When Rue stormed into the waiting cab, Jack said under his breath, “Well done.” I cut my eyes to him but said nothing. I agreed to help him with his newest problem hoping to find out more about her. I didn’t expect to like what I found. How to tell him that… I’m still trying to figure that out. This is a tricky situation, especially since Jack has taken a competitive stance with her, a sibling rivalry I didn’t anticipate. Especially since she’s just as hotheaded as he is.

I know he feels like he just won a round, but his showing up at the apartment was uncool. I had no idea he was going to be there. I thought I had some time alone with her, and regardless of my disclosure that I don’t want anything from her and can’t get attached, I’m finding that declaration hollow and without any validity. She doesn’t know it. I’m trying to deny it to myself. But it’s there. And it will be our undoing.

I want her.

How I can want her this badly so quickly is a mystery. She’s intriguing on many levels, yes. But to have me considering my best friend as a foe rather than a brother? How did that happen?

The greatest fascination I have with her is she’s unpredictable. One minute she’s dignified, the next a child throwing a tantrum. One minute she’s looking at me with virginal adoration, the next she’s a she-wolf going to eat me alive. And she stands up to us. She doesn’t seem to care if we never talk to her again. It’s not normal. In our lives, people bow backwards to be around us. The only people we’re close to are people like us, because we don’t have anything they can’t get for themselves. Rue acts like that, and I know it’s not because she has the inheritance. She would be like that if she had two pennies.

It makes the fact that she wants me matter more.

Jack spreads his legs out, sitting in between us. Rue’s silent, but she moves her leg away from his and keeps staring out the window. He ushered her in and sat down before I had the chance to object, but I should have anyway.

I cut a harsh look to him, but he just smirks at me, proud of himself for besting his sister and throwing a wrench into her fun. As I stare out the window, I know he thinks I don’t really like her, that it’s an act I’m playing to get close to her, just like he asked me to.

Of course he thinks that. I’ve known Jack and Sean since we were kids. My dad, John Gabriel, was the drummer for Max’s favorite band. They hit it off when he went backstage to meet them way back when. I think I was like three at the time. They stayed out all night, the whole lot of them, but Dad and Max stayed friends longer than that; their whole lives, in fact. They were close. Well, as close as they could be with my dad’s drinking and absence.

My dad’s still out there somewhere, but fuck if I know where. He lives a bohemian lifestyle, traveling from one place to the next, living off the royalties that still come in from their songs even though they haven’t played together in years. Sometimes I hear from him when I’m in a city about to do a show. He says he’ll come, but he’s never in the audience when I look. Only once was he backstage after. We had a good time that night, but I doubt if he remembers any of it.

Jack and Sean are brothers to me, as far as it can go without blood tying us. We’re always together. It’s a reliable bond that doesn’t need words. I’m more like Jack than even Sean is, and Sean knows it. He doesn’t resent me for it; he and I are close, too. But Sean’s a quiet one. Not just talking but his vibe. He’s got things in his head he doesn’t tell anyone–an artist’s isolating personality. I get it. But he’s a good guy. That’s never been in question.

Me and Jack? I can’t say the same for us.

Jack glances to me like he knows I’m thinking about him. I keep my eyes averted out the window as we drive into the back of the airport. I don’t want to see his smug face right now. He’s got me all wrong, and I don’t want to clarify reality for him just yet.

Highly alert to her body shifting in the seat, I struggle not to look over. I can only see her in my periphery. She’s tapping her fingers on her dress, her coat bunched up around her waist. I can’t look at her face without giving myself away, so I lean closer to the window.

I want nothing more that to shove my best friend out of the way so I can be next to his sister.

“Where are we?” she asks, her voice echoing off the window.

“Airport, genius.” Jack hands the cabbie some cash as the car comes to a stop, and we all slide out. Walking ahead of me, Rue starts to put it together; we’re in the section where private planes take off. The jet we’re approaching is silver with a graceful “S” curving up the back, painted in white. Her steps slow as we approach the stairs rolled out in front. Realizing this is their plane, her eyes travel up the stairs and land on the waiting darkness of the open door.

I slide my hands in my pockets to stop myself from taking her hand and causing more trouble. I don’t think she wants me touching her right now, and I don’t blame her. But the look of awe on her face is kind of hilarious because she’s trying so hard to act like she’s not impressed. She’s still really pissed off, and wondering where Jenna is, too, I’m sure. I’m about to clue her in, but it’s Jack she turns to. I shut my mouth as I see her look to him for answers. Maybe this is where they get over their bullshit.

But Jack’s tongue is sharper than a Japanese blade. “Yeah. It’s a private jet. Pick your jaw up.”

Rue glances down to the asphalt and blushes deep red. I jog up to her, angrily throwing Jack a warning look. His eyes flicker a second, searching my motive, but he smirks to me, and starts up the stairs. He thinks I’m acting all of this. That’s fine. For now.

I explain to Rue, “Your bags and your friends are going to be there. They’ll have taken care of that.”

Her eyelashes slowly rise up and she looks at me, embarrassed at Jack’s treatment of her. She looks lost, and anger sparks inside my gut. She bites her lip, afraid of sounding stupid as she says, “But Susan lives here…in New York.”

“Then they’ll have made sure she’s gotten home safely. I promise.”

“Oh.” She gazes up at me. Something happens inside my chest that feels like pain. It hurts me to look at her. She’s frowning, too, not wanting to forgive me for abandoning her back there. She turns to the mobile staircase, but I stop her by grabbing her hand.

Jack scowls down at us from the top, waiting. “Come on!”

I growl over the airport noise, “Give me a second!” He hesitates, surprised at my tone, but goes inside. Rue’s got anger vibrating on her body, but she listens to me as I tell her with conviction, “I’m sorry for what happened back there. I didn’t know he was going to be there. I didn’t set you up. Okay?” I grit myself against the future, saying hoarsely, “I know you feel you’re alone in this and there’s no one to protect you. But I’m here. I need you to know I’m here. I will protect you. I was silent back there at the loft. I won’t do that again. You understand?”

Surprised, she stares at me. Reaches up. Touches my chest. I swear I can feel it all the way through to my spine. “It would be horrible to lie to me, Alec. You understand?”

I wrap my hand over hers. Press it into my chest. I don’t want to let it go, but I know I have to. I know Sean will never let this happen without a fight. Jack wants it to happen for all the wrong reasons. I want nothing more than to run. “Yes.”

Reluctant and guarded, she searches my eyes and the veil of anger fades away from hers. She smiles just a little. We release each other and turn to board the plane. After she’s walked up a couple stairs above me I go to grab her hand but stop just short. She doesn’t know and keeps walking up, gracefully pulling up the bottom of her gown so she doesn’t trip. The wind lifts her hair, and she glances back to me and smiles hopefully. I return the smile, but inside I’m wondering how we’re going to make it through this in one piece. I’ve been around too many bad things, too much abandonment and heartbreak to believe it’s even possible.

Everyone knows there are no happy endings.