Page 54 of Broken Dreams

“Uh-uh. No,” Callum says as he loads the dishwasher. “Dig deeper. I definitely need to get you bras, because otherwise I may die, Quinn. Watching your tits sway underneath my shirt is making my dick leak. Please, baby. Save me.”

Oh my God. I’m pretty sure my mouth is hanging open. I’ve heard a lot of dirty talk in my life, but fuck me. I think I may actually be blushing.

“Your tits are pretty amazing,” Linus says, his voice low. It’s all man, and hooded desire.

We’ll never get through this if you don’t stop using your sex voices on me!I write furiously.

Linus reads it aloud, grinning wide.

“You’re adorable,” he says, chuckling. “I don’t think we’re going to be able to buy bras without knowing her size, though, so that may have to wait. Panties, boxers, maybe more of these sweatpants?”

Duncan adds this to whatever site he’s on, nodding.

“It’s summer, so shorts, jeans, t-shirts and a dress for Quinn?” he asks.

That’s more than I’ve owned in a long time,I write out, blinking in shock.

“It’s only spoiling you if it’s over the top, and you can’t go out naked,” Duncan says firmly. “We can’t keep you locked up, Quinn. There’s a whole fucking world outside of these walls.”

“You’re going to want to experience it,” Callum says firmly, closing the dishwasher door and starting the cycle. “Okay, I have a kind of difficult question. When did you stop talking, Quinn?”

My eyes unfocus as I think, trying to pinpoint it. It wasn’t exactly when I was kidnapped, nor when I was delivered to my buyer, Alpha Miles. I didn’t actually go on auction when I was fourteen. He was a private buyer who contracted my kidnapping.

I have no idea how he knew about me, and the idea that he’d been watching me is creepy. I was the girl he wanted that day, not the others.

It brings up so many unanswered questions and concerns. Who was responsible for helping him to do this? Did he get the girls I was with to somehow lure me out?

I wish, I wish…

Wishes can’t help me here.

Shuddering, I continue to work my way backwards in time. Hands touch me as I swallow hard, trying to remember. Blinking to come back to present after what feels like forever, I find Callum, Duncan, and Linus huddled around me.

“Quinn,” Callum breathes. “I’m?—”

My hand slams down on the island because he doesn’t get to tell me he’s sorry. None of this is his fault. I made stupid choices, which led to irrevocable consequences.

My hand shakes as I pick up the pencil, and I break the fucking tip of it when I press too hard. The writing utensil is tugged away from me, a pen put in its place.

Keep breathing in and out. He can’t hurt you. Not anymore.

I’m not sure how well my pep talk works, but I’m able to write out the word, though it’s as mangled as my thoughts.

Seventeen.

As Alpha Miles’ last hurrah the day before my birthday, he thoroughly enjoyed himself with my body, along with his two grown sons and two brothers. The bastard sold me the following day. I couldn’t walk, bleeding from places I can’t even fathom as an omega.

Violated isn’t a strong enough word for it.

The betas at the auction house had to hold me up so I could be sold on the stage.

I begged Alpha Miles the night before my birthday, screaming myself hoarse as they hurt me. They stuffed my mouth with other things so they didn’t have to listen. I haven’t told anyone this, Linus doesn’t even know. It’s a story that’s locked inside of me, much like my voice.

No one cared then, so I hid away the one thing everyone seems to want now: my words. I can force out a word or two if I’m speaking to Linus or I’m lost in pleasure. It’s as if the chokehold on my vocal cords relaxes just a bit. I don’t know if I can speak now at all.

It’s all so tragic and unfair.

Taking a ragged breath as Callum reads the word, he nods. “Fuck. So there’s no pressure to talk to us, okay? If it’s years or not ever, we’ll manage,” he rasps. “It’s a damn miracle we found you two at all. I’m not about to squander it over something that’s not your fault.”

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