Page 34 of Brake's Intent

Lawson holds a hand up and shakes his head. “We’ll talk about it in the fuckin’ room.”

“You might be pissed, but I am who I am for a reason, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect those I care about . . . those I love most. That includes sacrificing myself to keep them from feeling another ounce of pain than what they’ve had to deal with,” I state, stepping forward.

“I know who you are,” Lawson snarls and reaches up to grab either side of my face. “That’s why it pisses me the fuck off because you and Faye are the most important things in my life. I’ve lost enough in my life, and I don’t want to lose any more. It’s why I came here. I made a family out of those I care about. Faith and Lyrica are the sisters I wish my own sister could have grown to be. Reed is the brother that I wanted mine to be. So, I get the sacrifice you would make, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting to strangle you. Because if something happens to you or Faye, I’ll lose what’s left of who I am.”

With that he drops his lips to mine for a chaste kiss and leaves me standing there. I don’t know if I’m more shocked or surprised by what he just said, but I know without a doubt for him, I’ll make sure he doesn’t lose who he is.

CHAPTERTWENTY

FAYE

Men are insufferable creatures. I’m going to end up killing them myself before the night is over.

What should have been an amazing day . . . a great day . . . one filled with happiness has been nothing if not disastrous. And, of course, to make things worse, Brake doesn’t listen to me when he comes to after Angelina and I pop his shoulders back into place. Instead of staying put, what does that infuriating man do? Gets up, goes outside, and makes his way to the boathouse. I knew better than to go inside, especially when one of the guys was standing in front of the doors blocking entry.

Instead, I’ve been waiting . . . pacing in our room for them to come back. Everything seems to be spiraling, and Ela’s words fill my head as they have since before the wedding. I can’t stand to see either of my men in pain; today, it’s been nothing but. I don’t know why I can see the pain in Lawson’s eyes. That pain has been there since we found Brake in that house.

I want nothing more than to get back on an airboat and go back to that place and burn it to a crisp. Then again, I don’t want to have an encounter with that horrifying snake or any other creature that could be lurking out there. I wasn’t raised to know how to handle the outdoors and wouldn’t be able to survive out there. I don’t want to think about what I did, bashing that woman’s head in the way I did. I didn’t know it was possible, but I killed her. I refuse to regret my actions, not after what she did Brake. I shudder at the memory of her tongue on Brake’s chest, licking at his blood. It makes me want to put Brake in the shower, scrub every inch of him, and make sure to wash anywhere that she could have touched him. Unfortunately, he needs to take it easy because of the wounds on his chest. Maybe I’ll still do it, but not as hard as I want.

Time seems to tick by slowly, leaving me anxious and nervous about what’s going on. I don’t like it, and I want to demand answers and at the same time, be here to soothe whatever darkness is taking its number on them.

By the time the door opens and both of them step inside, I’m nearing a panic attack.

“What in the hell is the matter with you?” I scream, unable to keep my voice level.

“Calm down, baby,” Lawson says while Brake closes the door.

“I need a damn shower,” Brake grumbles and starts heading that way, but Lawson stops him.

“First, we’re talking,” he declares, and it’s then I notice his bloody hands.

“What happened to your hands?” I demand, stepping forward and taking his hand in mine to get a closer look at his knuckles.

“Took care of something,” he states evasively, not taking his eyes off Brake. “Now, tell us why you would sacrifice yourself and not say a word to us? Is that why you were pretty much gone all week? Or are you hiding something else?”

“You wanna explain what you mean by the brother and sister comment you made?” Brake growls, throwing out a question of his own. “What else are you hiding?”

“Answer the fuckin’ question.” Lawson steps closer, and I have a feeling the disastrous day is about to get worse if I don’t intervene.

“Both of you, take a step back,” I snap and shove myself between them. “And tell me what the hell is going on?”

Brake is the first to move, taking a step back and shaking his head as he lets out a heavy breath. “I didn’t want you to find out about it,” he says quietly.

“What do you mean?” I ask, watching him. My heart aches, and my hands itch to reach out and soothe him. “What didn’t you want us to find out?”

Without looking up, Brake starts speaking and tells us about his past, and from the way Lawson tenses, Brake didn’t share this part already. He’d told me about his mother, the rape, and a few other things, but he hadn’t shared all of this. My stomach churns as he talks about what he went through and dealt with. I wish I could take the pain away from him. I also wish I could raise Charlotte from the dead and make her pay for her crimes against Brake. I mean, he’s her damn brother, and she tormented him like he was a slave to torture. We don’t have whipping boys in this century, and even more, they got rid of slaves years ago. I don’t care what she or any of them made him do, I want to make them pay even. Death is just too easy of a way out for them, they deserve to burn and be tormented in the same vile ways as they did to Brake and even Tyres.

Brake doesn’t stop talking as he goes on to tell us about this week and the fact he had to be at the house every day. It’s part of the stipulations. He had to take what they did to him every day, but his birthday was when Charlotte really wanted him. He even admitted that she was going to alter the deal that for every child that was born, she was going to add a day.

“What is so important about the children?” It confuses me.

Brake slowly brings his gaze up, and I notice the tormented pain within his eyes. “I honestly don’t know. But my great-uncle hated our grandfather for some reason and wanted to make him pay. I never questioned it. I don’t think I want answers about the past.”

“But it affects the future. Our future,” I whisper, closing the distance between us and dropping to my knees. “What happens when the three of us decide it’s time for children?”

“That won’t be a problem because it won’t be mine,” he utters, glancing away as he gently stands and pushes away from me to pace the room.

“What do you mean?” I ask, also standing.

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