Page 46 of Breaker

I snort but nod, doing as he asks and taking a seat. Violet's doing well, and so is the baby, but she struggles to be away from Tats and has panic attacks, and needs him to keep calm. Fuck, Noah is like a mother hen toward her. He loves her to pieces and spends a few weekend dinners with them a month.

Tats raises a brow, and I grin, admitting, "I want Quinn's name on my ring finger."

He nods with a grin, knowing how serious this is for a brother. He should know, considering he had Vi's name on his chest before they became exclusive.

He gets his shit ready, stating, "Snake called. The bald fucker was worried. Is everything alright?"

I hum as he wipes my finger, and I admit, "She decided letting the kids use slime was a good way to go." He winces, and I nod. "My girl slipped and bashed her wrist on her desk. Thankfully, it's just bruised."

He nods. "Is that where you've been, with Quinn?"

I sigh. "Yeah, brother. I finally told her she was done running from us, whether she liked it or not. Tech’s already made the moves yesterday."

He fills his gun up as he speaks. "He declined her job for her?"

I hum in agreement, making him grin wide, him knowing what it's like to fall madly in love with someone. He states, "She's going to be pissed."

I nod as he places the needle against my skin and smirk. I mutter, "I'm fucking counting on it," making him chuckle.

I have to admit, an angry Quinn is a really hot Quinn, and the angry sex…yes, please.

The next day, I'm trying to concentrate on the pay slips in my office, but my mind is fully on Quinn. She has yet to message me like I'd hoped, but I knew she wouldn't.

I wish I understood exactly what her problem is. I know her dad cheated on her momma and the pain that probably caused her, but I never cheated on her with Jingles. I was fucking set up, which is why she's been AWOL since I kicked her out of the club. And Suzy, well, I didn't fucking cheat—I know I feel like I did, but I didn't. She'd broken up with me, and I couldn't handle it.

Do I wish I could take it back? Every fucking day, but I can't. It's something I have to live with, but her pushing me away like she has, being willing to move…nothing makes fucking sense.

She cut her dad out of her life over something that happened years ago despite her parents’ healing. She's closed herself off from me at the very first hurdle, and I just don't fucking get it!

I sigh, throwing my pen down before running my hand over my head, contemplating showing up at her place, knowing schools are out for a break. A knock sounds at my door.

I silently groan, hoping it's not another fucking problem between Sparkles and Candy. Last week Candy fucked Sparkles despite being in a relationship with Honey. It was one messy fucking catfight in the changing room—makeup and glitter everywhere.

"Come in," I state loudly as I retrieve my pen, ready to get this shit sorted so I can pick Noah up, where, hopefully, he'll speak to me.

I look up as the door opens but furrow my brows when Janet Sanders walks in. Her eyes, so much like her daughter’s, are red like she's been crying, and her dark blonde hair is a mess.

"Mrs. Sanders?" I question.

She sniffles, a few tears falling as she shuts my door, and then leans against it. I keep quiet, waiting for her as she shakes her head and sobs.

"I'm so-so sorry." Her words confuse me. She wipes away her tears and rasps, "For so long, I-I thought the reason for Quinn's closed-off heart was because of her father's infidelity and what she walked in on, and I-I…. Oh God, I'm so sorry, Breaker, I never realized I was the reason she was so closed off…."

I lean back, still confused, and ask, "Why would you be the reason for my girl's closed-off nature?"

She shakes her head before she admits, "I never told Paul; I-I didn't want him to know what he caused and-and…." Her tears fall before she removes the thick bracelets on her wrists, and then turns them, showing the long diagonal scars from her hand to just before her elbow.

I slowly close my eyes, rasping, "Ah shit…," knowing exactly where this is going.

She speaks again, and I drop my head, pain shooting through me for what my girl had witnessed at a young age, her reasoning becoming clearer.

After witnessing that shit, she doesn't want to fall for someone as hard as her mother did, yet she already has.

"After, fuck…after she walked in on her father and that woman, my mother, a woman she adored, died in hospital. She was the reason why we were there to begin with. I told Paul I wanted a divorce, that he broke us, before moving us to my mother's, Jack opting to stay with his father, not knowing why I was moving out of our family home with his inconsolable baby sister who refused to allow her father to even look at her." She sniffles, her eyes holding apologizes. "I-I am the one who ruined her childhood, but she blames her father because of the love I held and still hold for him. I couldn't cope with the losses; my heart was breaking, and, when I thought she was asleep, I got drunk and decided to kill myself like the selfish person I am. For years, I pressured Quinny to speak to her father, believing she needed to get over it." Her tears fall some more as she whispers, "Yet how can a little girl, a seven-year-old, forgive when she walked in on her momma, slitting her wrists, crying, and sobbing about how unworthy she was. I begged to know why I wasn't good enough to my seven-year-old. I blocked that day out. I chose to forget her holding pressure on my wrists. I chose to forget her calling an ambulance, and I chose to forget her screaming at her daddy that she hates him for ruining everything."

I shake my head, running a hand through my hair, and state, "It's not the cheating that's traumatized her, it's the aftermath."

She nods. "I always wanted to believe her issues were based on what her father did. God, I tried to guilt trip her repeatedly. It wasn't until Paul called me and screamed at me for not telling him the truth during our counseling sessions, and not opening my eyes to what we put our daughter through. It wasn’t until then that I realized what I had done, I understood the true reasons for her behavior toward her father."

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