Breaking the Rules (Beck)

It started with a single look... my obsession, my desire, and need to possess the sweet, and incredibly naive Elena Romero. Like a thief I came in the dead of night and stole her away from her protected castle and placed her in a gilded cage made of gold. Ten-millions dollars and a forced signature later and she was mine. The deal was final. The ink on the contract barely dry. She would become my wife. She would bear my children. She would bend to my will. But most importantly, she would help me destroy the man she loved most. The man who took everything from me: her father.

Everyone knows the rules of friendship, right? Rule #1: Don't kiss your best friend. Rule #2: Don't have sex with your best friend. Rule #3: Don't pretend like it didn't happen the next day. Bailey Renshaw is my best friend. Kind. Sweet as a peach, and so beautiful it should be a crime. Since we were kids I've wanted her, and one time when we were nothing more than teenagers I kissed her. It was the first mistake I ever made in our friendship. Giving her my heart and hoping she felt the same were my second and third. That night she broke me, ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it. Anyone else would've hated her for it, but it only made me value her more, and realize that I would do anything I could to keep her in my life even if it was only as a friend and nothing more. As a permanent resident of the friend zone, I promised myself that I would never cross that line again no matter how badly I wanted to, and I wanted to, badly. Every time she smiled at me, licked her pink lips, or flashed her doe eyes my way I came a little closer to breaking the rules again... but I didn't. I couldn't do that to us. Until one night when we decided to break the rules together. One Earth shattering night together and I knew nothing would ever be the same. Friends, or lovers? I don't know what we are anymore. The rules no longer apply to us. Now the only question is, can we fix what we had before it's too late or is our friendship over for good? And all because of one single kiss?

Rule #1: Always wear a condom. Rule#2: Always leave them wanting more. Rule #3: Always man up. Erica Roberts was the maid of honor in my brother's wedding and my next conquest. She was tone, tan, and sweet as pie. I should've known I'd end up breaking her heart. Still, against my better judgement I took her giving us both the best night of our lives. When I woke up the next morning she was gone, not a trace of what had happened between us, and I realized then I broke my number one rule: Always use a condom. Two months later I get a text telling me I'm going to be a father. I feel a number of emotions, elation, fear, excitement, anger, but then she drops the biggest bomb on me. She says she doesn't need me or want me. Now I've got to do whatever I can to keep us from falling apart. She doesn't think I want the baby or can be a good father, while she's about to find out just the kind of man I am.