Page 96 of When We Break

“I know.”

“But not as much as I love you.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“What in the bloody hell is happening?” Connor asks the room at large. “You’ve known each other for two minutes.”

“More like three and a half,” I reply without looking away from my girl. “She’ll be safe with me. I have security on my property, and no one can link her there.”

I wrap my arm around Skyla, tuck her against my side, and turn so I can look at the others in this room, not wavering in my gaze.

If they have a problem with me, they need to speak up now.

“I don’t love it,” Patrick admits. “You’ll need to close down your studio.”

“It’ll be a cold, bloody day in hell before I do that,” Skyla retorts, and I tighten my hold on her. “I have students. I can’t do that.”

“Miller will escort you to and from work then,” Connor offers, but Skyla’s already shaking her head.

“No need,” Mik interrupts. “I’ll be with her at the studio.”

“What?” My girl shakes her head. “You have a life in New York City.”

“We have to rehearse,” Mik says with a shrug. “I might as well come to Montana a couple of weeks early. We will get a head start.”

“What about Benji? Are you telling me your husband won’t have an issue with you living across the country?”

“He’ll come with me for a chunk of the time. This is the best offer you’re going to get, malishka. Take it or leave it.”

“I’d take it,” I murmur before kissing her temple.

“I’m not pleased that those I love are being inconvenienced,” she admits with a huff.So adorable.“But I love you all so much, and it’s grateful I am that I have you. I’ll live at the farm, and Mik can join me at the studio. We might very well kill each other in the first week.”

“You love being with me all day, every day,” Mik says with a satisfied grin. “You can’t wait.”

Maeve, who’s been listening and fighting her own tears, crosses the room and takes her daughter into her arms.

“My darlin’ babe.”

I pull away and gesture for Connor to follow me out of the room. When the door’s closed, I turn to him and finally let my anger show.

“I want some fucking answers.”

“Aye, so do I. Just what exactly is happening between you and my sister?”

“I’m in love with her. As soon as she’ll let me, I’m going to marry her. And right now, I want to know why thefuckyou’ve known about this for three goddamn years, and that son of a bitch is still breathing?”

Connor’s nostrils flare, but before he can reply, the elevator dings, and Miller strides off, his face a stony mask.

“Report,” Connor says as Miller approaches.

“We have him on the security footage,” Miller says. “He had an invitation when he came to the door. Under what name, we don’t know yet. He mingled all night, staying close to the edges of the room, and I can see that he was watching Skyla.”

I push my hands through my hair. I’ve never been a violent man, but I want to punch a hole through the goddamn wall.

“We have him approaching her, and it all happens the way she said. Then he leaves.”

“Where the fuck did he go?” I ask.

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