Glass Heart Hero: A Dark High School Romance by Lindsey Iler (free ebook reader for iphone .TXT) 📕

“Real nice. You truly have shown me the way a man should treat a woman.”

I stand, the check clutched in my hand, and head for the door.

“Obey or else.”

I flash the check at him, forcing a smile through the grimace. “Don’t you worry, Daddy. I’ll make the right choices.”

Before my sentence is even finished, he’s returning to his rightful spot at the desk. A man of power, incapable of truly loving without a clause. I walk out, shutting the door quietly behind me. My spine hits something soft, startling me.

“Your father means well, Delaney,” Bridgette says.

“Here’s a little word of advice, Bridge.” I tuck her blonde curls behind her ear. “Don’t start making excuses for him now. It will be a long, miserable life if you do it too early.”

“He’s a good man, deep down in there,” she explains of his worst qualities.

“Yeah. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have to dig for the good in someone I love.” I leave her in the hallway with no desire to hear any more of her excuses.

I race up the stairwell, desperately needing Breaker to recharge my battery with one of his simple smiles.

“You look exhausted, sweetheart.” Ginger is leaning against the post on my bed. Breaker is splayed across the mattress, gripping tight to one of the lacy decorative pillows. “I take it things didn’t go well with your dad.”

“How’d you guess?” I face-plant onto the bed. Breaker’s hand lands on my hip. Who knew a single touch could be so comforting? I lift my head and glance at him over my shoulder. “He’s an asshole.”

Breaker caresses my cheek, worry and anger burning in his eyes.

“Watch your mouth, missy,” Ginger warns, smacking my ass like she did to the little girl she helped raise.

I grin at her motherly spirit. “You know I’m right.” I point to my father’s mark.

“Your father is a complicated man, Delaney, but nonetheless, you’ve always deserved better.” She offers a sad smile, the same one she’s been giving me since I was young. “I’ve stuck around because of you, darling.”

“I know.” I shrug, hating the reality I currently live.

“Now, where have you been keeping this breath of fresh air hidden?” Ginger winks at Breaker.

“You’ve managed to hypnotize her?” I ask him. “Really?”

“It didn’t take much. He’s a charmer, and pretty smitten with you.” She winks at me and heads to the door. “Stick around for dinner, you two. I’m baking your favorite lasagna, and I honestly can’t wait to watch your father angrily eat the happiest meal while looking at this tattooed, pierced-up god.”

“Ginger!” I exclaim, laughing when my voice hits a new octave.

“What?” She tightens the apron around her waist and begins to whistle as she leaves the room.

“She’s not as innocent as she appears.” I roll over and cuddle into Breaker’s chest, nuzzling my nose into his shirt to smell the comforting aroma of his cologne. An audible sigh creeps out of my tightly pinched lips.

“Your wheels are spinning.” Breaker runs his hand over my head, immediately taking some of the tension out of my shoulders. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I’m thinking that I have a lot to lose. I’m thinking that if I don’t shine a light on what my father is doing with the DuPont family, then the fight I had in me, the strength I managed to conjure up in that room, will all be for nothing.”

“What do you have to lose?” he asks, tucking the hair behind my ear. I melt into his touch.

“My family.”

“Family shouldn’t be contractual, Delaney. I know you’ve lived your life under this microscope, where every decision has been dependent on receiving love, but what he’s done and is doing, is never going to be okay with me. I won’t idly sit here, and at this point, you can’t ask me to.”

“He offered me money,” I blurt, knowing Breaker is right. We aren’t dealing with a compassionate human being, and I don’t owe my father anything.

“Like, what kind of money are we talking about?” Breaker sits up a little straighter.

“It makes your bid at the auction look like pocket change.”

“And what are the terms?” Worry crosses his face, and I can’t stop the hurt that echoes in the chambers of my heart. He doesn’t actually think I’ll take it, does he?

“What do you think?” I slide the check out of my pocket and show him. His eyes widen as they move down the paper.

“I’m kind of flattered.” A deep chuckle roars from the dark depths of Breaker’s throat, catching me off guard.

“What’s so funny?”

“That’s what your dad thinks I’m worth.” He sticks his tongue out at me. “Lots of zeroes.”

“I’m glad you’re finding this amusing.” I sit up and pout. “Breaker, he’s going to get away with this.”

“No, he won’t.” Breaker jumps off the bed and leans over the side of the mattress to kiss me. “Stay put. I’ll be right back.” He spins and rushes towards the door with urgency.

“Where are you going?” I call out as he’s one foot out the door.

“I think your dad needs to get to know me better,” he says, disappearing through the doorway.

Get to know him better? What the hell does that even mean?

Chapter Seventeen

Breaker

“She took the check,” Mr. Chambers says. No voice follows, telling me he’s alone in his office, on the phone. “Will it work? I have no idea. She’d be dumb not to receive it for what it is. A gift. Her sniffing around isn’t good for any of us. Remember what happened last time?”

There’s a pregnant pause in the conversation. He’s hemming and hawing, so whoever is on the other side of the line is not telling him things he wants to hear. I shift on my feet and lean against the wall. Him catching me snooping outside of his door will not work in my favor.

Ginger walks straight by the hallway entrance, making me believe I’ve gone undetected. That is, until she reverses course, eyeballs my position, and then continues on