Breaker by Harloe Rae
Prologue
Sutton
Happy something #8: I love when clouds are extra puffy and big in the clear blue sky. It’s fun to find animals in random shapes.
Wet blades of grass tickle my ankles while I sneak across the darkened yard. The squish of my flip-flops is the only sound aside from occasional crickets serenading me. My sandals slide along the dew and I almost stumble to the ground. Slowing my haste would be wise, but I can’t allow reason to settle in. I’m already a short second away from losing my nerve.
The full moon watches my every slinky move. I keep my chin tucked to avoid the admonishment. But any attempt to escape the scorn is in vain. Every slight touch from the manicured lawn is a whispered warning.
This is a mistake.
Turn around.
He doesn’t want you.
But I don’t listen. Not this time. I’ve been ignoring my feelings for years. Tonight feels like my final chance. The only one I’ll get, and the most vital. My heartbeat pounds faster with each hurried step. I wipe the sweat from my palms and pick up the pace. A single hanging light flickers above the front door. The low shine illuminates my target destination. I push forward, rushing to close the remaining distance.
The guesthouse is pitch black when I step inside. I don’t bother turning on a lamp. I’ve memorized the path to his room over the years. His door is already ajar and I nudge it open wider. Moonlight filters in through the window, bathing the small space with a natural glow. I’ve never been more thankful for his lack of curtains.
Grady is sleeping on his back, granting me a clear view of his naked torso. Cut lines of muscle define his abs and chest. One strong arm is tossed over his face, shutting out the worry from sight. It gives me permission to continue my lazy perusal of him. A white sheet is draped low on his hips. I draw in a shaky breath and glance over his covered lower half. My imagination runs wild while feasting on the possibilities of what’s hiding underneath. His soft snores carry over to me as I linger by the wall. The quiet noise beckons me to him.
My stomach twists to the point of pain. I wince at the sting, but shuffle closer. Another slew of caution slams into me. This feels like an invasion, but that still doesn’t stop me. The floorboard creaks and Grady snaps awake. He sits up, scanning the room with wide eyes. His gaze narrows when he lands on me hovering just out of reach. The need to breathe burns my lungs, yet I remain frozen.
“What the fuck, Sutton?” His growl sends chills up my spine.
I knot my fingers together. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
But that’s a lie. He needs to be coherent for this to go the way I hope. Being willing and agreeable are also important. I swallow down the bubbling nerves in a rough gulp.
“Why are you in my room?”
I almost wither under the intensity of Grady’s stare. His green eyes gleam in the near darkness. I imagine their emerald color luring me under an unbreakable spell. The golden specks swirling within will smolder from the effort. I clear the dryness from my throat. “I, uh, wanted to see you.”
“In the middle of the fucking night? There better be a damn good reason.” The threat in his voice rings out, but I ignore it.
I study his stern expression, taking precious moments to peel away the hardened layers. Grady’s eyelids are heavy with the remaining threads of sleep. Thick stubble coats his sharp jaw. Dark blond hair hangs over his forehead in messy clumps. His rumpled state makes him more desirable. That’s a problem I don’t need help with. I long to feel the rasp of his calloused hands over every smooth inch of me. The slight burn would surely set me ablaze.
Doubt creeps in the longer I stall on him. This boy has been through hell. Why am I considering adding more unnecessary drama to his plate? A hollow pang in my heart answers the rhetorical question. I can count on two hands the days we’ve gone without seeing each other. Tomorrow will change all that. I’m not ready for goodbye.
After a decade, the memory of how we met is getting fuzzy. Grady stumbled onto our property late one night. He ran to our house under the midnight sky and hid from the horrors that occurred at his home. If the walls of his trailer could talk, I’m sure they’d scream. Grady is broken and battered, abandoned by those meant to love him the most. But I’ve never let him down. Maybe he’ll learn to rely on me one day.
Either way, he’s an honorary member of our family. We welcomed him with open arms and never let go. Grady and my older brother have been best friends since they were nine. He’s unknowingly been the love of my life that entire time. If only he’d admit to feeling a fraction of the same. Or I had the guts to tell him.
Grady shifts on his bed. The squeak of springs drags my attention out of our past. I need to be focusing on the future. When I lift my gaze, he’s still glaring at me. The desire to flee wobbles my knees. My courage is diminishing with each passing moment. This entire ambush will be a waste if I don’t spit my intentions out. Crossing the line is up to me. I clench my eyes shut and let the words spill free.
“I want you to take my virginity.”
Grady is silent for a few beats. I peel my lids open, watching the stacks of muscle in his shoulders flex with harsh breaths. The knot in my chest pulls tighter. My offering dangles in the few feet separating us. He just needs to reach out and grab me. But his lips pull into a sneer.
“Are you fucking joking?”
I cringe at his foul language. Grady’s tongue has always been sharp. Even more so lately, especially with me. “No,” I whisper. “I’m very serious.”
“Go home, Sutt. We’re not discussing this.”
“Why?”
