Page 43 of Shattered

Enthusiastically, he says, “Yep, all ready!” without looking at me. Maybe it’s nerves. This could be his typical behavior since I haven’t witnessed him being nervous.

We have approximately twenty minutes before the meeting starts, so we need to leave now or we’ll be late.

Despite being five minutes into the journey, Brayden continues to ignore me and remains silent. No matter how many times I glance to the side, he keeps his head completely turned toward the window.

“Brayden, are you absolutely certain you’re OK?” I question, frowning and stealing quick glances at him during the drive.

“I’m fine, sir.”

“I’ll believe it when you look at me and say that.” Despite his huffing, he refuses to make eye contact with me.

“Brayden,” I snap.

He quickly turns his head and shouts. “I’m fine!" Just as I notice the darkness around one side of his face, he swiftly turns his head back to gaze out the window.

I abruptly hit the brakes, making Brayden instinctively grip the dashboard and lunge forward, saved by the seatbelt keeping him in place. The beeping of cars behind me gradually turns into a drumming sound in my ears. My heart is the only sound I hear as anger boils within me.

Someone fucking hurt him.

My sudden stop leaves Brayden staring at me in wide-eyed disbelief.

“Sir?” Brayden wrinkles his forehead at me, but his expression becomes more sympathetic as he observes my anger. “I’m fine,” he says again in a softer tone.

I clutch his cheeks, grasping his face in my hand.

“Who the fuck did this to you?” I narrow my eyes, shifting my attention back and forth between his gaze. His eyes cast down.

“Please, drop it. We need to get going. I don’t want anything ruining this meeting, Mr. Stiles. Please.” The red mist lingers, despite his pleading blue orbs. I struggle to relax, squinting and clenching my teeth. The thought of anyone hurting him, even touching him, causes a strong response from me. Something that will obliterate anything that dares to even look at him the wrong way.

“I’ll tell you after the meeting,” he whispers. I let go of his cheeks, noticing the red and white imprints my fingers made. I can’t speak. I’m too afraid to speak because of what I might say.

I would kill anyone that even tries touching him again.

The thought scares me. I’ve never felt such an intense need to protect someone as I do for Brayden, and it terrifies me.

The rest of the journey is spent in silence until we reach our destination. Before I can step out of the car, Brayden grips my arm.

“Can we put it aside until later, please? I need your support in there.” Upon hearing those words, I found myself sinking back into the seat, with one foot still outside the car. I slump my shoulders and sigh.

“OK, but you promise to tell me after?”

With a forced smile, he assures me, and I nod in response.

The hall is huge. On the left, there’s a lengthy table full of refreshments and a variety of sweet and savory snacks. In the center of the hall, there is a wide circle consisting of about twenty chairs. Brayden is already looking down at a table filled with leaflets to the right, picking up one of each. His eyes sweep the hall as he turns toward me, then he walks up beside me, waving the leaflets.

“I got these. Some late-night reading.” He chuckles. Smiling, I gesture to him to take the lead. I am here to assist him today, and I encourage him to take the lead. I watch as he walks ahead of me, finds a seat, and acknowledges the person next to him with a smile. As I sit beside him, I scan the room and acknowledge each person with a nod.

Directly across from Brayden and me, a small lady asks, “Is everyone prepared?” Several individuals grab doughnuts fromthe table and carry them on a plate, moving around and offering them to others. Brayden and I shake our heads, quietly declining, as they move on to the next person. Brayden’s leg bounces nervously as we wait for the group to begin. I steal a glance at his face as he keeps his eyes fixed on the woman in front of him.

“Let me begin by saying how much of a pleasure it is to see each and every one of you here today. I can see we have a few new faces.” I notice her smile at me and Brayden, recognizing our new presence, but she doesn’t request introductions. This brings me some relief, as I’d rather observe before speaking.

“For those who are new, our group aims to promote mutual support, offer advice, and connect us with individuals who can provide assistance. When a family member is struggling with addiction, whether it’s drugs, alcohol, or gambling, one thing takes precedence above all else.” Pausing, she scans the group as they all murmur “support.” Her eyes crease as she smiles broadly at everyone. “The support of family and friends is crucial for holding on. Without it, they’ll feel like they have nothing at all.”

I take another quick glance at Brayden. And he’s laser-focused on the lady, hanging on her every word.

“Nevertheless, it’s important to keep yourself in mind, as supporting others can be draining and it’s crucial to take care of yourself.”

She smiles once more and then raises her hand in the direction to a man on her left. “Let’s begin with you, Steven,” she says, smiling at the man to her left who just finished his doughnut. “How has your week been so far? Have there been any challenges?”

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