Page 123 of Break

Where Max understands what I’ve gone through on a physical level, Vincent understands through visual experiences as he’s worked different cases over the years in his job. But Ethan, his empathy feeds my soul. He’s never felt sorry for me, but he always prioritizes my needs. He’s my white knight, tattoos and all.

Turning in Max’s arms, I reach up to him on my tiptoes and press my lips against the underside of his chin. “You’re always looking ahead, aren’t you?”

Placing a curved finger under my chin, he holds my face up so he can lean down and kiss me back. His kiss is firm, and forceful, but always full of unspoken words he finds difficult to get out.

Pulling back from me, he tilts the side of his lip up in a half-smile. “Someone once told me that we need to focus on what’s in front of us and where we’re going in life. It was a pretty smart woman, so I’ve always done my best to listen to her.”

Kissing me again, I smile against his mouth.

Moving away from me, Max takes my hand and tugs me toward my barn. “Let’s go inside. The other fuckers are in there waiting. I’ve got the press here that I need to set up, but we want to show you something.”

Grinning to myself, I hold on to him as we make our way back. Thoughts of that night, lying with Max, and the conversation we had flashes like a stop-motion film through my head. The two of us struggle a lot with our frustrations over the injustices we’ve faced. But there is one memory that I don’t mind repeating in my head. Well,threememories, actually.

I wasn’t a virgin when I found my way to these men, not physically. But my ex-husband never once showed me what it should be like when two people come together. These men, my God,these menhave floored me. The way they worship my body and make my body sing should be a sin.

Vincent’s playfulness, Max’s passion, and Ethan’s power all melt me in different ways. They make me feel alive and beautiful, precious and revered. How does a woman only choose one? I could never. Iwouldnever. I’d only be a speck in the universe that they created for me. They’ve made me their center, so I give them warmth to grow with me.

“Do you trust us?” he whispers, stopping us in front of the door.

I look up at him, confused by his question. There’s no hesitation in my answer. I just don’t know why he’d ask. “Of course I trust you, Max. Why would you think I didn’t?”

A bubble of guilt rises to my throat.Have I made them think I don’t trust them?I can literally pinpoint the moment I knew I trusted each one of them.

My giant never really lost my trust. I knew he was there for me, and I could always trust him to be conscious of my feelings when he threw that stupid fish back into the lake. Vincent was when he stood up to my father, putting himself between us, protecting me from my father’s anger and hatred.

And my Max, when I walked in on him, losing his mind over what I had endured throughout my childhood. He shared his painful past with me and then gave me my firstrealkiss, letting his anger go because he knew it unsettled me.

Tears come to my eyes when I remember how I felt at each of those moments. As if someone was putting me together like an old jigsaw puzzle they dusted off in their basement and brought out into the heart of their home.

Max’s playful smile falls when he sees my face, and he quickly cups the back of my head, pulling me against him. “It was a rhetorical question, dove. I have no doubt in my mind that you trust us. I know you do, because I knowyou.”

Waving him off, I laugh at myself and blink away my tears. “I just got lost in my head for a moment.” Standing up straighter, I tip my head back and give him the biggest smile I can muster. “Yes, I trust you. What’s my surprise?”

He studies me for a moment longer before nodding once and moving on. “I’m going to cover your eyes and walk you inside, alright?”

“Alright,” I agree, although I don’t know why I need to be in the dark. “I could just keep my eyes shut.”

“Nope,” he says, popping his ‘p’. “This is way more fun. Turn around, love.”

Snickering, I follow his directions. Once he has a hand over my eyes, he wraps another around my waist and walks us inside slowly. Knowing where everything is laid out, I can tell we’ve come to a stop in the center of my office space, turned toward the blank wall my desk faces.

I can’t hear Vincent and Ethan, but I know they’re here. The room is filled with them. Their heat and their scent. When the three of them are around me, that’s when that feeling of home comforts me.

Reaching out to my sides, I bite my lip when they both immediately grab on. Vincent’s booming laughter fills the space, and I can’t help but join along with him.

“How’d you know we were here, sweetpea?”

“Because I told her, you idiot,” Max snaps at him. It’s never once bothered me when they bicker. The three of them argue like brothers would, and it just gives me one more reason to validate that what we’ve got between us was the right move.

“Because,” I cut in, preventing Vincent from egging Max on further. “I could feel you. But, yes, Max said you both were waiting for us. I just didn’t know where until now.”

Grunting in exasperation, Ethan gives my hand a squeeze. “Can we do this? Or do you ladies need another few minutes to swing your purses at each other?”

A loud peal of laughter explodes out of me, and I hunch over to catch my breath, gasping between giggles.

“Judgmental army brat,” Vincent mutters out, then tugs on my hand, trying to get my attention. “Ignore the mean brute. Are you ready to see your surprise?”

“Y-Yes,” I chuckle out, attempting to compose myself, but Ethan’s words keep swirling, causing the giggle to burst out sporadically. I don’t think he says these things to be funny, not intentionally. His honesty is so refreshing that my cheeks often hurt after he finishes going after them from smiling so hard.

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