Break, p.21
Break, page 21
He growls out a low, “Fuck,” then touches his head to make sure he’s not bleeding. After confirming he’s not, he gives me a quick shove. “Go get him!” Then sits down to shake off his minor injury.
I can already hear the peeling of tires through the gravel and know that I won’t catch up to him. My keys are in the other room, along with my cell. Letting out a frustrated scream, I march over to grab my cell, quickly dialing the station.
The moment Cooper picks up, I’m talking as fast as possible. “Coop. Danny Reed just showed up at Max’s place. He knows Mina is here and tried to break in. He’s got wheels and just left less than a minute ago, so I need you to send out a car to go pick him up. I’m not going to ask; I’m just going to assume that what you said earlier still holds. I want assigned to her now.”
Chapter 28
No Hiding
Max
They can’t fucking find him.
It’s been two days since Danny tried breaking into my house. Two days of trying to convince Mina not to pack her shit up and run as far away as possible. Two days of wanting to murder someone and not having any way to expel this uncontrollable rage boiling inside of me. Two fucking days of Danny being a damn ghost.
I’ve never felt so helpless, so powerless in my life. The three of us are doing all we can to track him down, but he’s hiding somewhere we don’t have eyes. He ditched his car shortly after he left my house. His phone hasn’t been used and his parents swear they haven’t seen or heard from him.
Mina’s been quiet since he showed up. I can tell she’s scared, but she won’t talk to any of us about it. While she was sick those three days, we all took turns in her room to keep an eye on her, talking with her when she was awake. Sometimes even sleeping next to her to soothe the nightmares away. Danny’s arrival has set the four of us back, and I’m just lost.
“Nope. Can’t do it anymore.” Vincent announces as he gets up from the couch and heads toward the stairs.
“What? Can’t do what anymore?” I ask, standing to follow him.
Ethan simply shakes his head at Vince, who stops, turning to face us with his hands on his hips. “I’m not sitting here anymore while she hides away upstairs, afraid of Danny, and afraid of us. I’m going up there to invite her down to watch a movie or play a game or go for a walk. Anything to get her to not feel like she’s still a prisoner.”
He doesn’t wait for an argument, not that Ethan or I give him one, and jogs up the stairs. I stay standing in the middle of the living room, trying to hear what is said between the two of them. There’s some light murmuring and then two sets of footsteps coming back down.
Between battling the flu for a few days and the emotional turmoil she’s been going through since Danny showed up for the second time, she looks like shit. I know enough not to say it out loud, but fuck. Mina looks like she’s lost another few pounds of weight she can’t spare to lose. There are dark circles under puffy eyes and her shoulders are hunched. Even her hair is in a half-assed braid like she just quickly tied it up. Thank God she’s not required to wear that damn sling anymore.
My feet are moving before I realize it and I find myself standing only a foot in front of her. Her head tilts back to look up at me and I feel my heart beat a little harder for her. She’s just so… sad. There’s a brief hesitation on my part when I lift my hand to touch her chin, but she doesn’t shy away from me. Tipping her face slightly to the side, I run my eyes over where the barest hint of bruising is still visible around her eye and look her over.
“You doing alright, honey?” I feel bad for pressing her moments after she joins us, but I can’t help the concern I feel over her well-being.
White teeth poke out when she digs them into the pillow of her lower lip. There is no concern that she’ll hurt it because the swelling has gone down, and the cut is barely visible now. She nods slowly, without dislodging my finger. “I’m doing… better.”
I release my breath and notice a few of the hairs around her face dance with how close my face is to hers. Clearing my throat, I drop my hand and take a step back. “I’m glad. So, Vincent dragged you down here. Do you want to watch a movie or get out of the house for a bit?”
Her eyes flicker over to the front door, considering the risk of going out in the open, and her eyes clench shut. She’s struggling to decide, her fingers twisting and pulling at each other. “Umm…”
“Be right back,” Ethan says, then disappears into the office for only a few seconds, then walks out holding a stack of paper up for her to see. “Show us how to make something.”
