Page 135 of Breaker

“No,” I say a little too harsh. I don’t want him to know what I did to earn my name.

I feel him shift behind me.

“Viper?”

He grunts.

“Did you have to earn your name?”

“Go to sleep….” his voice trails off, then, “Breaker. I like that. It’s almost as good as Viper.”

He says my new name again. And again, using different voices, sometimes high pitched, sometimes low and gravelly, until I’m laughing. Until I finally like the sound of my name.

Chapter 41

Cora

“You stay right here.”Clyde points to the thick white rug in his large living room. “Do you understand me?”

I pull my feet up onto his pure white couch, noting how his eyes widen at the move as if my are feet are going to stain his luxurious leather. “Right here,” I say pointing to the floor too. “I’m to remain frozen in this exact spot.”

His jaw pops. “You do not leave this house. I have a security system and cameras all over the house. I’ll know if you leave.”

“Never knew you were into the freaky stuff, Clyde. Are you sure I can’t marry you?” I say with an exaggerated wink. When Clyde looks like he may pop the vein in is head I say, deflated, “I won’t leave, okay? I’ll stay here, and watch TV and raid your fridge.”

His shoulders relax, but he’s still glares at me as if I’m going to make a run for the door any second. Appears he doesn’t trust me. Smart man.

“I’ll be back in a few hours.” He checks his flashy watch. “This shouldn’t take too long. Rune called and demanded I meet with him.”

Shit. My stomach lurches. I have a feeling this is about me. I guess Zane told Rune already. But I don’t say that. Instead, I nod, my stomach sinking at the thought of what Rune’s going to do now that Zane’s ruined his plans.

“When I get back, we’re going to talk,” he says, looking at me pointedly.

I avoid eye contact, curling my feet under me on his couch. The last thing I want to do is talk. Not about what I did earlier with Zane. Not about what happened at the fundraiser, much less with Clyde who’s been more a father figure to me than my own. Rune was for years, until he wasn’t.

Clyde’s been constant at least.

“Say it again,” Clyde says.

I sigh. “I’ll stay in your bleach white house, eat all your old people snacks, watch your old people movies, and sleep in your guest room on the bed with ancient quilts and knitted blankets, and mothballs under the pillows.”

“What are old people snacks?” he asks brows knit.

“Raisins?” I shrug. “Those weird green and white swirly candies and hard candies that look like strawberries and have that gooey center.”

“You love those nasty things,” Clyde says.

“Then I must love old, nasty things,” I tell him. “Because I love you.”

From the corner of my eyes, I see him shake his head as he walks away. “I don’t have quilts.”

I hate lying to Clyde, but there’s no way I’m staying here. I’m so sick of men telling me what to do.

Chapter 42

Breaker

The rattling on thebay door startles me enough that I jolt, making the vodka in my glass slosh over onto my hand.

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