Page 38 of Break Me

With my keys tight in my grip, I slide behind the wheel. Sam is out there hurting because of me. The thought sits heavy on my chest as I start the engine. The dashboard lights flicker to life.

Maybe this changes everything.

Maybe there's no fixing what happened tonight.

I don't care.

Whatever waits for us on the other side of tonight, I know one thing.

I'm not letting him face it alone.

Samuel

By the time I make it back to the clubhouse, the adrenaline’s gone, and every hit Knox landed is screaming through my already bruised ribs.

I kill the engine and sit there for a second, hunched over the bars, forehead pressed to my knuckles. Breathing hurts. Thinking hurts worse.

The yard is quiet—too quiet. A few bikes are lined up under the security light. Someone left a cigarette burning in the ashtray by the door, smoke curling into the night.

Nobody's outside.

Nobody's talking.

The usual noise is gone.

I swing my leg over the saddle and immediately regret it. Pain knifes through my side so sharp I have to bite back a curse. Gravel crunches under my boots as I limp toward the door.

Mouse spots me first. He freezes halfway through taking a swig of beer, eyes going wide. “Jesus, Wolf. What the hell happened?”

“Nothing,” I mutter, pushing past him.

“Nothing?” he sputters. “You look like you lost a fight with a truck.”

“Drop it.”

He opens his mouth again, then shuts it. Good. I don’t have the energy to lie convincingly or punch him for asking.

The walk to my room feels longer than it should. By the time I shove the door open and step inside, sweat has broken out across the back of my neck. I lock the door behind me and brace both hands against the dresser, waiting for the room to stop spinning.

My shirt drags across the bruises blooming over my ribs. Blood keeps finding its way from the split in my lip. Knox always did hit like a freight train.

Raven’s voice keeps replaying in my mind.

I love him.

Christ. Every time she said my name. Every tear on her cheeks. Every shake in her voice when she defended me. I’d take Knox’s fists a thousand times over before I’d let her cry like that again.

I sit on the edge of the bed before my legs give out and pull my phone from my pocket. My thumb hovers. Then, I do the one thing I shouldn’t.

Me: I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to see that. I didn’t want any of it to go down that way.

Me: Sweetheart, I never wanted to hurt you or cause problems with your family. If I could’ve taken those hits without you seeing a damn thing, I would have.

I drop the phone onto the mattress and drag a hand over my face, wincing when my knuckles brush the tender split at the corner of my mouth. The phone buzzes almost immediately.

My vision blurs when I read the words.

Raven: You don’t have to apologize. I don’t care how it happened. I just need to know you’re okay. How bad did he hurt you?