Ethan’s suggestion was enough of a surprise to Mina that she completely forgets she’s nervous and her hands fall loosely to her side. “Really?”
“Ooh, yes! You ever see how those people will fold up a dollar bill into crazy shit? Do you know how to do anything with the rectangles like that?” Vincent is perched on the side of the couch, swinging his leg over the arm and completely relaxed.
I swear this guy does it just to piss me off. “Get your ass off the arm of the couch. Christ, Vince, how the fuck old are you?”
“Sorry Daddy,” he teases and then blows me a kiss. “Seriously sweetness, can you do any of those cool tricks with money?”
A lot of her uneasiness or unsureness drifts away as her eyes glitter with some excitement. “I’ve had little opportunity to play with bills, but I know how to make a knife!”
A snort of laughter escapes me as both Ethan and Vincent chuckle. “Of all the things…” I say, trailing off and shaking my head.
Mina’s cheeks flush slightly. “I could try to figure something else out, if you want.”
Vincent whips out his wallet and pulls out a small stack of brand-new bills and smacks them on the coffee table. “Nope. I have my heart set on a fancy money knife. Sit here and show us how.”
She gives him an easy smile before lowering herself gracefully to the floor, tucking her legs under the table and reaching for one of the bills. I have little interest in doing origami and shit, but I do have an interest in sitting next to her and listening to her speak in dulcet tones. It’s calming and spending time with her is a big bonus. So, I reach down to the table and pick up a bill for myself. Then groan as I sit on the floor next to her, folding my body practically in half to inch closer to the table.
Ethan and Vincent mimic me and fill in the space on the empty sides of the table. Mina struggles to look into our faces, but not from being uncomfortable. Rather more likely because she’s in the spotlight and feels nervous.
Her fingers move deftly over the bill, creating sharp folds and creases as she explains each step. She pauses after each fold to watch our hands and correct us if we’re doing it wrong. Her moves are precise, and I can’t help but appreciate the concentration etched on her face. It’s only during moments like this since she’s been with us that she’s been so at peace focused on something that wasn’t Danny-related. It’s a nice change.
My knife, if you could even call it that, is a fucking mess. Ethan’s knife is perfect, and Vincent is somewhere in the middle. Laughing at his dramatic sigh when he holds up his finished project, Mina pulls it from his hand. “Here, try again with a fresh bill. I’ll start over and show you again. Make sure your corners are perfectly lined up at the beginning because with each fold, if it’s off, will have the wrong angles and it will continue to compound.”
I grab another bill to try again with them. After finishing it, I realize that there is definitely a sense of pride when you get to the end, and I selfishly want her to notice that I’m trying for her.
Vincent leans over to watch her work, nodding his approval as she finishes the final touches on the first knife and begins in on the second. “Damn, that’s pretty good. You should start a side gig making these things. People love this kind of shit.”
Mina grins at the compliment, and I smile along with her. It’s so good to see her happy, even if it’s just for a moment. It’s so clear that this is something she truly enjoys doing, even if the reason she’s talented is for unfortunate reasons. I fight back my anger towards Danny and her parents as it simmers inside of me, so I take a slow breath to try to let it go for now. She eyes me curiously, but doesn’t ask, thankfully. I’d rather not break us all out of this bubble.
We work through another two rounds of knife making and as I run my nail along the edge to flatten it; she leans toward me to watch. She tilts her head to study it, then turns her face to mine with the biggest smile I’ve seen on her yet and it’s fucking blinding. “That’s really good, Max.”
I feel the guys watching us and do my best not to flip them off. Her praise shouldn’t embarrass me, but it does. I’m not sure if she’s saying it to be nice or to placate me, because the mess I’ve made looks like a five-year-old did it. Giving her a nonchalant shrug, I say, “It’s looking alright. Looks somewhat like a knife, I suppose.”
