Page 15 of Break

She’s withering away. This strong-willed, brilliant, cunning, independent bombshell is…

“Are you sick? Have you… been diagnosed with something?”

Jesus, what if she has cancer? Or some rare disease that they haven’t identified yet?

Nicole shakes her head and sips the water. Hoping she’s not actually going to yack up her meal, I let go of her hair and rub her back instead.

Kerrington squats down in front of her and places his hands on her thighs. “What’s going on, Nicole? Please talk to us.”

Her sweet chin trembles and she shakes her head, not answering more than that.

She’ll share when she’s ready. Or maybe we’ll never know. Nicole doesn’t owe us anything, least of all an explanation for her current state. But it’s obvious neither Kerrington nor I will let her leave here tonight. Shit, if I hadmy way, she’d never walk away from us again.

Nothing’s been the same since our one and only night together, and I’d give anything to turn back time.

I want to take care of this woman. I think Kerrington does too. Not that we’ve ever really discussed our feelings or desires much. He and I? Well, we just go with the flow. Only lately it’s been less flow and more like white water rafting.

“Landon, run our girl a bath.”

My stomach does a weird twist when he orders me in that tone of his. I don’t always like it and I sure as shit don’t need to be bossed around in a moment like this. Still, I get up and follow his orders because I want desperately to take care of her, and Kerrington is extremely good at taking care of me so… I guess he’s just used to calling all the shots.

Getting the tub ready, I make sure it’s perfect. Bath salts, dim lights, some lavender oil. This suite has everything one needs to be pampered like a bougie bitch.

It’s me. I’m a bougie bitch.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Kerrington called ahead and had all my favorites delivered ahead of time to our suite. He’s thorough and thoughtful like that.

The man’s perfect.

Guilt makes my hands clammy. What the fuck are we doing? Not just today, but…

“Almost there,” he says from the doorway,helping Nicole walk.

Is she so fucking weak she can barely hold herself up? What’s happened to her, goddamnit? The worst part about this is Ilikethat she’s become this helpless. I said what I said. I don’t want her to suffer, but if hitting some kind of rock bottom is what’s brought her back to us, I’m grateful.

I’ll burn in Hell later for that when the day comes, but it won’t be today.

“Just a few more steps,” he encourages. “I’m so proud of you, Duchess. You’re doing great.”

Duchess.

We gave her that nickname the night we shared her together. Actually, I gave it to her, and I told her to call me Trick. It made the things we did that much more fun because we weren’t ourselves. I got to be someone I’ve always wanted to be, and Nicole didn’t have to be Nicole.

I saw the way she responded to it earlier today, too. Her eyes sparked a little. Or maybe I’m delusional.

Tabling that thought, I help her out of her clothes. My heart stutters to a stop when I see her ribcage. She’s lost too much weight. Fucking hell.

“I’ve got it,” she snaps, when Kerrington tries to unclasp her bra.

He puts his hands up in surrender and backs away.

With her gaze cast to the marble floor, she slips out of her bra and panties and climbs intothe soaking tub with my guided help. Christ, her hands are icy. “Easy, baby. Don’t slip.”

She finally settles into the water and sighs, looking relieved and exhausted.

“Kerr, go order our girl some chocolate and more water. And tea. Jasmine green tea.”

After he slips out of the bathroom, she looks up at me with her gorgeous hazel eyes. “How did you know I like jasmine green tea?”

---