Page 52 of Before We Break

She’s getting way too much enjoyment out of my suffering. If I could hear Noah through the wall, that means he could probably hear me. I’m usually more discreet about my nighttime activities, but Lexi was babysitting the twins last night, and I was still a little tipsy.

“Kind of? It was more of a grunt. Almost primal. It was hot as hell, actually.”

So hot that if I hadn’t been mortified by the whole thing, I might’ve tried for another orgasm.

She fans herself. “Phew. Girl, I don’t know how you do it.”

“Do what?”

“Not climb him like a tree every chance you get. You’re engaged. Surely that’s acceptable?”

“Fake engaged. We have a contract.”

“No way. Tell me you’re not serious.”

I reach into the basket under the coffee table and pull out the notepad, setting it on her lap beside the mug of tea in her right hand.

Her eyes go wide, and she snorts. “Shut the fuck up. Is this real?”

I pull my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them and curling into a ball. “It’s so stupid. I don’t know what I was thinking. I think I panicked and blacked out.”

Quinn giggles. “I get it. Having a man like that call me his fiancée would make me panic, too.” She sets the contract on the table and takes a sip from her mug. “Hear me out…”

I point my finger at her and glare. “No. Absolutely not. It’s a terrible idea.”

“Oh, come on. Let me live vicariously through you.”

“Or. You hear me out.” I smirk. “Find yourself a nice guy to go on a date with, and then you won’t have to convince me to fuck my fake fiancé. You’ll be too busy having your guts rearranged.”

She purses her lips, averting her gaze. “Honestly, I’m surprised it’s taking any convincing. You clearly want each other. The sexual chemistry is off the charts.”

“You’re delusional, Quinny.”

“You’re in denial, Cici,” she sing-songs.

The apartment door swings open and Lexi appears with Callie, each carrying one of the twins. Annie and Alice are one-year-old miniature versions of my sister, down to the mood ring eyes that change based on their temperaments that day. Alice makes grabby hands for me, and I take her from Callie’s arms.

She settles her head against my shoulder and pops a thumb into her mouth. Alice is a cuddler, and I don’t mind one bit. I’ll take all of the baby snuggles I can get since I won’t be having any more of my own. The scar tissue from the endometriosis made sure of that.

“How was your sleepover?” I ask.

Lexi takes a seat in the armchair, bouncing a giggling Annie on her lap. “We had so much fun, didn’t we?” she says in a baby voice, rubbing her nose against Annie’s.

Annie grabs her cheeks in her tiny palms, and my heart soars at the sight.

When I left home, I swore I’d come back for Callie. I tried, but Rodney threatened us if I ever tried again, so I kept my distance. I regretted it every day, and for a long time, I thought this version of my life would never exist—that I’d never be close with my sister and watch our babies grow up together. It’s a dream come true.

“Hey Quinn,” Callie says, perching herself on the arm of the couch.

“Perfect timing. Please tell your sister she should⁠—”

I slap my hand over Quinn’s mouth and shake my head before she can get the rest of the words out.

“Let me guess,” Callie says. “She’s still in denial about this whole Noah thing?”

“Shut up. I’m not in denial.”

Lexi snorts. “You so are.”