Page 13 of Breaker

“Thank you. For everything. For believing in me, for giving me a chance.”

Breaker’s hand cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing away a stray tear. “You’re worth it. You deserve so much more than the hand you’ve been dealt. And I promise, I’ll be here every step of the way, helping you find your strength, your voice.”

As I looked into his eyes, I saw a recognition of the pain and the fear that had shaped my life. The more time I spent with him, the more I knew for certain he would be my anchor in the storms to come.

Without thinking, I leaned forward, my forehead resting against his chest as his arms wrapped around me, holding me close. We stood there in silence, the steady beat of his heart echoing through me, a promise of safety and belonging.

Chapter Six

Breaker

I sat across from Juniper in the living room, my posture relaxed yet attentive as I studied her. The air hung heavy with tension, a palpable weight that settled between us. I knew I needed to broach the subject of her past gently, but the words felt like lead on my tongue.

“I know this isn’t easy for you, but we have to talk about what happened with your uncle.”

She flinched at the mention of him, her slender fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. Those captivating gray eyes darted away from mine, focusing intently on the wood floor beneath our feet. I could practically feel the waves of unease radiating off her, the way her shoulders hunched inward as if trying to make herself smaller.

Shit, I hated seeing her like this -- so scared and vulnerable, like a wounded animal caught in a trap. It made my blood boil thinking about the hell that bastard must’ve put her through. I wanted to reach out and take her hand, to reassure her that she was safe now, but I held back. Didn’t want to spook her more than she already was.

As it was, we hadn’t had a chance to discuss our marriage. I hadn’t known how to tell her I wanted to be a real couple. The tension in her body that night had made it clear that was not what she wanted. So I’d told her to head to bed, and I’d slept elsewhere just like I’d been doing up to that point and ever since. If I could get rid of her uncle once and for all, perhaps she’d heal enough we could consider having an actual relationship.

“Hey,” I said softly, ducking my head to catch her gaze. “I know it’s hard, but I’m here for you, all right? You can trust me.”

Juniper’s eyes flicked up to meet mine briefly, uncertainty passing over her features. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth, the action so innocently alluring it made my cock twitch, then I felt like an asshole for getting turned on right now.

“I-I don’t know where to start,” she admitted. “It’s just… it’s so m-much. And I don’t want to relive it.”

“Take your time,” I encouraged, leaning forward slightly to show her she had my full attention. “We’ve got all night, and I’m not going anywhere. If you need to take breaks, that’s fine. But we really need as much information as you can give us, Juni.”

Her eyes widened slightly at the nickname that slipped out. But she didn’t seem to hate it, so I’d keep using it.

Inside, I was a fucking mess. Seeing her like this, so broken and afraid, it tore me up in ways I couldn’t even begin to describe. I wanted to fix it, to make all her pain disappear, but I knew it wasn’t that simple. The only thing I could do was be here for her, to listen and support her as she faced the demons of her past. What the hell had her uncle done to make her live on the streets and be this damn scared all these years later? More to the point, had she met friends of his who had scared her? Men like Robert Murray tended to stick together. He likely knew quite a few people like himself, and it wouldn’t be surprising to discover he’d interacted with more than one over the years. Had she been worried one of them might find her?

As the seconds ticked by in silence, I couldn’t help but wonder what horrors she might be reliving in her mind right now. That sick twisted fuck got off too lightly. The thought of him ever putting his hands on her made my stomach churn. I swore to myself I’d do whatever it took to keep her safe, to make sure she never had to face that kind of torture again. Even if it meant getting my own hands dirty. Wouldn’t be the first time. Probably wouldn’t be the last.

Juniper’s voice wavered as she finally began to speak, each word seeming to cost her a great effort. “I… I didn’t know what was happening at first. I heard noises coming from his room, and I thought maybe he was hurt or something.”

She paused, her breath hitching in her throat. There was a faraway look in her eyes. It was almost like she’d been transported to that time.

“But then I heard a girl crying, begging him to stop…”

My jaw clenched as I listened, a simmering rage building in my gut. Prison wasn’t good enough. That asshole should have been castrated, then executed. I kept my voice low and steady so I wouldn’t scare her. “You don’t have to go into detail if you don’t want to, sweetheart. Just tell me what you’re comfortable with.”

She nodded, her eyes flicking up to meet mine briefly before darting away again. I could tell this was costing her, and I hated myself for putting her through this. But I needed to know how much worse her uncle was than what we’d already discovered.

“I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do. I just… I just hid in my room and tried to block it out.” A single tear rolled down her cheek, and it took every ounce of my self-control not to reach out and brush it away.

“You did what you had to do to survive,” I reassured her. “Nobody can blame you for that.”

Juniper’s shoulders shook as she drew in a shuddering breath. “But I should have done something. I should have tried to help her, or… or called the police. But I was too scared. I was a coward.”

The self-loathing in her voice cut me like a knife. I leaned forward, ducking my head to catch her gaze again. “Listen to me, Juni. You were just a kid. You were in an impossible situation, and you did the best you could. That takes strength, not cowardice.”

She stared at me for a long moment, her gray eyes searching mine as if looking for any hint of deception. When she found none, fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. “I’m just so tired of being afraid all the time. I don’t want to live like this anymore.”

“You don’t have to,” I promised. “I meant what I said earlier. I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you safe. You’re not alone anymore. You have me and the club. We take care of our own.”

“You really mean that, don’t you?”

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