Page 24 of Nothing to Beat

Like this was just any normal visit.Breck’s unwavering calm had never unnerved her, not until right then.This was like talking to a stranger.

“This is where you’re living?Why?”Spinning on the spot, she tried to see into the man she knew so well, who she thought she knew.Nothing.She got nothing.“Are you on drugs?”She went to take his hand.“You can tell me.I’ll support you through anything.We all will.”

Did she really believe he was strung out on some foreign substance?No.Though it could be a preferable motive versus whatever truly prompted this.

“Only thing I’m hooked on is you, Coy.”

“I shouldn’t have come here first.I should’ve gone to your mother to arrange an intervention.”If it wasn’t medical or chemical—“Are you being blackmailed?Did someone bribe you to make space or sabotage—”

“You know me better than that.”

The Breckenridges had an all for one thing; what happened to one, happened to them all.Someone else would have a clue what was in his head, should have a clue, better have a clue.As it stood his intention was murky.Good thing she was back in the loop, sort of, no one was better equipped to get answers.If she struck out, answers didn’t exist.

“Didn’t you hear me?I don’t know you at all, Strange Man from Outer Space,” she said, whirling around to march to the couch and throw her purse down.To be honest, she didn’t know where to begin.“You’re living here?How do you expect that to work out?You’re crashing your brother’s life.Are you worried about him?Is it Savvy?You don’t trust her?”

“No, no one’s worried about Darroch or Savvy.”

“Can’t say the same about you, Stat.If you didn’t want to be at B House, why not go to a hotel?There’s a Grand in town, you know, two, at least.And, you have a bunch of friends who’d walk through fire for you.Are you telling me none of them would take you in?”

“I didn’t ask.”

“If you wanted to be free of everything Breckenridge—why would you want to be free of everything Breckenridge?You love your family.I love your family.Your family are amazing.And if you say any different, I’ll know this is some government cover-up, a high-level conspiracy.If Xavien Rourke has roped you into something—what’s going on?”

“You never answered on the drink,” he said, strolling to the kitchen.Such slow, lithe movement, his purpose was sure, though not betrayed in the certainty of his gait.“Still off alcohol?”

“It’s barely dinnertime.Is that what you do now?Spend your days drinking?Hell of a long time to conceal a habit.”

“Are you hungry?”

It was like she wasn’t speaking at all.Did he have his hearing off?

“You want to take me out to dinner?”With him in sweats and a tee-shirt, nothing on his feet, he was hardly ready for their usual haunts.“Too bad, I don’t date crazy people.”Or ignorant ones, which seemed to be his current persona.“We’re not going out before we talk about this.Ignore me as long as you like, Stat, I’ll just keep asking.Have you forgotten I can be persistent?I get what I want, Breckenridge.”

From him anyway.Usually.

“Talk about what?”

Like it was—this guy.“Why did you quit?Spell it out for me because I’m absolutely… flummoxed.This is not the Breck I know.Why?”

“Because I’m done.”

“Done?”

“The other night…” He produced two bottles of water from the fridge.“Zairn and I talked.Our conversation put some things in perspective.”

“How is that an answer to—what did he put in your head?Are you telling me to ask him your reasons?I will.Don’t think I won’t.I’ll go right over there and—”

“Nothing is more important to me than you.Nothing.”Wha—what?Was that a…?What were they talking about now?Was this another subject change?“Life is simple when love’s involved.You decide how much you want it.What you’re willing to sacrifice.”

And she didn’t get it.“Who asked you to sacrifice?”

“I don’t know why I didn’t see it.Being together is an option; it’s always an option.”

“That’s what Zairn told you?He’s not a guy you’ve ever aspired to be.I love Zairn, you know that, but you’re very different men.His life is not your life.”

“No, he found clarity long before I did.He wouldn’t take my bullshit and was right to call me on it, to make me face it.”He came to hand her one of the bottles of water.“What’s worth most to you, that’s what your life’s about.Time is finite.”

“Your mortality?That’s what this is about.”

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