Page 116 of Break

Turns out, Harrow and Danny have been friends for the past three years, unknown to any of us. By the time we learned Harrow had loaned his hunting cabin to Danny to hide away in, we were racing to the address. We are all devastated that Danny has had her for this long already.

Now, here I am, crushed between Ethan and Vincent on a bench seat that shouldn’t fit more than two average sized people, staring down at the woman I love as the paramedics check her over.

My little dove hasn’t taken her eyes off us as they poke and prod at her, asking questions of ‘Where does it hurt?’ and ‘Can you feel this?’. I want to rip all their hands off her body and pick her up to keep her safe between the three of us.

Dropping my chin lower, I push every thought I have of love to her. I want her to know that I’m here and I’m not fucking going anywhere. More importantly, nothing has changed between us now that Danny is gone.

Fuck Danny.

The sight of him pulling the trigger and crumpling to the ground is going to haunt me for the rest of my life. I’ll never forgive him for what he’s done to Mina, but there’s an ache somewhere buried deep in a tiny part of my body that is sad his life ended the way it did. Wewerefriends for a reason.

Mina is going to be crushed.

“You doing okay, sweetpea?” Vincent asks from my right. He hasn’t pulled his gaze from her either. The medical personnel probably think we’re all fucking psychos right now, especially after we refused their ‘only one can ride’ rule.

Her voice is raspy, even after swallowing a few sips of water. “I am right now, Vince.” Her eyes dance across all our faces before she says the last thing I would have expected. “I’m sorry you’ve lost a friend.”

Ethan’s body jerks, and Vincent mumbles something under his breath. But not me. I know what she’s trying to say, and I want her to know that I understand her.

“Danny changed a long,longtime ago. The man from before was my friend. I’m sad we lostthatDanny, but he disappeared years ago.”

I ignore the grumbles of the woman messing with the cords surrounding Mina when I see her eyes fill with tears. Dropping to my knees, I’m careful as I cup her face, using my thumb to wipe away each one as they escape.

“I’m so sorry.” Her voice cracks, and I press a kiss to her lips to stop her.

“This is not on you. None of this was your fault. Danny wasn’t right in his head, little dove. He hasn’t been for so long, and the only thing you have to carry from this are the scars he’s left you with. But Ethan, Vincent, and I will all be here with you, love. Do you hear me?”

My heart is fracturing at the pain I see written all over her face. Dropping my face to hers, I roll my forehead along hers, and I fight against the never ceasing roil of emotions slamming into me from all directions. She nods her head slightly showing that she hears me, and I don’t move until I’m asked to.

“Sir, I’m sorry, but I really need you to go back to your seat.”

Ignoring the medic, I press another kiss to Mina’s salty lips and then give her a soft smile as I run my thumb over her uninjured cheek once more. “We’ll all get through this. I love you, sweet girl,” I whisper, and feel relief push all my turmoil away when a slight blush creeps up her skin.

“I love you too.” She meets my eyes and then looks at Vince and Ethan. “All of you.” Her voice cracks again, this time from the intensity of her feelings. We haven’t talked over what steps everyone has gotten to with her. When Ethan’s shoulders tighten, and I hear him suck in air. I have a feeling that was the first time he’s heard it.

His teeth are clenched when he grits out, speaking directly to the medics, “You need to get us there. Now.”

Tears are still falling down Mina’s cheeks as she closes her eyes. I’m not concerned that Ethan didn’t say it back, and I don’t think she is either. We all know that Ethan is just as in love with her as she is with him. Probably before Vincent or I figured it out.

The rest of the ride is completed in silence. Thoughts of Danny and his death still try to batter against my head, and I work to keep them out. Mina’s words from when we were lying in bed together are what finally do it for me.

Clearing my throat to keep from disturbing her, I speak softly so only they can hear. “We can’t look back.”

Vincent’s head turns slowly to look at me, and my eyes meet his for only a moment before I have to put them back on Mina. “Look back at what?” he whispers.

“At everything that happened. She and I talked about it. I told her I was struggling to be happy she was here, since the only reason it happened was because of Danny. She told me we’re not supposed to look back at the past, wishing we could make changes. We need to look at now and the future, of what wecancontrol.”

“Makes sense,” Ethan grunts out, back to his few words. I don’t blame him, though. I almost sunk to the floor when I saw Mina lying on the floor, motionless. There was no way I would have survived if she hadn’t.

Huffing out an unamused laugh, Vincent crosses his arms and leans back against the frame of the ambulance. “I have no problems ignoring the fact that he ever existed.”

Another grunt from Ethan in agreement has me shaking my head slowly. “You can try, butshe’s,” I jerk my chin toward her, “not going to be able to ignore it. She feels everything, and Danny’s death is going to be hard on her.”

“Maybe,” Ethan muses. “I think she’s tougher than you’re giving her credit for. I think she’s going to recognize what happened for what it was. Just a man who had some severe mental health issues. She knows she’s not responsible for what he did.”

“She apologized to me,” I tell him, not wanting to argue, but I really want to make sure we don’t brush over what she’s going to be going through for the next few weeks.

Ethan finally drags his eyes off of her to look at me, dead in the eye. “I’d bet my life that she apologized because she feels like she’s the reason you were there to see it. She’s sad for you and for me and for Vince. We all lost a part of our history today, whether he was going to be in our future or not.”

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