Page 63 of Break

“I know,” she says, her expression somber. When her eyes meet mine, we both understand that rule goes beyond Mason and Leah. It’s for Landon and me, too. “I wouldn’t want one without the other,” she says, her cheeks flushing. “Does that make me greedy and selfish?”

Landon sits down next to us. “No. It makes you honest and true.”

Backing up Lan’s comment, I offer her areassuring smile and nod.

Nicole shakes her head and huffs. “How do you guys act like it’s so easy?”

“It’s not an act,” I say.

“And itisthat easy,” Landon adds. He places his hand on her thigh and captures her gaze. “You get one shot at this life, Nicole. One. Do you want to spend it chasing someone else’s dream and hope for a smidgeon of joy, or do you want to go for exactly what you want and be extraordinarily happy for the rest of your life?”

Her mouth opens to argue with him, but she shuts it.

“When are you going to do what makesyouhappy, Nicole?” He cups her cheek. “When are you going to finally say fuck it? Fuck anyone who doesn’t want to see you live your life how you want. Fuck anything that doesn’t make you happy. Fuck everything that brings you sorrow. Fuck whatever holds you back from getting what you want most. Fuck it all.”

Nicole sags in my lap, her shoulders drooping. “I don’t know,” she says quietly.

“Whatdoyou know?” Landon asks. He’s not getting snippy yet, but I can tell it’s coming. Landon doesn’t have speeds to his emotions. He’s full stop, or full throttle.

Nicole blows out an exasperated breath. “I know I can’t keep living like I am.”

“That’s a start,” he says.

“I know I want more out of my life.” Sheturns so she can see my face, too. “I know… I love how I feel being with you.”

My heart tries to inflate but can’t find the courage to.

“What else?” Landon presses.

“I know I…”

“What?” we both ask at the same time.

Her cheeks turn pink, and she clams up again.

“Nicole, we’re here to help.” I run my hand up and down her arm. “Whatever it is you want, we’ll help you get it. We want to see you happy, baby.”

Her brow pinches, like she’s unsure if she should believe me or not. “I don’t want to be selfish.”

“You don’t have a selfish bone in your glorious goddamn body,” Landon says. “Nicole, seriously? You are the most generous person we’ve ever met.”

She shakes her head, refuting it, but I grip her chin, forcing her to stop. “Tell us your selfish thing.” We can argue all day and night about our views on one another, but it won’t fix her hangups right now. All we can do is go along with it until we hear what it is she wants most.

Then we’ll make sure she gets it.

“I’ll tell you in a week,” she says, copping out.

“You said you wanted more than a week,” I shoot back. “Did you change your mind thatfast?”

“No.” Nicole bites her bottom lip again. It’s a nervous tick of hers. One I’ve never seen her do this much, and at the rate she’s going, she’ll eat her mouth off.

“Be selfish.” Landon tips her face to his and cocks his brow. “We want you to be the most selfish creature on earth,Duchess.”

She swallows hard and pulls away from him.

“Okay,” Nicole finally whispers.

This is a small victory in a much larger battle. One, I’m scared we won’t win in the end.

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