Page 16 of Breakers (Academy of Stardom 3)

I look at Xeno for a long time until both Grim and Hudson become just blurred images in my peripheral vision. “Now I understand what you meant by returning to reclaim what’s yours. At one point I’d convinced myself that was me. It wasn’t though, was it? You came back to take down Jeb and Santiago in exchange for riches, for your freedom. This was never,everabout me… The fact I’m at the Academy is purely coincidental.”

“Tiny—” he begins, the shadows in his eyes growing darker.

“I’m such anidiot,” I mutter, taking another sip of the whisky and closing my eyes against the heat of everyone’s stare. It hurts to know Xeno wasn’t lying when he said that they hadn’t returned to the Academy for me. It hurts so much more than I ever thought it could.

“No!Fuck that. You’re not an idiot. You’re everything. You’re everything to us!” Xeno exclaims, drawing a surprised look from Grim at his sudden passionate outburst, but I can’t look at him right now. I just can’t.

“You’ve known all along…” I say, focusing my attention on Grim as I push away from the table and stand. I walk over to the other side of the room needing to put some space between us. “You’ve known about the Breakers and what they were doing at the Academy.”

“I didn’t know who you were to the Breakers until that night Jeb brought you to my club. I’d believed you were just his side-piece for the night. I judged you based on that prick. It was wrong and I’m sorry for it. Then you danced and I knew you were something special. I saw how the Breakers reacted to you and it didn’t take a genius to work out that you meant something to them too. Dax’s reaction to Malik touching you and Zayn’s need to protect you from him were pretty fucking big clues. Why do you think Beast didn’t shoot Dax? It wasn’t because he was feeling generous, it was because we’re working together.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” I ask.

Grim sighs. “It wasn’t my place to interfere, Pen. Your relationship is your own. Don’t get me wrong, I would’ve stepped in eventually if they didn’t fucking pull their heads out of their arses. Not because I think they deserve you— because the jury is still out on that— but because you deserve to be treated better. As it turns out, they got there in the end.” She smiles knowingly, then nudges Hudson. “Come on, let’s go. I have a club to clean up and the leader of the Skins to entertain.”

“What about The Masks?” Xeno asks.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Besides, that really isn’t on you guys. Beast shot him inmyclub, after all. They won’t act right away. Taking out their father is a blow, and it will take them time to recover and get a plan in place before they make their move,” Grim says. “And by that time, I’ll be ready.”

“Shit, Lena!” I blurt out, panic suddenly returning. I’ve been so consumed by everything that’s happened tonight and all that they’ve told me that I haven’t stopped to consider how Lena is. I’ve been a shit fucking sister. “This will just make her even more of a target, surely?”

“She’s safe. Beast called me just before I got here. He knew you’d worry. She’s staying at her friend’s house this weekend by the looks of it. My men are watching her twenty-four seven,” Grim reminds me, immediately putting my mind at ease. “No one will get near her. I promise.”

“Thank you, Grim, for keeping her safe,” I say, a lump forming in my throat. Despite some of the revelations tonight, I do believe she’s a good person underneath it all.

She frowns, then moves around the table and across the room. In a couple of strides has her arms around me. “You listen to me, Pen,” she says, whispering in my ear. “You’ve got a friend in me. I like you, so I’m going to give you a piece of unsolicited advice despite Xeno’s warning. Don’t forgive him easily. Fuck him, sure, but make Xeno work for your heart. If he loves you like he says he does, he’ll win you over.” Then she steps back and winks at me before giving Xeno the once-over. If I wasn’t so shattered, I’d laugh at the scathing look she just gave him. It must’ve been a monumental task for Beast to winherover.

“I’ll call you in a few days. We’ll meet soon. Catch up and discuss next steps,” Xeno says to them both. “I’ll also fill D-Neath in on what’s gone down.”

“Good. Keep me apprised with anything else that comes up,” Hudson replies.

Xeno nods, pushing up from the table. “Of course.”

“Come on, these two need to sort some shit out, and you need to go home to your family,” Grim says, winding her arm through Hudson’s.

“This isn’t your house?” I blurt out.

“It’s one of them. My brothers and I take turns to stay here when we’re working at the office in the city. Max and Bryce are at our family home with Louisa and the kids. I’m heading back there now. Max will return here Monday. You’re welcome to stay until then. There’s food in the fridge, so help yourself to whatever you need. Our housekeeper has cleaned the house and changed the sheets too, just avoid the largest bedroom upstairs. Otherwise, make yourself at home.”

“I appreciate it,” Xeno says.

“Goodnight, Pen. It was good to meet you, though I do apologise for the circumstances.”

I smile tightly, still pissed at the man. “Goodnight.”

Xeno follows them both out. By the time he returns I’m standing at the fireplace looking at a photograph of a beautiful woman with long blonde hair and a pretty smile. “They look so happy,” I say softly, my fingers running over the photograph. The woman—who is surrounded by three men, one of which is Hudson—is holding a newborn baby in her arms. Clutching hold of her leg is a toddler whose face is covered in ice-cream. All of them are smiling. They’re happy.

“That’s Hudson’s wife, his brothers and their two kids.”

“His brothers?”

“Yeah. By choice, not by blood. They grew up in a care home together. Hudson took Max and Bryce under his wing. Looked out for them… Or so the story goes. They built their business from the ground up. I’m surprised you’ve never heard of Freed Corporation.”

“She’s with all three of them.” I say, focusing on the part of their story that most intrigues me. I don’t really care that the Freed’s are hotshot businessmen, what I care about is this family they’ve created. A family I’ve always wanted.

“Yes. She is. Her name’s Louisa. Hudson’s very protective of her.”

“They make it work.”

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