Page 21 of Breaker

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t notice Luciana approaching until she was right beside me.

“He’s something special, isn’t he?” she murmured, her gaze following mine to where Breaker stood, surrounded by his brothers.

I felt heat rushing to my face as I realized I’d been caught staring. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Luciana’s lips curved in a knowing smile. “I see the way you look at him, and the way he looks at you.”

I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. “We barely know each other.”

I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince myself or her. Possibly both. It was too insane to think I could fall for a man in such a short amount of time. That only happened in books and movies, right? Real life just didn’t work like that. At least, not in my experience.

“Love doesn’t always make sense, but when it’s right, you just know. It doesn’t matter if you’ve known each other a few days or few decades. There are people who get married after just a few weeks together and they make things work, while others knew each other for years before marrying and ended up divorced. So, time has nothing to do with it.”

I bit my lip, my mind whirling with the implications of her words. Could she be right? Could this strange, inexplicable connection I felt with Breaker be something more than just gratitude and attraction? And I didn’t have to feel ashamed about knowing him for such a short amount of time? I glanced back at him, my heart skipping a beat as his eyes met mine across the room. And in that moment, I knew that whatever this was between us, it was real. It was powerful. And it was just beginning.

Faith’s gentle voice drew me from my thoughts. “Juniper, dear, you seem lost in your own world.”

“I’m sorry, I just… I have a lot on my mind,” I confessed, my eyes darting to where Breaker stood, his laughter echoing through the space.

Faith followed my gaze, her expression softening with understanding. “I know that look. It’s the same one I had when I first met Bear.”

Curiosity piqued, I asked, “How did you know? That he was the one, I mean.”

“Sometimes, you just know,” Faith replied, her eyes taking on a dreamy quality. “When I met Bear, I was actually struggling. A lot. My youngest daughter was sick, I was out of money, and on the run. He caught my oldest stealing stuff for her little sister, followed her back to the motel, and knocked on the door to make sure her parents knew. He was so kind. He brought us here, got a doctor for my youngest, and kept us safe. It wasn’t hard to fall in love with him.”

I mulled over her words. “But how can you be sure? How do you know it’s not just infatuation or something?”

Faith chuckled softly. “Oh, there’s always a bit of that in the beginning. But when it’s real, it doesn’t fade. It grows, deepens, until it’s woven into the very fabric of your being. Don’t overthink things. Trust your heart.”

Her words settled over me like a warm blanket, soothing my frayed nerves and calming my racing thoughts. When she said it that way, it made me realize I was too much in my head.

As the party continued, I found myself growing overwhelmed by the noise and the crowd. Slipping away, I stepped out onto the porch, the cool night air a welcome relief against my flushed skin.

I leaned against the railing, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. The scent of pine and motor oil filled my lungs, a strange but comforting combination that reminded me of Breaker.

My mind drifted to him, to the way his presence both thrilled and calmed me. I couldn’t deny the connection between us, the way my heart raced when he was near, the way his touch set my skin on fire.

But was it enough? Could a man like him, strong and loyal and fiercely protective, ever truly want someone like me, broken and scarred and barely holding myself together?

I didn’t know the answer, but as I stood there, the stars twinkling overhead and the distant hum of laughter floating through the air, I allowed myself to dream of a future where I belonged, where I was loved, where I was whole.

And at the center of that dream was Breaker.

The sound of footsteps behind me pulled me from my thoughts, and I turned to see the man himself stepping out onto the porch. He moved to stand beside me, his arm brushing against mine as he leaned against the railing.

“Needed some air?” he asked, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. We stood in silence for a moment.

“It’s beautiful out here,” I finally said. “Peaceful.”

Breaker hummed in agreement, his gaze fixed on the stars above. “It’s easy to forget, sometimes. The beauty in the world. The things that make life worth living.”

I glanced at him, surprised by the depth of his words. There was a vulnerability in his expression that I’d never seen before, a softness that made my heart ache.

“And what makes life worth living for you?” I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it.

He turned to look at me, his eyes intense and searching. “Family. Loyalty. And maybe…” He trailed off, his gaze dropping to my lips.

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