Page 73 of Breaking Point

Chapter Thirty-Four

Crew

Idon’t sleep a wink because there’s only one thing on my mind:Olivia, Olivia, Olivia.

She’s in my head, she’s in my veins, she consumes my thoughts. I haven’t been able to concentrate worth a damn all week. Every time I close my eyes, I see her beneath me. I feel her soft skin, I hear her soft sighs as she comes apart.

I never should have touched her because now that I have, I don’t want to stop.

The thought plagues me, sweeping over me with a cloying sense of worry.

What if, what if, what if?

It’s what I was trained to do. Always plan for the worst-case scenario. That way, nothing surprises you. But wanting her is a whole new battlefield.

I hit the gym alone today, knowing that Skar is busy talking about wedding plans with Aleks. I’ve offered my help- it’s something to do on my rare days off but I have a feeling my presence would only be a hindrance.

I head back to my apartment, the studio walls practically foreign now. When I hop in the shower, my muscles are jelly. I'm tired. Exhausted. Running myself ragged. I let myself standunder the spray for longer than I should, the warm water pure bliss.

By the time I finish, I drag a towel over my damp hair and reach for my phone. There’s a few missed calls and texts, but I pause when I see an incoming call.

It’s Mom.

Pressing the phone to my ear, I answer. “Hello?”

“Crew.”

I hear a worried note in her voice, and I go still. “What’s wrong?”

“I… I thought you should know that Jimmy’s in the hospital. He-“ She sniffles, and just the thought that she’s been crying makes me want to punch a hole through a wall. “There was an accident. He had a heart attack- and he fell.”

I blink at the information, trying my best not to let any panic show. “When?” I manage.

“Last night. He begged me not to call you… but I-“

“Are you okay?” I blurt, trying to ignore the sting of her words.

He didn’t want to tell me.

“I’m- alright, baby. I just…” she sniffles again. “I know how busy you are.”

“I’m never too busy for you. Never,” I tell her, my mind rushing. There’s no way in hell I’m going to up and leave, but I can’t exactly pick up my obligations and bring them with me either. “Is he okay? What did the doctors say?”

“He’s stable for now. He has a concussion from falling, but he won’t be at work for a bit. Who knows how long?”

I nod, knowing she can’t see, but I tug at my hair again. “I’m going to figure some things out. I'll get things settled here, and then I’ll head that way. Okay?”

“Crew,” she cries quietly. “He’ll be upset I called. I wasn’t supposed to tell you. He doesn’t want to be a bother.”

“Mom,” I say, stopping her. “It’s Dad. Of course I’m going to come. We’ll deal with everything once I get there.”

“Okay… but what about your client? That family you’re watching over?”

I sigh, leaning down to grab my clothes and change as I put the phone on speaker. “No family. Just… One person. I’ll check with her, and I’ll call you soon.”

She pauses, obviously absorbing the information- the subtleherin my sentence- before she sniffles. “Okay,” she agrees. “I love you.”

“Love you. Talk to you soon.”

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