Page 36 of Breaker

He chose his empire over his daughter.

The clattering sound of ceramic hitting the table jolts me from my thoughts. I glance over and see a steaming stack of fluffy pancakes.

My eyes slip up to Clyde’s face. “You made pancakes?”

His brows knit, making the wrinkles around his eyes deepen. “Why do you look like these pancakes are about to make you cry?”

I swipe a tear from my cheek.Because the meanest man I’ve ever met made me pancakes after he promised me I was his, then sent me away.

My chin wobbles and I remind myself I’m not expendable, but that lie is starting to feel hollow. “I don’t know if I like pancakes anymore.”

“But you love pancakes.” Clyde stabs the top two with a fork and places them on my plate next to my untouched eggs. He slathers butter over the top and hands me the syrup. “You love blueberry pancakes, and chocolate chip pancakes. Plain pancakes.” He grabs my fork and hands it to me again. I take it weakly, swiping again at my cheek. “You likeallpancakes.”

I nod as I cry, because I do. I love pancakes. My father used to make them for me. It is the only good thing I remember about him.

Good.Nothing is good. I’ve never even had an ounce of goodness outside of the flimsy, trivial things that money can buy. The only good, substantial, permanent thing I’ve had is Delly and I don’t have her.

My hand swipes across the table before I know what I’m doing and the plate crashes to the floor. Shards hit the wall, and scatter noisily across the white tile floor.

“Which one?” I ask, my chair nearly topping over as I stand upright. “Which man am I supposed to marry?”

The way Clyde’s chest expands on an inhale, and how his eyes drop, tells me I was right.

“Which family?” I ask, smacking my hand on the table to release some of this rage. I’m so sick of being controlled. “Or is it Rune I’m supposed to marry?”

Clyde recoils, his expression turning to disgust. “Why would you marry Rune?”

My laugh is so bitter is burns my throat.

“Cora,” Clyde barks, grabbing my arm. “Why, in god’s name, would Rune want to marry you?”

“Why do youthink?“ My voice cracks, pain spilling out. Clyde loves me. I know he does. But he’s also a blind fool. Shoving him away, I clear the angry hurt in my throat. “I’m rich, and I own part of his company.”

His shoulders ease. “No, not Rune.”

“Zane?” I hiss, disbelief like a sour truth on my tongue. I sink back to my chair. “Fuck.”

Clyde doesn’t answer. He doesn’t have to. Instead, he crouches and cleans up my mess, gathering the broken plate and stacking it on the table next to his perfect pancakes without a word.

“Let me guess,” I say. “Rune promised Zane he could have my money if he handed over the shares of Rune’s company I inherited from my parents.”

Still nothing.

“Clyde,” I snap. His dark eyes meet mine, so full of sorrow, my anger weakens even more. “I deserve to know what Zane expects as payment for marrying the disgraced Julian girl.”

“You deserve more than all of this, Cora,” Clyde says.

Chapter 12

Delilah

Heat travels up myspine.

An ache blooms low in my belly.

Pain pricks on my lip, his sharp teeth cutting into the soft flesh.

“You’re ours.”

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