He Asked Me Out to Get Back at Her, I Gave Him a Rulebook Instead Chapter 05

He Asked Me Out to Get Back at Her, I Gave Him a Rulebook Instead Chapter 05

I gave Ronan a week. Then I’d ineet his friends.

In front of people, I was the perfect girlfriend: soft-spoken, adoring, completely gone for him.

Behind closed doors, I blocked him about three times a day.

I pushed him to the edge. He talked himself back down. Rinse and repeat.

The stream of floating comments had given me everything: his habits, his triggers, his weak spots. I knew

him better than he knew himself.

And Ronan? He couldn’t imagine any explanation except that I was obsessed with him.

He was out with his friends when his phone went off.

He checked it like a man defusing a bomb, then exhaled when he saw it wasn’t from me.

Her temper was insane.

One minute late on a reply and she’d block him.

And every time, she took longer to unblock him.

Yesterday she wouldn’t even let him bring her dinner. He’d been livid.

Not that he’d ever refuse.

The rules were clear: when she was mad, his job was to fix it.

That’s what people said, right? Girls who acted like this were just insecure. It meant they cared too much.

He’d texted her an hour ago. Nothing.

What had he done this time?

He ran through everything. Couldn’t figure it out.

Last time, she’d had a nightmare at two in the morning. He’d been dead asleep and missed her call. That was

enough to earn him two days of silence,

He sent another round of texts.

[What are you doing?]

[What do you want for dinner? Want to go out or should I bring it to you?]

[I pulled some restaurant options for you.]

[Heads up, one of my friends is having a birthday thing at Redline Motor Club tonight.]

[The friend who invited me is a guy. Landon. He’s your roommate’s cousin.]

He sent it, then immediately unsent the last text, the part about Vivienne’s cousin.

Mentioning Vivienne, even one degree removed. He’d almost broken rule one.

That was close.

He’d almost gotten blocked again.

He kept checking his phone. Three hours with nothing from her. It shouldn’t have felt this wrong, but it did.

Landon nudged him. “You racing later?”

Ronan’s jaw tightened. “No. My girlfriend needs me tonight.”

Vivienne’s smile turned sharp. “God, she’s needy. I didn’t think that was your type.”

One of the guys laughed. “The quiet ones get old fast.”

“She’s fine for now. But when it’s time to get serious, you need someone like Vivienne.”

Vivienne’s boyfriend leaned forward. “I just got my racing license. How about a race, Ronan?”

“Unless you’re scared of wrecking your ride. Is that why you’re hiding behind your girlfriend?”

The room went quiet.

Ronan drove the way he did everything else: reckless, angry, and incapable of walking away from a

challenge.

The last guy who’d cut him off on the track ended up in the ER. Ronan had run him off the road without a

second thought.

Vivienne shot Landon a look. “That’s enough.”

Landon grinned. “Worried about Ronan? Or your boyfriend?”

Vivienne didn’t answer.

The silence said enough.

Every pair of eyes in the room drifted to Ronan. Money, looks, family name. On paper, he and Vivienne were

the obvious match. And everyone had watched him chase her for months.

Nobody in this room believed his new girlfriend was anything more than a rebound.

The streath of floating comments drifted in. [Tonight the MMC races for her. It’s so obvious who he’s

artually in love with.)

[And tomorrow the side character gets to watch him kiss the FMC in front of everyone. One full minute. Then he confesses. She’s standing right there for all of it.]

I would lose my mind.]

I read every word. My face went cold.

I picked up my phone and started typing. [I’m sorry.]

[I wasn’t ignoring you on purpose. I think I have a fever. My head’s killing me.]

[If you’re going to break up with me… just tell me first. Don’t string me along.]

I hit send on my best helpless-girlfriend performance, then shut off my phone.

I didn’t have a fever. Not even close.

Ronan read the messages, and something in his face shifted.

Maren didn’t apologize. She never apologized. Something was wrong.

Ronan stood up, his eyes sweeping the room like a threat. “Maren’s sick. I’m out.

“And if any of you breathe a word about the bet to her, you’re dead.”

Vivienne’s face went white.

That last part was for her. They both knew it.

Landon read the room fast. “It’s late. We’re all hanging out tomorrow anyway. Let’s wrap it up.”

Landon walked him out. At the door, he dropped his voice. “Vivienne’s been talking about a future with the

Ashford family. Guys are lining up. Just make sure you don’t regret this.”

“Or are you actually catching feelings for a girl who doesn’t even come close in money, looks, or status? It

was a bet, man. If you take her seriously, people are going to laugh.”

Ronan stopped walking.

He didn’t turn around.

“Just keep your mouths shut.”

The car door slammed.

Even without her texts, he wouldn’t have raced tonight.

It hit him on the drive home. After weeks of Maren driving him out of his mind, a roomful of people trying to

balt him barely registered.

Landon walked back inside and locked eyes with Vivienne.

“Tomorrow, truth or dare. All you have to do is admit you got with your boyfriend to make Ronan jealous. That’s it. But if you keep playing this game, you’re going to lose him for real.”