There’s a spark that zaps my hand when she slips her palm over the back of mine, where I’m anxiously holding it over the paper to press it flat. “No lie. For never having done it before, you’re doing really well.” Her eyes flit back and forth across mine and her smile turns a touch shy before she looks away from me. “Be proud of yourself.”
Staring at her profile, a memory surfaces of her sitting next to me on Danny’s front steps, encouraging me to open up to her with kind words and no judgement. This is who she is. Someone full of support, kindness, and sweet words meant to lift you up versus tear you down. There haven’t been many people in my life who’ve been that kind of rock and I can’t help but kick myself in the ass for not recognizing the gift that she is years ago.
Leaning over, I press my lips to the side of her temple briefly in a wordless thanks. She stiffens for a moment, then turns to look at me in shock. Ethan raises a brow, surprised by my move, and then makes a soft noise before looking back down and finishing his own project. Yeah, I don’t know what that was either, buddy.
In an attempt to lessen any awkwardness, I clear my throat. “So, we were talking, and Vince shared that you’ve never been camping or fishing before. I’ve got some people that can cover our work for a few days with Breaking Barriers. Would you like us to take you tomorrow?”
Mina’s eyes widen, taking us all in. Vincent hasn’t stopped watching her, and Ethan looks up to study her as she thinks it over. “A-All three of you?”
Snickering, Vincent does what he does best and tries to make it seem like it’s not a big deal. “Of course! Who wouldn’t want to get away for some smores and hours of sitting in a boat with serious fishermen?” He waggles his eyebrows and pops his thumbs out to point at me and Ethan.
Tilting my head side to side, I decide that’s not an insult. “He’s not wrong. We are pretty serious about it. But we can show you how to do it, and it’ll be nice to disappear for a night or two without having to worry about shit that’s going on here.”
She still seems unsure. “But… what would I need to wear? I think I have a pair of boots, and maybe a pair of jeans. Everything else is just a few shirts I would wear for working in the yard.” Her eyes look toward the window. “Does it get very cold overnight?”
I can feel a trickle of excitement as I look out the window where the sun is just starting its decent behind the horizon. “It can get pretty chilly, but we’ll make sure you’ve got everything you need. I’m sure there are some spare sweatshirts and long-sleeve shirts lying around here somewhere. Why don’t you go look through your stuff and see what you’ve got that could be worn outside? You’ll want at least three changes of clothes.”
“We’ll swing by the store on our way out of town if you need anything,” Vincent assures her.
Chewing on her lip, I can tell she wants to go, but something is stopping her. “What’s holding you back?” I ask her, bumping my shoulder against her to show her I’m comfortable talking about her worries or concerns.
“I just… where will we sleep?” she blurts out.
Vincent gives her a warm smile and Ethan’s lips tilt up at her question as well. I’m worried she won’t love the plan, but it’s all we’ve got at the moment. “I have a tent that sleeps six, but the weather shouldn’t be too cold, so we can sleep outside if you’re not comfortable sharing a tent with us.”
I check in with the guys and they both nod that they’re on board with giving her that space if she needs it. Her hand is shaking when she waves away her concern. “No, that’s fine. I’ll-” She pauses to swallow deeply, then pushes forward. “I’ll be okay with that.” Mina checks in with me to make sure I’m not uncomfortable with any of this. “If you all don’t mind, that is… having me there?”
Her hands are resting on her lap, so I reach over and give them a light squeeze. “It’ll be fun, Mina. Trust us. Camping is going to quickly become your favorite thing to do.”
I’m shocked when she turns her hand under mine and gives me a tighter squeeze back. Her hands are clammy and trembling a bit, but she gives me a steady smile. “I hope so. I’ll go see what I’ve got.”
Keeping her hand in mine, I stand up to help pull her to her feet and hesitate a moment before releasing her. “Once you have what you think you’ll need, come find one of us and we’ll look it over and decide what you’re missing.”
Nodding, she quietly thanks me and then says goodbye to us before high tailing it out of the room.
Vincent gets up and sits on the couch, leaning back while stretching his arms out. “This should be fun. Also, really fucking convenient.”
