Page 101 of Break Me Not

The rest of the night had been boring. After I couldn’t—wouldn’t—answer any of their questions about the girl, everyone went back to their corners and fucked right off.

But I still couldn't sleep. My mind was going crazy with what-ifs and blaming myself.

I didn’t regret falling in love with Liz. Never. But I did regret how things went.

We should have told Claire.

I should have looked into her ex-husband more.

I should have taken the threat more seriously.

I couldn’t protect them. What was I even doing if I couldn't protect the people I cared about?

I ran through everything that had gone wrong. I needed to hire better men. I needed to do better at background checks. But mostly, I thought that having someone check in on him every once in a while, installing cameras, and making sure there was a team around Liz at all times was enough.

He had made me realize otherwise. I would have needed someone to follow him twenty-four-seven. I made a mental note of that for every similar case we encountered from now on.

I tried not to think about what it would mean to be in jail. How long would I be there without Liz and Claire? Who would take care of my mom?

Though I knew the answer to that question right away.

Both of them will.

I buried my head in my hands, trying to quell the ache behind my eyes.

“Steele.”

Someone calling my name had me jerking out of my stupor. I rushed out as fast as the guard would let me, relief spreading through me when I saw Laura waiting for me at the end of the hallway. She was talking on the phone, but when I finally came up to her, she hung up and looked at me with a face that had my heart dropping to the cold jail floor below me.

“There's been an incident… with Liz.”

Liz

Taking a deep breath, I held my hand up to the door and knocked on it three times.

Be reckless. He has no power over you anymore. He doesn’t get to step in and try and ruin your life like this. He is going to get what he deserves.

I could hear someone stirring inside. That was always the problem with this older property—it always felt like the walls were far too thin. Like anyone walking by could hear all the problems we held within.

The red paint on the door was chipping. There were stains right under the doorbell, which no longer worked. Back when we were still together, I tried to convince him to get one of those smart ones, but he was never really into it.

Sucks for him.

When he came up to look through the peephole, I could see his shadow, so I made sure to give him a smile.

The sound of the door unlocking was harsh, and maybe I should have been afraid. But I was determined instead.

When it opened, he looked at me suspiciously. His eyes roamed up and down my body, looking for anything out of place, before he looked behind me.

“What? Surprised that I'm alive?”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “Is this some type of⁠—”

“Not a trick. No one's with me. I came to talk.”

“Then talk,” he said with a huff, opening the door and showing me in.

It was so odd to be shown into my own house. Almost nothing had changed. With the cards I had been dealt, I had left most of the things I’d collected. That included the antique sofa and matching love seat in the foyer, which seemed like the perfect place to have our conversation.