Page 30 of Break: Vol. 2

“We’ve got this,” Darren replied. “Take care of Jamie.”

Cody urged me to turn around.

“Hey, I was doing you a fav—” Dex didn’t wait for me to be completely out of earshot before Stephan’s words were cut off. The sound of flesh hitting flesh, of crunching cartilage, and a gurgle of blood reached my ears as Cody and Taylor led me away. And I couldn’t find it in myself to feel sorry for the piece of shit.

Later, after Cody and Taylor had dragged me out of my clothes and bundled me into soft pajamas, Dex and Darren came back to the suite. Dex bypassed me completely, but I didn’t miss the soft coppery scent of blood on him. Nor did I miss the red marks on his knuckles.

Darren came immediately to me as I sat on the couch between Taylor and Cody. He dropped to his knees and reached for me. "You okay, sweetheart?"

I reached for him, twining my arms around his neck as I snuggled into his chest before I nodded my answer. He sighed as I pressed my chest against his and squeezed me tight. We sat like that for a few moments, no one saying anything more. Then, he pulled back and looked me up and down.

"Dex is pretty upset, sweetheart," Darren told me, tugging my hands gently away from his neck. He held them in his, staring down at them. "He dragged Stephan back to his mother and informed them as soon as we got to shore that he was cutting them off."

The organ in my chest squeezed tight. I didn't know what to say to that, but my eyes darted to the closed bedroom door. Before I knew what I was doing, I was gently pushing Darren back and standing. He released my hands without a word, but he, Cody, and Taylor watched me as I made my way towards the room Dex had disappeared into.

I didn't knock. I doubted he would answer.

Turning the knob, I pushed the door open, stepped through, and quietly snicked it shut behind me. Dex sat on the bed, his head in his hands, covering his face. His shoulders were drooped and he didn't respond as I moved closer. I sat on the bed at his side and still, he did not react. The cold wave of air-conditioning slid over my skin, raising goosebumps as I waited. I wasn't sure what for—perhaps for him to say something, perhaps for me to say something. In the end, neither of us said a word.

Until finally, I couldn't take the silence anymore.

"It's not your fault," I said. Dex jerked as though he'd been hit, but I continued to talk. "What your brother tried to do doesn't—"

"I know that," he said, sounding tired. "I should've known, though."

"How could you have known?" I asked.

"The way he was acting earlier." Dex raised his head, dropping his hands—his arms—down to dangle between his knees.

"Was he drunk then, too?"

Dex didn't reply.

"Hewasdrunk," I said. "He wasn't thinking clearly. I don't blame you."

"I beat the shit out of him," Dex said. Yeah, I had expected as much. I nodded. "I don't like anyone touching you like that, Jamie."

"I know—I mean the guys—"

"I don't include them," he said quickly.

I sighed and nodded. "I know."

"After tonight, I'm not sure we should see each other anymore, Jamie." He refused to look at me as he spoke. Surprisingly, I wasn't shocked or even angry. Somehow, I had known it would come to this. I had known Dex for almost three full years. Sure, he was dominant in the bedroom, but he was that way because he was protective. He was a provider, a lover, a watcher. He wanted the guys to do well and he wanted me to do well. And if he saw a threat to his friends or me, then he wanted to remove that threat.

At first, the obvious threat was Stephan, but I knew his brain would be working. He was thinking of all the scenarios. His family was rich. Even if he left his family and never spoke to them again, he would be afraid that what he did tonight would come back to hurt me. And I found that I didn't really give a shit.

Silence reigned. I waited for him to say something more, but he didn't.

With a sigh, I grabbed his hands and forced him to look at me. "Dex, I love you. Not your family. Your mom and your brother can go fuck themselves for all I care. I'm datingyou, not them."

"What happened tonight—"

"Is over," I snapped. "And you are not breaking up with me."

"Jamie, I don't think you understand."

"I don't care," I said.

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