“What’s convenient about it?” I ask him, picking up one of her knives and flipping it around in my hand to study it, curious how she’s able to get it so perfect.
“Danny won’t have any idea where we are,” Ethan says gruffly.
The grin that spreads across my face is the biggest one I’ve let out in a long time. “That he won’t.”
Chapter 29
Eden
Ethan
As we drive out of town in my pickup, the silence inside the cab is palpable. Vincent is sitting up front, singing along to the radio like he usually does. I think he’s being more energetic than normal to give Mina the ability to sit in silence and get herself comfortable being holed up with all of us in a small space. I can feel the tension emanating from her in the backseat as she watches the scenery pass us by in green and brown streaks.
I try to focus on the road, but my mind keeps wandering to thoughts of her. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this drawn to someone, and it’s both exhilarating and terrifying. I can’t help but wonder if she feels even a fraction of interest or curiosity toward me. Or us. She’s been through an extremely traumatic event recently, and that’s not considering the fact that she’s been married to that asshole for years. I’m not in any rush to push anything. But I’m interested. I also see the interest in both of my friends’ gazes when their eyes find their way to her profile.
We finally make it to the site we’ve chosen for the next few days, and Mina’s eyes widen in amazement as she takes in the view. It’s like she has no control over her body as her feet draw her further toward the woods. She looks around her surroundings, then tilts her head up when she hears the birds chirping.
Walter follows her to edge of the clearing and sits on the ground next to her. Leaning his body against hers, I assume he can feel the peace she’s experiencing because he releases a huffing breath and relaxes.
None of us move as we watch her take everything in, breathing deeply. It’s as if the scents and sounds of nature completely wash every bad experience and thought away from her, easing her mind and body until her shoulders relax.
Max and Vincent are standing on either side of me, both watching like they’ve never seen anything like her before. When she turns around to face the three of us, her expression is absolutely breathtaking.
Running her eyes over each of us, they glitter with tears as she clasps her hands to her chest. “Thank you. This is just… it’s what you’d think the garden of Eden would be like.”
I can see the gratitude in her eyes, and it makes me feel so fucking good that we could give her this experience. “Of course,” I say, a little gruffly.
Vincent clears his throat of the emotion clogging it. “Come on, sweetpea. Let’s get everything unloaded and set up the site, then we can all do a bit of exploring.”
“Oh! Yes. What should I do? I want to help with everything,” she asks, looking around the area. Her enthusiasm is intoxicating, and it’s leaving me at a loss for words. Max too, apparently, since he’s still standing there and just watching her against the backdrop of the forest.
Nudging him, he shakes off whatever trance the vision of Mina had left him in, and we all spend the next hour or two setting up camp, collecting wood, and starting a fire. Mina insisted on being a part of everything, pitching in as much as she could and asking questions about why we did things a certain way or about the area. She seems to be getting more comfortable with us as time goes on, quietly laughing at Vincent’s jokes and Max’s grumbling over making sure everything is set up perfectly.
With the sun beginning to dip below the horizon and the clouds turning shades of pink and orange, I suggest we take a walk through the woods. Mina’s eyes light up with interest, already standing and bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“I’m down with going for a walk to burn off dinner. Do you have a camera you’d like to bring along just in case?” Max asks her.
Slipping her hands into the pocket of her jacket, she tightens her arms closer to her body in an attempt to fend off the chill that’s rolled in with the setting sun. “Nope, but that’s okay. I’ll remember it all perfectly.”
Holding up his phone, Vincent waves it toward her. “I’ll take pictures if there’s anything you see and want to keep.” She flashes a smile of thanks, and then we’re off.
“This path here is a shorter loop around that’s a little under a mile. We’ll make it back before it gets fully dark,” Max informs her. He walks ahead of everyone since he’s most familiar with the land and trails out here with Mina only a few feet behind him. I step up to her right and walk alongside her, monitoring her footing to make sure she doesn’t trip over any roots or rocks protruding from the ground.
