Page 68 of The Breaking Point

“Nope,” I say brightly. “But I’ve committed to this whole civility thing so let’s see where it goes.”

He laughs, soft and low, and I swear it hits me like a physical touch. I reach for my wine, sip too fast, nearly choke.

His smile fades just a little, softens. “I missed this. You. Us.”

And just like that, I forget how to breathe. Because underneath the candles and the wine and the bread and the perfectly mismatched silverware… he’s still the boy I married. The man I wanted. The one who shattered me, yes.

But also, the one I can’t stop wanting.

And I swear, if he doesn’t kiss me soon, Iamgoing to crawl across this table.

Chapter 26

We’re halfway through the chocolate mousse when there’s a knock at the door.

Aiden and I both freeze.

I whisper, “Maybe if we’re quiet, they’ll go away.”

Another knock. Harder. Then a voice, muffled with sobbing, yelling, “Aiden!”

We’re already on our feet.

He rushes to the door and swings it open, just in time to catch Quinn as she practically falls inside, tears pouring down her face, makeup streaked.

“You have to talk to Markus,” she gasps out.

I step forward. “What happened?”

Then she sees me.

“Oh. Kate. You’re here.” Her face crumples further. “I’m so sorry, I… I interrupted your date.”

“It’s fine,” I say quickly, guiding her toward the couch. “Sit down. What happened with Markus?”

Aiden hands her a glass of water. She takes it with shaking hands, gulps a few sips, then manages to speak between hiccups.

“Markus… he wants to go back.”

Aiden blinks. “What?”

She nods, breath catching. “His enlistment ended with this last tour. That was supposed to be it. He was done. Hewashome. I thought…” Her voice wavers. “I thought we were finally safe. But tonight, he told me he wants to re-enlist. To go back.”

She breaks off with a sob, the kind that hits deep in the chest, like it’s echoing through the bones. “I just…” her voice splinters. “I can’t do it again. I can’t sit here and watch the man I love walk straight back into hell. And the worst part is, he says heneedsit.”

She looks at us, wide-eyed and unravelling. “I don’t know how to love someone who’d choose that again. This last tour, when he went missing… it nearly broke me. And now he wants to do itagain.”

Quinn breaks. Full-on, gut-wrenching sobs that shake her whole body. She curls in on herself, hands clutching at the fabric of her jeans like she’s trying to hold something inside from spilling out. I slide in beside her without thinking. Wrap my arms around her and pull her into me. She doesn’t resist. Just sinks into the hug like she’s been holding herself up for too long and finally let go.

“I’ve got her,” I say softly, meeting Aiden’s eyes. “Go.”

He hesitates. “You sure?”

“Yes,” I nod, firm. “Nowgo. Beat some sense into him if you have to.”

Aiden nods once, jaw tight, already halfway to the door. No hesitation now. Just the quiet fury of someone who’s not about to let the man he considers a brother jump back into the fire.

The door shuts behind him with a quiet finality. Quinn keeps crying, and I just hold her. One heartbeat at a time.

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