Page 38 of Viper

Hurt her in more ways than she admitted to Breaker.

And she went right back to him.

My heart splinters beneath my ribs. I clutch my chest, wishing I didn’t understand why she went to Rune.

The thrumming noise in my head grows louder. Screams.

Cora jerks, trying to free herself from my grasp. I stop in the center of the room, taking a deep breath to calm myself. But it doesn’t help. Breaker moves forward, his jaw granite-hard, eyes glacial. That deadly look is aimed at me. I’m being too rough with her. I know I am, but I can’t seem to let her go.

He reaches for her, trying to take her from me, and I shove him back. He stumbles, grinding out something, a threat maybe. I don’t know, and I don’t fucking care. There’s too much chaos in my head. Every word is just meaningless syllables, each one drowning in the chaotic roar in my head. My vision blurs, my chest squeezing, crushing my lungs.

Cora yanks out of my grasp. I lurch for her, but pause mid-step the second my eyes land on the purple bruise and the lump on her forehead. That primal need to ruin claws at my insides, trying to rip free.

“He knows it was one of you,” she says, but it’s like we’re in a tunnel, her voice distant and echoing. She backs away, almost in slow motion, and points at Breaker. “Zane is going to lose his mind when he recovers.”

“Let him,” Breaker says, voice dripping with violence. “So I can fucking ruin him.”

An exasperated sound catches in her throat. Her eyes dart around like a trapped animal, before locking on the bathroom door. As she bolts, I lunge after her, but Breaker grabs my arm. I whirl, muscles coiled and ready to strike.

“Calm down,” he grates. “You’re scaring her.”

My teeth gnash together as she disappears into the bathroom. I take a deep breath, knowing I probably look like a maniac. And that’s the last thing she needs right now. More violence and rage anywhere near her. None of this is her fault.

It’s ours. All of it.

Fucking Reaper.

He counted on this. Breaker leaving, me following. The control freak must have thought that between the two of us, we’d be able to keep her safe.

How? How the fuck are we supposed to keep a delicate jewel from being crushed under Rune’s power? How do we protect her from his sick games and twisted mind?

I just want her home. Safe. Away from this sick place. Walking through the garden, picking mint leaves, turning her face to the sun, letting it wash away the years of shit she’s endured.

Let her have peace.

All of us just need some fuckingpeace.

I rake my fingers through my hair, the throbbing in my head growing louder, so I barely hear the bay door sliding up. It’s not until I spot Harlow, dipping under the door that my focus snaps with precision onto him.

“You can’t just pop up like that, drawing attention to us!” His scream is loud enough that it breaks through the noise in my skull. He stalks my way, finger pointed at me. “You’re going to ruin years of planning.”

He’s worried about the plan? Now?

“Fuck the plan,” I growl. “He needs to die.”

“You know that’s not an option,” Breaker says. “We need to get into that compound. We need to get—”

“Fuck. The. Plan.” I shove past him, focusing on the bathroom door.

“Give her space,” Breaker barks out, and I freeze.

Slowly, I turn back to face him. Whatever he sees in my expression makes him straighten, like he’s preparing to take me on.

“Give her a minute,” Breaker says. He motions to my face. “You’re a lot, Vipe. Give her space to think.”

I shake my head, disbelief tumbling from my lips with a huff of air. “Space?” I ask. “You mean like the space we gave her that allowed Rune to move in and what, Breaker? What exactly did he do?”

He closes his eyes, his chin dropping to his chest.