Page 45 of Don't Break My Heart
He glances over his shoulder. “Where to, Sis?”
“My apartment.”
“Sure thing.” He nods once before kicking the thing into gear and taking off up the street. Away from the boys.
He drives through the winding streets like a crazy maniac, the wind in my hair and the cold air on my skin bringing me back to life in a way I never knew it could. Freedom. If only my stomach didn’t feel like it was eating itself from the stress of sneaking out.
When we arrive in my underground parking, he parks his bike next to my car. My car. I don’t know why seeing it makes me want to do a little happy dance, but it does. Something normal, a little part of me that I love.
“Fuck, I don’t have the key to get in,” I say in a panic.
He dangles his keys for me. “I got you, Sis. Jagger gave me a spare just in case he locked himself out.”
“What would I do without you?” I smirk back at him, so fucking happy to see his face.
“You would have had a long walk home.” He chuckles, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, giving me a squeeze.
Home. I breathe in a deep breath as I stare at the elevator that takes me back to my apartment. I’m finally home. It doesn’t feel as satisfying as I thought it would, but that’s okay. It’s all going to be an adjustment. One step at a time, Sloane. You will soon feel like your old self again.
“We going to head up?” he asks when I haven’t moved into the open elevator.
I nod, following along behind Cruz. We take the elevator up to my floor and walk the short distance to my place. Seeing my front door, I’m suddenly choked up, remembering the way Onyx kissed me for the first time right up against it. Oh, dear God, I don’t know if I can do this. Everything is going to remind me of them.
Cruz turns the key in the lock and lets us in. I suck in a breath, forcing my legs to keep moving forward, knowing it’s the only way to move on.
He dumps his keys down on the kitchen counter and flicks on the lights, showcasing my beautiful apartment. It might not be as fancy as Orlando’s island home or the villa we just left in Italy, but it’s mine, every inch of it designed by me. I built the kitchen and laid the floorboards with Jagger, I painted the walls in the perfect shade of white and chose the soft plush carpet in the bedrooms.
“Jagger’s at The Precinct tonight, I wouldn’t be expecting him home,” Cruz says, flicking on lights.
“That’s probably for the best,” I say absentmindedly. Everywhere I look I see Onyx and the guilt starts to eat at me. But he did this to us,not me. I shake it off. I know this is for the best. “Is he still dating the commissioner?” I ask, knowing how long overdue Jagger and I are for a little chat.
“Who would know with Jagger,” he mutters, and I hear the disappointment in his voice. It’s clearly a bone of contention with him as well. Cruz’s hand comes to my shoulder softly. “What happened, how did you get back here?”
I blink back at him, not sure how to put it all into words. The tears I’m trying to hold back break free, tumbling down my face.
“Sloane.” He tugs me into his chest, holding me close while I fall apart.
“I don’t even know who I am anymore, Cruz.”
He holds my face in his hands, staring directly into my eyes. “You’re Sloane fucking Stryker, youngest sibling of the infamous Iron Strykers. That’s all you need to know.”
“Thank you,” I whisper through my tears. I knew of any of them he would get it.
“I know just the thing.” He moves away from me and into the kitchen, and he pulls two bowls from the cupboard and a tub of vanilla ice cream from the fridge. He scoops two massive spoonsful of ice cream into each bowl then pulls a bottle of top-shelf whiskey from the pantry. “Jagger won’t miss it.” He winks at me cheekily before he pours it over the ice cream.
I can’t help but grin back at him, remembering the first time he made this treat for me. I was way too young for drinking and so was he, but he did always know just what I needed.
I take a couple of spoons from the drawer, and we head over to the sofa with our dessert.
“Jagger had your room fixed up, it’s as good as new.”
“He’s the best.” I fake a smile, not so sure I believe it anymore. He has always looked after me, but he’s also lied to me on countless occasions, and if anyone is to blame for how sheltered I have been, it’s Jagger. He was the one who hired Onyx to follow me around and stop me from ever really being able to live my life.
“Sloane, I know you’ve been through some shit, but the worst is past you now. Tomorrow you can head back into your club and get on with your life.”
I scoop up some ice cream and stare at it blankly before popping it in my mouth. The sweetness mixed with the spicy whiskey is delicious and just what I need right now. I sigh heavily. “What if this life doesn’t fit me like it used to anymore? Everyone knows who I really am now, Cruz. I feel like an imposter.”
“You will make it fit, Sis, it’s just going to take a little time to adjust back into your normal routine.”
