Page 35 of The Breaking Point

Brady stilled. “You did? Why?”

“Because he wanted to be my first, and I didn’t want that. I want you to be my first.”

Brady didn’t say anything. I saw his chest rise and fall, rise and fall, and it seemed like he was breathing hard. His pupils were wide.

But he didn’t touch me. He just shook his head. “You should sleep,” he said.

I yawned again. “I’m not sleepy. I don’t want to be alone. Will you stay with me?”

His jaw clenched. “That’s not a good idea.”

I snorted. “I know you don’t want me like that. I just don’t want to be alone.” I grabbed at his shirt, gazing up at him.

“Go to sleep,” he said gently. He unhooked my fingers and made me lie down. He then tucked me in and brushed his fingers across my forehead.

“I’ll watch over you,” he said quietly.

I closed my eyes. And then, with Brady’s touch dancing across my face, I fell asleep.

BRADY

I knew I should avoid Grace. I should never have gone to that bar and taken her home. I’d nearly let myself fall into temptation.

The only thing that had stopped me was the knowledge that Grace was drunk. If she hadn’t been, she never would’ve acted like that. I told myself she was just lonely after breaking up with Will. She would’ve done the same with any guy.

I told myself that even though I knew it was a huge fucking lie. Grace wasn’t the type to just throw herself at men.

Which meant she wanted me. Shestillwanted me.

But it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter what she wanted because I knew I’d only make her miserable. Especially if she knew the truth about me.

I’d done my best to avoid seeing Grace for the past week despite the fact that she worked at the Blades arena. It wasn’t too difficult not to see her, considering how large the place was. It helped that Grace didn’t seem to have any projects that involved filming in the actual rink.

So when I saw her on a Friday evening near the locker room, I nearly had a fucking heart attack.

“Are we going to film the guys inside the locker room?” a woman asked Grace, laughing.

“I wish,” said another woman.

Grace rolled her eyes. “I don’t think that’s in their contracts.”

I caught her gaze, and it felt like time stretched right then. Her eyes widened.

And then I walked right past her without saying a fucking word.

I hated myself right then, knowing I was being a huge douchebag. But it was better this way. And if it meant Grace hating me, all the better.

I wondered whether Shayla was at the club tonight. Maybe I could take all this restless sexual energy out on her. Even better, I could be with Grace without actually being with Grace.

You need a goddamn therapist,I thought with a bitter laugh as I got into my car.

I didn’t have time to go to the club, though. I got a phone call on the way home that erased any thoughts of fun from my mind.

It was Marty, my mom’s neighbor. Marty only ever called when Mom was really fucked up. He was one of the few people who checked on her. He’d attended AA meetings with her back in the day, and she’d stayed sober for about a year. Then she’d relapsed. Marty had tried to get her to go back to rehab, but Mom was stubborn.

“Is she dead?” I said, my tone flat.

Marty sighed. “No, but she’s in the hospital again. I saw an ambulance take her away just now. So I guess the good news is that she was conscious enough to call 911.”

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