Page 10 of Breaking the Surface
BRADEN AGREED WITHVincent, but he also knew that this would be more complicated than Vincent clearly seemed to think.Braden had lived this situation on his own skin.His father hadn’t come after him and Penelope when they’d left, but it was mostly because by then, he’d been too drunk all the time to do anything about it.He hadn’t been abusive to them because he wanted to hurt them.There was no excuse for what he’d done, but he’d been nothing like Lou.
Braden didn’t know Lou, but he could already tell the man enjoyed what he’d done.Peter had said his ex would find him, and Braden agreed.There was no way that Lou wouldn’t at least try to get to Peter.That meant he was going to try to get into pack territory, which could be dangerous.There was no way to know how unhinged the man was.Would he hurt other people in his quest to get to Peter?How far was he willing to push himself to get what he wanted?
It was a given that Lou would get into pack territory, but that didn’t mean that Peter wouldn’t be safe here.Braden would make sure that he was.It wasn’t only his job.In a way, the pack had become family.Remi lived with them now, and Braden had seriously thought about moving closer.Even though he was only human, he’d always felt welcome here, and he knew that if he asked, Camden wouldn’t hesitate to make him a pack member.He was tempted to do just that, but he didn’t really have a reason to.He was human.He wasn’t linked to anyone in the pack beyond friendship.Why would he become a pack member?
He glanced at Peter.Peter was a pack member now.Braden wasn’t linked to him, but part of him wanted to be.It might make protecting him easier.
But he didn’t need to be linked to Peter to protect him.He doubted that Peter would allow anyone close beyond people he already trusted.None of what came next would be easy for him, but Braden could tell that Peter was a fighter.It didn’t matter how long it had taken him, the important part was that he was here now.
“All right,” Camden said.“Peter, obviously, you’re not a prisoner here, but considering what you told us about Lou, I feel it’ll be safer if you stay inside pack territory for now.I understand that you probably have a job, but we’ll help you if you lose it.I think that your safety is more important than any job.”
“I’m fine with that,” Peter said.“Lou knows where I work, so I wouldn’t go back, anyway.I don’t know how I’m ever going to repay you if I don’t have a job, but I agree that my safety is more important.”
“There’s nothing for you to repay.You’re a pack member, which means we’re going to help you, no matter what.Besides, I’m pretty sure that Remi and Braden would be offended if you tried to pay for protecting you.”
Braden quickly nodded.“We’re not doing this for money,” he told Peter, giving him a smile that he hoped told Peter he wasn’t a danger to him.“That’s what the other jobs are for.”
Peter blinked.“Other jobs?”
“Remi and I own a security agency,” Braden explained.“We provide people with bodyguards.Most of the jobs are just that, really.People need men who look big and strong and can step in if something happens, but they don’t actually expect anything to happen.We work with celebrities, those kinds of people.They can afford to pay us more than they probably should.”
“And we use that money for the business,” Remi interjected.“It allows us to take other cases when we can, like yours.You’re the reason Braden is here.He’s going to stay with you.”
Peter frowned.“That sounds like you’re giving me a babysitter.I don’t need one.”
“No one said that you did.What you need is protection, and that’s something Braden can provide.”
“Peter can stay with me and Ronan,” Vincent said.
“Lou knows that’s where he’ll find Peter.Peter said earlier that you were the one person he would ever run to when he’s in trouble.Lou knows that, which means that if he gets into pack territory, he’s going to try to find you.If he does, and Peter is there, things could escalate.I’m not saying that Peter has to leave pack territory.In fact, I don’t think he should.This is going to be the safest place he can stay for now, because of all the people here who can fight if his ex comes.I just want to make it a little more difficult for Lou to find Peter when he manages to get in.”
“We have several empty houses that Peter and Braden can stay in,” Camden volunteered.“They need renovations, but they’re habitable right now.I don’t think we should choose one of the houses that are close to the center of pack territory, but it doesn’t have to be too far away, either.Even if Lou manages to find where you live, Vincent, he won’t find Peter there if he does, and that’s what we’re aiming for.”
Vincent didn’t look happy, but he nodded.He’d accept it because it meant keeping his best friend safe.Braden wasn’t sure what Peter thought about all of this, though.He was frowning, clearly unhappy, but he had to know it was the only way to do this.He’d been the one to say that Lou would know to find him with Vincent earlier, after all.
“This feels like bothering a lot of people just to protect me,” Peter eventually said.He pushed away his blond hair from his forehead, and Braden’s fingers ached with the need to do the same.He had no idea why he was so focused on Peter and so desperate to keep him safe, but he briefly wondered if it would be a better idea to ask Remi to do this instead of him.Maybe they could get one of the other guys in.Braden normally had no problems focusing on his clients and their safety, but something told him that Peter would be distracting.
That still wasn’t enough for him to decide to stay away.He needed to keep this man safe.There would be no one better than him to ensure that he was.The pull he felt toward Peter was undeniable, like an invisible thread connecting them.Braden had never experienced anything like it before, and it both intrigued and unsettled him.
“I was planning on staying in pack territory for a while,” Braden reassured Peter.“Remi and I have a lot of work to do, and we work for the pack, too, so I was planning on meeting with Camden today.You don’t have to worry about disturbing my life or anything like that.I was going to stick around, anyway.Doing it to keep an eye on you and make sure that nothing happens to you isn’t a hardship.”
Peter didn’t look convinced, but they both knew he didn’t have a choice.He nodded, carefully not looking at Braden.Braden wondered why that was.Did he remind Peter of someone?He’d be horrified to find out that he reminded Peter of his ex, so he hoped that wasn’t the case.He was nothing like that asshole, but of course, Peter didn’t know that.
Yet.If the two of them were going to live together for a while, he’d find out.Hopefully, he’d eventually learn to trust Braden.Braden wasn’t in a rush for that to happen.His main goal was to keep Peter safe.Everything else would come with time.
Still, the urge to protect Peter wasn’t just professional—it felt deeply personal and overwhelming.He’d never felt this way about a client before.Maybe it was the vulnerability in Peter’s eyes, or the way he held himself like he expected the world to hurt him.Whatever it was, Braden knew one thing with absolute certainty—he’d do everything in his power to make sure Peter never had to be afraid again, especially of his ex.And if Lou showed his face anywhere near Peter, he’d learn exactly what happened to people who hurt the people under Braden’s protection.
Chapter Three
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PETER GLANCED AT THEhouse around him.It was nice, although as Camden had said, it needed renovations.Peter could see how beautiful the house would be once someone gave it a little love, and it made his heart ache.
It wouldn’t be him.He might be moving in for now, but this was temporary, just like Braden’s presence was temporary.
Peter couldn’t believe he was moving in with his mate.
He shook his head.Braden didn’t know that he was Peter’s mate, and Peter intended to keep things that way, at least for a little while.He didn’t know Braden.He only knew that the man had volunteered to babysit him and protect him from Lou, and while that was nice, that didn’t mean that Peter could trust him.
