Page 14 of Break

If they blamed me, if the police didn’t believe me…

The horror movie theme song blares again, bringing me to the present. It’s my father. Again. Because I’m not supposed to hang up.

I keep the side button pressed until my screen goes black and give myself another two minutes to try and calm down. I can’t let anyone on the team see me like this. I can’t let my three bullies see me like this.

If I’m weak, I’m chumming the water, just inviting those sharks to attack me, rip me to shreds, and dismantle my whole life until there’s nothing left.

I won’t be that girl again. I won’t be that girl again. None of these monsters get to take my future from me.

Seven

DIMITRI

“What’s up your ass?” I ask Knox.

“Don’t start with me right now,” he warns, his temper peeking through the cracks.

He has had an uncontrollable temper since we were in high school. It eased up a bit in college, but when he’s pissed, he’s pissed and he has to take it out on something. I point at the leg press, and he walks over obediently.

Knox just needs to burn it off. Throwing punches works better for him, but we don’t have a punching bag here, so we’ll have to wait until we’re set free and he can go to the boxing gym in town.

Jaxon’s eyes flick to the side door, and I follow his gaze as Hope walks in. Her raven hair is barely tamed in a ponytail today. Her eyes are nervous, her cheeks and nose red like she’s been crying. It’s the same version of her I remember from college. She rubs her shoulders, then one of the guys walks to her and she switches it off, or as much as she can.

She smiles, her deep blue eyes sparkling as she tries to make herself okay. She’s still a hot little thing. Not exactly petite anymore. She’s filled out some, and her curves are so much better than they used to be. Has it really been seven years?

I rub my jaw, and Jaxon exhales slowly. “Something’s different.”

“Years of difference, but she’s still ours,” I grumble. “No way she’s forgotten us.”

Jax doesn’t say anything to that. He focuses on working his legs out. Since he and Knox have been called for their evaluation and physical, I know I’m next.

After a few minutes, she calls my name, her eyes focused on me. There’s no fear like in the elevator. Her chin is high, her ponytail straight behind her neck, her Polo and khakis too loose for my liking. She has nice legs and a good body. She should show them off.

I saunter into the office and watch as she shuts the door.

She looks at her checklist. Is our little slut no longer looking for attention? When we found out what she was doing with her dad on a regular basis, saw that she never said no, that she let him flaunt it, video it, show us, we were more than happy to show her whatwewere capable of.

I think she needs a reminder. It’s been seven years and I don’t care how many relationships she’s been in. She doesn’t get to forget the night we made her ours.

“We need to do a physical. That means running some tests, having you complete a drug test, taking some blood, and—”

“If you want me naked, you know how to make that happen, don’t you? You still remember. Lie down on that table and convince me to listen to your recommendations,” I goad.

She doesn’t look up from her clipboard. “If you want to play, you’ll allow me to go through the checklist.”

“Maybe if you purr for me or scream my name, I’ll be more incentivized,” I say darkly.

I could tell her I know she lives on the fourth floor because she was too ridiculous and hasty thinking I wouldn’t watch where she went once I was out of the elevator. There’s plenty I could do or say to get her into the headspace I want, but she just looks tired.

Why is she tired? When we got here yesterday and I spied her from across the room, she looked happy to be working. Even this morning, she took her time talking with Jared. She smiled for him, teased him, gave him plenty of attention.

“The whole team is excited for you to join, Dimitri. Do it for them,” she whispers.

There’s a bit of pleading in her tone. My whole body reacts to her. I lick over my bottom lip and nod. She takes my vitals, but her light touch, not nervous but not exactly confident, makes me hard.

It’s almost pathetic. I’ve been with plenty of girls. Girls who know what they offer, are willing to do whatever I say without question, but Hope… there’s something about her that works me up even as she presses a stethoscope to my chest. I sit up taller and keep my eyes on her.

Her eyelashes are a little wet. Interesting.

---