Page 63 of Breaker

I blink as I try to move my shoulder, and the pain intensifies, the body lying next to me shifting then going still. The pain, the ache, the stiffness—yep, I was shot.

Damn.

I hear a rustle to my left. On my right, there is a warm weight snug against me, and I don't even need to look to know it's a sleeping Alex. I look toward the rustle and make eye contact with Tech, who's sitting, watching.

I clear my throat and rasp, "You know it's creepy to watch someone sleep."

He half smiles but shrugs. "It was the only way our boy here would get some sleep. I checked the cameras at two this morning, and he was watching you. He needed rest."

I nod and ask, "Noah?"

He smiles. "Is okay. He's with his Grams and Gramps, wanting his momma."

My eyes tear up a little as Tech sighs, sitting forward.

Needing a distraction, I ask, "What's on your mind, Tech?"

He shrugs. "Not a lot." I raise a brow at him, running my fingers through Alex's hair, hoping he sleeps for a little while longer.

I know I'm in trouble with him, but I would do it again if it meant saving his or Noah’s lives.

Tech looks at his hands for a moment and I grin, noticing something. I comment, "Is that Brook's name on your wrist I see?"

He smirks a little and admits, "Brook is the love of my life. Fuck….” He runs a hand through his scruffy blond hair. "I never knew what love was until her."

I sigh. "Then why…." I trail off, not knowing how to ask. If he was in love with her, then surely, he'd still be with her, and his ex-girlfriend wouldn't be hanging around the club.

He gives me a small smile. "Nina is vicious. When we got together, I thought I was in love with her; she was sweet, kind, and docile, and I must admit, her coming back did scramble my head. It was like a blast from the past, and it shocked me, but more to the point, it made me understand it was only lust, and my mother trying to push us together, just like she is yet again. After graduation, Nina showed her true colors." He looks at me. "When I said I wasn't willing to leave the club for a high-paying job, she left with some other dude, while trying to bring the club down at the same time. She ruins people's lives; she wants what she wants, and will do whatever to get it, including selling club information that my momma let slip to her to our enemies."

My eyes widen in shock, and he nods. "Momma loves her despite knowing the shit she's been causing. She still wants her as a daughter-in-law. She tolerated Brook because she made me happy, but as soon as Nina showed up—which I'm not fucking blind—was instigated by my mother, she turned on the woman I love. Fuck, because of Nina’s actions, it took longer for us to find Violet and save her from her uncle, and Momma still wants her with me."

Knowing how difficult his mother can be, I swallow and ask, "Why didn't you tell all this to Brook?"

His eyes shined a little before he rasped, "I wanted to, but when Brook entered the room, Nina kissed me. She refused to speak to me, and then she went home with some guy, and I-I fuck, I slept with Crystal after I found out, even knowing she wasn't in the guy’s apartment for long. Even knowing that nothing happened between them, I slept with someone else out of anger and spite. I was adamant we were over when, in my heart, I knew we weren't; she was just hurt." He looked down, gripping his hair, "I don't deserve her, plus, she seems happy now. She's been seeing a guy, or I think she is. He came to the wedding with her, and I've seen them together often. I need to let her go."

Alex groans, then mutters, "Tech, that's bullshit, and you know it. You made a mistake, and if you let her go, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Tech chuckles as I move my nose underneath Alex's chin, inhaling his musky scent.

"You're supposed to be sleeping, brother," Tech replies.

Alex hums, gently kissing my nose and making me smile, before he replies, "I was, but hearing your bullshit woke me up." He lifts his head and raises a brow at Tech. "I'm going to let you in on a little secret Brook begged me not to tell you, and Ken will most likely kill me for revealing." I look at Tech, who looks confused, before looking back at my man and raise a brow in question. He winces, stating, "The guy she's hanging with is her cousin. She’s being harassed, but she refused to have a brother with her for protection, after what happened with you two, and with how your momma has been acting toward her. The guy at the apartment is the reason her cousin is in town." Alex sucks his lip ring into his mouth and admits, "The guy was a high school friend. He asked to spend time and catch up, but attacked her when she went to his apartment. He tried to spike her drink, but she saw. She got away but not before he bruised her ribs, and the fucker has been in hiding since. She told Kennedy, who told me, begging me to keep it a secret. I've been with Tats, trying to find the fucker."

Tech's body shakes with anger, and I wince and give him some home truths.

"So maybe you need to get off your pity train and kick your ex to the curb, win your girl back, and while you're at it, maybe put your momma in her place, and help my man here find the soon-to-be-a dead man. Maybe not in that order, though."

Alex chuckles in my neck as Tech narrows his eyes at me playfully despite anger radiating off him. He nods and stands, walking over to me. He kisses my head, and rasps, "I have a soon-to-be-dead man to find first, darling. Get some rest, yeah." He looks at Alex. "And you get some fucking sleep, because you and I will be in the ring later. You should have told me."

Alex looks at him, his eyes softening. "You've had Nina hanging off you for months, brother, and don't stand there and act all innocent when we both know you slept with Brook a few weeks ago, then disappeared the next morning." Tech eyes widen and Alex nods. "Yeah, women talk, and Kennedy, well, you know our relationship. Other than the old timers, you're the only brother who knows who I am to Ken, and she likes to speak to me. Go win your girl back."

He chuckles but nods, patting Alex's back before leaving, and I giggle. "He's such an idiot."

Alex hums and replies, "Yeah, but so are you."

I wince as he sits up next to me, and I whisper, "She had a gun pointed at his head, Alex. She knocked out a pregnant woman right next to her child in her stroller, and April was hiding behind the slide…. I-I couldn't stand back."

He shakes his head. "She didn't have the gun pointed at his head, baby; it was a scare tactic. She wanted money."

---