Page 13 of Break

I shouldn’t be here.

“Buckle up,” he orders.

I deftly reach for the seatbelt and click it in place.

“Lay your head back and close your eyes.”

As I do what Kerrington tells me, I feel a warm weight settle on my chest and lap. Crackingmy eyes open, I see he’s put his jacket over me like a blanket. It smells like him. It still holds his body heat. The scent of greasy burgers and fries fills the car, and Landon tears off down the road again.

For the first time in a long while, I feel at ease and sleep takes me.

•••

“Come on, baby.”

My eyes fly open when the warm jacket is pulled off my lap and, for a second, I can’t figure out where I am or how long I nodded off. “What’s going on?”

“We’re at the hotel.” Landon calmly unbuckles my seatbelt and lifts me out of the vehicle.

“I can walk.”

“I know.” He scoops me up and tightly holds me against him. “Indulge us, Duchess. Let me take care of you.”

Over Landon’s shoulder, I watch Kerrington grab my bag and the food from my car before handing my key to the valet. The attendant won’t stop staring at me with pity, either.

Tears well in my eyes. I look so weak. This is embarrassing. “Put me down.”

“Duch—”

“Put me down!”

Once my feet gently hit the ground, I fix my shirt,annoyed at everything. That nap in the back seat felt like a hundred years and a blink, and now I’m dizzy and wired. What a clusterfuck.

Kerrington heads to the reception desk, I guess to check in.

“What are you guys doing here?” I ask Landon.

He’s quiet for a heartbeat and then says, “Kerr and Gage settled everything that was left at BanditFX, so we came to see Mason and hopefully get this new project underway with Leah so we can bring it to a few other waiting clients.”

Jealousy coils in my belly. Whatever they’re doing will hit big, I have no doubt. Things come so easily for Mason and his friends. If it was just about putting in the hard work, I’d be an independent millionaire myself too, but it’s not enough.

Nothing is enough.

Kerrington returns with two key cards and hands one to Landon. “We’re in the penthouse.”

Of course they are. Nothing but the best for these guys.

“Let’s go.” Landon sweeps his arm towards the elevator, and I follow them in silence. When we get inside and the door closes, my stomach rumbles loudly. Landon snags the bag of food from Kerrington and roots around, pulling out a fry. “Open.”

I glower at the fry he’s got up to my lips.

“Open, Nicole.”

I’m not a trained circus lion, for fuck’s sake. So why do my lips part so he can place the fry in my mouth?

Who cares? It’s salty and tasty and I’m starving. “Can I have another?”

“Absofuckinglutely.” Landon quickly pulls out two more and feeds them to me.

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