Page 59 of Broken

That evening, when Ireland and Cole were in the mess hall with the usual suspects, Boomer pointed his French fry at Ireland and said, “You two need a day off from magic.”

Gods, did she ever. The strain of trying to handle the magic and handle Cole’s frustration was exhausting.

He would probably be dying to get away from her.

But no. Cole shook his head. “We need to keep at it.” He looked at Ireland. “Don’t we?” She hesitated. She wanted to just tell him to stop running his head into a wall, but he already thought he was letting her down. She didn’t want him to think she’d lost faith in him.

“I agree with Boomer,” Breanna said. “Shocking, but true. Nothing works if you keep pushing at it until you’re exhausted. You need a break.”

“Why not ask Ireland?” Sanchez chimed in, speaking to Cole. “Last I heard, you’re not the boss of her.”

Everyone looked at Ireland. “A break would be nice,” she said slowly.

Madison started jumping up and down in her seat. “I know! I know! Girls day! Lunch in town, clothes shopping…”

Cole and Sanchez said together, “You’re not going alone. I’m coming.” Then they glared at each other.

Mikey rolled her eyes. “Do you not understand the concept of ‘girls day’?”

Sanchez said, “There could still be Retrievers out there.”

Mikey said, “Oh, and Karisma and I aren’t badass enough to protect the others? Please.”

That was true. Mikey had been raised in a pack of the most respected and feared Enforcers in the country—shifter police and security. Plus, her uncle was commander of the Wolf Hunters, a legendary clandestine ops team that liberated captive shifters. She was better trained and more lethal than half the guys at the Ridge. And Karisma was a tiger shifter and thief who’d survived on her own for years, fighting her own battles. Cole would back either one of them against almost anyone.

But it didn’t matter. “I have to go,” Cole pointed out. “Bracelets?” He held up his wrist. “Town is too far away.”

Sanchez added, “And I have to go. Because.”

No one argued with him—not even Madison. She knew he’d follow her no matter what she said; he was the most overprotective sonovabitch on the Ridge.

Cole said, “We don’t have to even eat with you, if you want girl time.” Ireland’s spirits fell a little. He really was dying to get away from her.

Sanchez added, “We’ll just lurk in the corner of the café.”

“As one does,” Mikey murmured. Breanna giggled. Sanchez was a famous lurker.

Cole said to Ireland, “But I would like to take you shopping. You must be tired of sweats. You need real clothes. Pretty ones.”

Her spirits shot up into the air again. He wanted to buy her pretty things. “Okay.”

“I’m consultant!” Breanna said, raising her hand. “But he can pay.”

“That’s the idea,” Cole said. “We’ll pick out some nice stuff.”