Page 150 of Breaker

His light stroking stops, then continues after a second. “Us.”

“When?” I ask. “When do I get all of you?”

I hear him exhale. Take a deep breath. “The more you know about us, the less you’ll want to be ours.”

That’s for me to decide not you,I think, but I remain quiet.

We stay just like that, him sitting behind me, stroking my back until the hurt fades. Until I’m capable of reminding myself this isn’tmore, even though my heart aches for it. I remind myself I have Striker and Viper’s affection. I have Breaker. I have my beautiful Cora. And I will get her back to me safe. I remind myself of all these things, until I fall asleep, the taste of him still on my lips.

Chapter 46

Breaker

15 Years Ago, September, Age 13

We’ve walked for milestoday, Viper pushing us to move faster after what we saw. He’s got this frantic energy to him that tells me he’s scared. I don’t he’s scared for his life. He’s terrified that something going to happen to us. That whoever killed that man is going to get ahold of Striker and me and gut us. Skin us. Rip us apart and leave us for the animals to eat.

“Do you think if we head further west, we’ll find the cave Hunter mentioned?” I ask.

Viper’s heavy footfalls stop, and I crash into his back.

“What cave?” he asks, turning slowly to face me. His blue eyes land on me, lit with anger. “Please, tell menowabout a fucking cave.”

I glance at Striker who’s sinking to the ground, weary from walking. His eyes have that lost look to them he gets when he’s starts spacing out.

“You know, the cave that what Hunter told us about before they left,” I say, backing away as Viper takes a step toward me. His face turns hard, angry. I take another step back. “When he was packing to go on their mission.”

“Hunter told you about a cave?” Viper asks. The way his voice dips reminds me he was named Viper because he’s mean as shit when he wants to be. “And you’re justnowtelling me?”

“I didn’t think about it,” I stammer, backing away some more.

Viper drags a hand down his face, casting a worried glance in Striker’s direction. “Tell me what he said.”

“They stayed in like a cave, an alcove he called it. There’s water—”

“Dammit Breaker, I’m going to kill you when we get out of here.”

“—he said to head west. That the alcove was only a few miles from the lodge.”

“At least we’re going in the right direction,” Viper snaps, pulling Striker to his feet. “But we could be miles off since we can’t assume that they dropped us off in the same location as Hunter and Reap.” He looks around, keeping a hand on Striker’s shoulder. “I say we keep heading west. We’re bound to find something.”

“If we head west, we may run into the lodge,” Striker says. It’s the first time he’s spoken since we left that body behind hours ago. “Don’t you realize that’s where they are?”

They. The people who killed that man.

I feel the blood drain from my face, fear making my palms feel tacky. I rub them on my pants.

“But it’s also where they’ll go,” Viper says. “We have to find it so they can find us.”

“Who?” Striker nearly shrieks. This is the first time he’s freaked out. I have so much for so long I feel numb inside. “No one is coming for us, Viper. We’re out here and no one knows it.”

“Hunter and Reaper will come,” Viper says with such conviction I want to believe him. “Maxy sent us out here. You heard what those guys said.” His eyes collide with mine. “And what di Maxy say before he drugged you?”

“That he can’t wait for Fallon to know his son is out here.” I say. “Do you think maxim dumped us out here to piss off Fallon?”

Vipers jaw tics. “Yeah.”

“Do you think…” Striker doesn’t continue speaking. But he doesn’t have to. We’re all thinking the same thing.

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