Page 67 of Break

“If you need to ride on a back the rest of the way, I volunteer as the sacrificial beast of burden.” Vincent waggles his eyebrows, teasing a deeper blush from her.

Blowing out a huff, she shakes her head. “I think I can manage not eating dirt the rest of the way. I appreciate the offer to ride you, though.”

Max’s eyes widen before he spins back around as he fights off a smile over her unintentional innuendo. Vincent lets out an intelligible sound, something between a laugh and a groan, and he struggles to not make a comment. He’sreallyfucking struggling, too.

Her smile fades, turning into confusion over his reaction, and I decide to redirect her. Reaching down, I grab her hand and interlock our fingers, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s get back before it gets too dark.”

She nods, her smile returning as she tightens her grip on my hand, holding on as she maneuvers her way over the darkened path back to camp. Her fingers are cold, and I can’t stop my thumb from running over her skin in a weak attempt to warm her.

The fire is still crackling, even with the flames beginning to lower after burning for a few hours. Pulling her forward, I stand her in front of the fire and whisper, “Stay here for a few minutes to warm up. You’re trembling like a leaf.”

Mina nods, her eyes finding mine in the dim light. Her lips part slightly, as if she wants to say something, but nothing comes out. Instead, she turns her attention to the fire, her hands reaching out to soak up the warmth.

The way her hair falls around her shoulders, and how her eyes sparkle in the glow of the flames; it’s all too much for me to resist. I know I’m being forward, but I take a step closer to her and wrap my arms around her waist from behind.

She jumps at the sudden contact, but then relaxes into my touch. There’s a sense of protectiveness that’s grown inside of me since having her around us again, a need to keep her safe and warm.

Clearing his throat, I meet Max’s eye over the top of her head when he says, “I’ll gather some more wood for the fire. Vincent, would you take a look around to make sure… well, just make sure everything is good?”

“Can I help with anything?” Her voice is low, relaxed, and content.

Shaking his head no, Vincent gives her a soft smile. “Nah, sweetpea. Just get warmed up and then we’ll call it an early night. We have an early morning tomorrow.”

As they move away, I can’t stop from tightening my grip a bit more around her waist and breathing in her scent before slowly releasing her and stepping away. “Do you need anything before we sleep?”

Her eyes find mine over her shoulder, a bit of bewilderment in them, most likely from the contact I instigated. “I’m, uhh… I think I have everything I need.” Her nerves are showing again, and I really hope I didn’t make her feel uncomfortable.

Nodding toward the tent, I do my best to play it off like it wasn’t a big deal. “If you’re ready to sleep, why don’t you head in and lay down? Everything is set up.”

“O-Okay.” She wrings her fingers together and takes a deep breath, focusing those brown eyes on me. “Thank you for bringing me out to the woods. I… I just love it here. It’s magical.” She whispers the last bit before taking a step around me and unzipping the entrance to the tent and slipping inside.

I squat in front of the flames for a few more minutes, lost in my own thoughts. It’s not long before my friends return, flanking my sides as they take a seat in the chairs located around the fire.

We sit together, all staring at the coals until Max breaks the silence. “She go to bed?”

I nod, choosing not to speak or look at either of them.

“Sooo, I’m just going to ask because I think it needs to come up. Ethan…” He trails off until I look over at him. “You got a thing for her?”

I roll my eyes and scoff at his teenaged question. “A thing. Yeah, pretty sure I’ve got a thing for her.” Glancing over at Max, I can’t tell if he’s considering my answer or is pissed by it. We don’t break eye contact until he gives me a slight chin lift in acknowledgment.

“Yeah, I’ll be real honest here. I do, too.” I don’t react to Vincent’s declaration because I already knew he did. I’ve seen the way he is with women he’s been interested in over the past few years, and with Mina? He’s definitely invested.

We both turn to Max, who’s still silent. His jaw clenches as he works through his own feelings. Finally, he lets his shoulders drop. “Whether I am or not isn’t the issue right now. She’s got a lot on her plate, and we’ve all been assholes to her throughout her entire life. How about we focus on keeping her safe, giving her experiences she’s been deprived of for years, and let her take a bit of control over her future? If that involves one or more of us, I’ll accept that.”

Pursing his lips, Vincent narrows his eyes at him. “Or we continue to show her we aren’t the assholes she thinks we are. Open up and let her get to know us, and maybe be a part of her life once Danny is dealt with.Maybewe could all be adults and let her know weallare interested. Let her make decisions for herself with all the information provided.”

Tossing a log onto the pile of ashy wood, I stand and brush my hands off on my pants. “I’m going to bed. I think we should all get some rest. Early morning tomorrow.”

Vince lunges forward and beats me to the tent. Whispering as he passes, “I’m gonna get a spot next to her. Maybe I’ll score some middle of the night cuddles too.” With a wink, he unzips the entrance and heads inside.

Waiting, I hold back the flap until Max finds his way over. Standing in front of me, he makes his confession. “I’m worried I’ve fucked up too much with her in the past, and I have a temper.”

Squeezing his shoulder, I give him the only answer I can. “Apologize. Then be better.”

Laughing softly, he shakes his head at me, then goes inside. I’m the last to enter.

After closing us in, I make my way to the last sleeping bag on Mina’s left. Her breathing is steady and deep, peaceful after a full day of work and hiking.

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