Ryan Rule: New York Ruthless Book 1
Ryan Rule: Chapter 35

I sit in the armchair and watch Jessie with my brothers. So easy and relaxed. Liam has his arm casually around her shoulder while Mikey has one hand on her thigh and the other holding a bowl of popcorn. Whenever a funny part of the film comes on, she laughs and looks between the two of them. My little brothers smile back at her and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen them so happy before.

Conor sits on the armchair opposite and he rarely takes his eyes off her. My broken right-hand man who had been a shell of his former self after what happened with the Semenovs, with a contentment on his face that I haven’t seen for a very long time. She looks over at him too, reminding him she is there, and that all he needs to do is say the word and she is his. Because she would do that for him. If he held out his hand to her now, she would leave the comfort of the sofa and the warmth of the twin’s bodies against hers and go to him. She would do the same for Liam or Mikey too. They give her everything she could ever want or need, and she does the same for them.

Yet, she can barely stand to look at me. My heart races as I recall the last time I touched her. It was two days ago, and she has barely acknowledged me since. I miss her when she’s not in my bed, but I accept she can’t spend every night with me and I can live with that. Usually, she calls into my office at least once a day, and more often than not, I fuck her on my desk. So, to not touch her at all, to not feel the brush of her lips on my skin, or the perfect weight of her ass in my hands, I fucking hate it, and I miss her.

I was rough with her the other day, but then I often am. So, what the hell have I done to make her so pissed at me? If I called her name right now, would she come to me too? And if she did, would it be because she wanted to, or because of something else?

The film credits are rolling over the screen and I watch her stretch and yawn. Liam curls her hair around his fist and pulls her face to his, pressing a soft kiss against her temple. I wonder if she’s planning on spending the night with the twin’s. If I have any say in it, she won’t be.

I stand up. “Jessie!” I growl, and all of their heads snap towards me. I have never called her by her name before. “We’re going to bed.”

She blinks at me, and Mikey squeezes her thigh reassuringly.

My heart pounds in my chest as I wait for her response. I have never felt this vulnerable in front of my brothers before. What if she says no? I’ll have to walk over there and carry her out of here. But then she stands, and a wave of relief washes over me.

“Night, boys,” she says before leaning down and kissing Mikey and Liam on the cheek. She walks towards me, her head slightly bowed, and as she reaches Conor, she stops to kiss him too. He’s not satisfied with a peck on the cheek though and he pulls her into his lap, places his hands on either side of her face and kisses her deeply. She closes her eyes and leans into him and there is a connection between them that is so tangible, I could almost reach out and touch it. It makes me feel something I don’t like feeling. After a few seconds, she pulls away.

“Goodnight, Angel,” he whispers before giving her a slap on the ass as she stands up. She giggles, but then she stops again when she looks up at me. I turn and walk towards the hallway and she follows close behind.