Too Far 01- Fallen Too Far

her. She wasn’t smiling but a clumsy frown was plastered on her face. “I know something,” she whispered loudly.
    “I heard that,” I replied and glanced over and Rush who didn’t appear to be amused. He wasn’t a fan of drunken Bethy.
    “It’s a big secret. A huge one… and I know it. I’m not supposed to but I do. I know something you don’t know. You don’t know. You don’t know,” Bethy started singing again.
    I started to ask her what it was she knew but Rush spoke up first. “That’s enough Bethy.” Rush’s warning was clear. I even shivered from the steeliness in his voice.
    Bethy clamped her lips together and acted as if she was twisting a key and then throwing it away.
    I turned back around wondering if she did know something I needed to know. Rush sure acted like she did. He’d looked ready to stop the car and toss her out.
    Rush began messing with the radio for some music so I decided to remain quiet. Rush was upset because Bethy knew something she wasn’t supposed to know.
    He had so many secrets surrounding him. There were things he refused to talk about. We were attracted to each other. That didn’t mean he had to tell me all his secrets. Did it? No! Of course not. But once again, was I ready to give a part of myself to someone I didn’t really know? He was so guarded. Would I be able to do this with him and not become attached? I wasn’t sure.
    Rush’s hand slipped over mine. I glanced over at him and he was watching the road but he was thinking. I wished I could just ask him. But we weren’t there yet. We might never be. Should I give my virginity to a guy who would be walking out of my life soon with no hope of anything more?
    “That was the best time, ever. I like blue-collar fellas. They’re so much fun,” Bethy slurred sleepily from the backseat. “You should have looked around some more Blaire. It would have been smarter on your part. Rush is a bad idea. ‘Cause there is always Nan.”
    Nan? I turned to look back at Bethy. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was hanging open. A soft snore escaped and I knew any explanation to that comment wouldn’t be happening tonight. At least not from Bethy.
    I turned to look back at Rush whose hand had left mine and was now gripping the steering wheel tightly. His jaw was also clenched. What was the deal with his sister? She was his sister, right?
    “Is Nan your sister?” I asked, watching him for any reaction. He simply nodded but said nothing more. This was what I’d gotten the last time I brought her up. He completely closed down on me.
    “What did Bethy mean then? How would us sleeping together affect Nan?”
    Rush’s entire body was strung tight. He didn’t respond. My heart sank. That secret, whatever it was, would keep us from doing anything more. It was too important to him therefore, it was a warning flag for me. If he couldn’t tell me something even Bethy knew then we had a problem.
    “Nan is my younger sister. I won’t… I can’t talk about her with you.” The way he said “you” made my stomach turn. Something was off here. I wanted to ask more questions but the sadness and loss that washed over me as I realized I wouldn’t be sleeping in his bed tonight or any other night stopped me. This would keep me from getting too close to Rush. I should have never let him touch me like he did earlier. Not when he could so easily toss me aside.
    We remained silent all the way to the offices. Rush got out of the Range Rover without a word and woke Bethy up. Then helped her inside. It was locked but Bethy had a key. She had mumbled something about staying the night here or her daddy would kill her. I didn’t go help. I didn’t have the energy. I just wanted to go to bed. I wanted my bed under the stairs. Not the big new one waiting on me.
    When he got back into the car he was still silent. I tried to figure out why he would shut down like he did over Nan and what Bethy’s comment could mean but nothing made sense. It was only minutes later that we were pulling into the four car garage. I opened my door and climbed down as soon as he put it in park. I didn’t wait for him as I made my way to the door. It was locked so I had to wait on him to come unlock it.

Chapter Sixteen

    Rush opened the door and stood back so I could enter. I walked inside and headed for the kitchen.
    “Your room is upstairs now,” Rush said, breaking the silence.
    I knew that. My mind was just elsewhere. I turned and headed for the