Page 44 of Breaking Point

“Works for me.”

He salutes in departure, and I find myself alone in the apartment with her.

“Shit,” I hear her curse.

I stand in the hall, watching as she mixes some laundry detergent with a cold bucket of water. She’s wearing a pair of shorts that show off her toned legs and a baggy tee shirt that’s covered in stains. It’s now the distinct color of fading blood.

She wipes a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes with the back of her hand before glancing up at me with a huff. “Hey.”

She’s not smiling now. I can see the exhaustion, the worry, carved into every soft line of her.

“Need a break?” I ask cautiously, aware that any wrong move could break the delicate dynamic we’ve got going.

She shakes her head. “I need to get her blood out of my carpet.”

I have a feeling if she takes another look at it, she’ll be a lot like she was just nights ago.

“Okay,” I tell her, extending her a cup of coffee before taking the bucket. For a moment, she gapes and then a small smile spreads her lips as I kneel over the stain, wet the spot, and begin scrubbing.

“What are you doing?”

“Come on, Princess. I know you’re notthatsleep deprived,” I say under my breath.

Her eyes flicker at the nickname, but she shrugs, smelling the coffee before taking a sip. “I might be.”

“Then drink up.”

I can feel her looking at me, but I refuse to name the look on her face. I have the distinct feeling that if I do, I might rethink quitting this job.

“You know…” I hear her smiling now. “Beneath the whole ‘I hate everyone’ ‘don’t talk to me’ thing you have going, I think you might secretly be a sweetheart, Warden.”

I shake my head, glad that my face is hidden. “I don’t want to owe anyone favors.”

“Right,” she laughs. “The favors thing between you and Taylor. Somehow, I always end up with a coffee. I love my life.”

“Do you?” I ask before I can stop myself. I glance over my shoulder at her. “Love your life.”

The question catches her off-guard, making her eyes widen. She quickly recovers, kneeling across from me. “There’s a lot to love.”

“Even though you have two bodyguards you hate?”

“Hey, I actually really like Taylor.”

The look on her face tells me she’s messing with me, and at the implication- the idea that maybeI’mnot so bad either- I smirk. “He’s a good guy.”

I mean it too.

One of the best men I know.

“Mhmm. Lydia lucked out. He’s one of the good ones.”

So, they have talked. Somehow, the idea is grating.

I clear my throat. “Have you heard anything about Chesna?” I ask abruptly, and she flips her hair back again, sipping her coffee.

“No.” The smile is gone, and I almost wish I hadn’t said anything. “Look, last night-”

“Nothing like that will ever happen again.”

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