Page 7 of Break

True, but we learned from Mason how their families are. It’s terrifying, honestly. “Mason was a grown man,” I remind him.

“Yeah, and he got out of all that. He broke the cycle.”

“Maybe she’s trying to do that now, too.”

One can only dream, right?

Landon runs a hand through his wavy dark blond hair. “If she’d just let us help her.”

Silence falls, and I clench my teeth. I’m constantly pulling myself back from going off the deep end with my thoughts because it never helps. I’ve worried about her for so long, it’s become second nature.

The only reason I haven’t kicked down her door, or showed up at her office, is because I don’t want to make things worse for her. Not after allthose goddamn bullshit headlines.

I also don’t want Landon to think I’m not happy with him anymore. There’s been this guilt-ridden strain on our relationship ever since that night and I hate it. To make it worse, there’s this awful, invisible elephant in the room that neither of us has had the balls to acknowledge.

I’m hiding something from him. And I suspect he’s hiding something from me.

His cell buzzes and I think we both have an irrational burst of hope when we hear it. Landon snatches it fast and frowns. “Our driver will be here in five minutes,” he says, resting his head back on his pillow again.

“Okay. I’ll do another sweep, then we can head downstairs.” Backing out of his room, I check the stove, iron, and a bunch of other things I know are already turned off. When Landon comes out carrying his duffel, I grab my backpack and open the door for him.

“Maybe Mason will know something.” Landon looks expectantly at me for hope.

“Maybe.” I smile, but it feels foreign on my face.

Taking his hand and squeezing it, I give him a little reassurance. When he returns the favor, that’s all I need to know that, for another day, we’re going to be okay.

But what about tomorrow?

Chapter 3

Landon

The flight was uneventful and Kerrington and I only make small talk before and after the inflight movie. When we land, I hand him his bag, grab my own, then we silently walk out of the airport and straight to Mason’s waiting car.

“Hello boys,” Leah says with this massive smile on her face. “Miss me?”

“Getcha ass over here, woman!” My heart pounds with excitement at just seeing my girl, Leah. She runs over and jumps into my arms, wrapping her legs around me, and squeals when I twirl her.

I’m so fucking happy for Mason because he’s found his missing piece. Every man deserves a Leah in their life and I’m damn grateful she’s in mine too.

“Kerrington,” she says in a flirty tone once I let her go.

“Leah.” He easily wraps her in a warm hug.

God, I love how he does that. His embrace, whether it’s with me or someone else he cares about, is all-encompassing. Like it’s folding youinto armor or some shit. Makes you feel safe and cherished.

My mind flashes back to when he held Nicole close to him that one amazing night. He’s hugged her a million times, but six months ago he held her exactly like this—like he wanted to keep her. Tuck her into his pocket and save her for later.

That was the best night of our life together. We both got what we needed for the first time in forever. And by morning, it was gone. Vanished. As if it had never been.

As my Dom, Kerrington makes sure all my needs are met… when he can. And the fact that he can’t fulfill all of them makes our connection glitchy at best some days. He’s trying. I know that. But I don’t think I’m enough for him either, which makes me feel some kind of way.

IneedNicole. That’s the bottom line.

I need Nicole and Kerringtonboth, which breaks my heart because I can’t have one, and I’m sure to lose the other, eventually.

With Nicole now going on some kind of social media hiatus, the only link I had left to her has been severed. At least when I kept up with her posts, it was like I could pretend we were back in the good old days. It’s not like Nicole and I talked much outside of social gatherings, so keeping up with her online has always been part of my life. Even in college. I just never told anyone about it. And now it’s gone.

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