Jackson are already in the conference room with the new junior architect, who is absolutely hot. Jordan said to send you in when you got here,” she giggled. I smiled and thanked her. Swinging by my desk, I dropped my purse in my drawer and picked up a note on my keyboard. It was from Jackson.

  Lunch a
gain today? Same time, same place?

  His scribbled request made me smile. Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad. And he was definitely going to have a hard time not paying attention to me today. I was hot and knew it.

  I strode into the conference room and smiled at Jordan, who was watching me with wide eyes. Jackson swiveled around and actually grinned as he appreciatively took in my appearance. My smile faded when the third chair turned to see what Jordan and Jackson were looking at.

  “Andi? Oh my God. I can’t believe this!” Bray exclaimed, jumping from his seat and coming toward me. He pulled me in for an embrace, and my eyes closed when I got a huge lungful of his familiar scent. He rubbed my back, not wanting to let me go until someone cleared his throat behind him.

  Quickly pulling away, he turned to see Jackson glaring at us. “You two know each other?” Jackson asked, voice rolling with anger.

  Not wanting to make things uncomfortable for Bray, I spoke up. “Uh, yes. We went to college together,” I half-lied, avoiding Jackson’s fiery gaze. I quickly moved to sit down beside Jordan.

  “Great! This is really going to be a great dynamic for our team here. Since you two know each other, things will go so much more smoothly,” Jordan beamed warmly, patting my bare thigh and then removing it to neaten his stack of paper in front of him.

  I looked up to see Bray and Jackson wearing matching glares, this time directed towards Jordan, who seemed oblivious. The testosterone was thick in the conference room today.

  Jordan quickly addressed a few things before excusing everyone. I jumped from my seat and bolted back to my desk. Once I sat down and pretended to be preoccupied with booting up my computer, Jackson stalked past me into his office, slamming the door behind him. Shit. Today was even worse than yesterday!