Page 27 of Wounded Hearts

Chapter 14

Mara watchedDrew leave the room and felt a twinge of unease at being left without his unassuming presence to comfort her. She knew she was foolish to fear these men, deep down she knew they would lay down their lives to protect the people they cared about, but the scars and the lessons learned at Brayden’s hands were still too fresh.

She felt Lizzie move nearer to her and lightly touch her shoulder. “You were so brave.” Lizzie’s face showed compassion but not pity, in fact none of them had exhibited pity towards her and she was grateful. Her self-loathing at what she’d allowed to happen was bad enough without others pitying her for it.

“I wish I’d been braver.” She looked to the door where Drew had gone and wished she could follow but she didn’t know these people well enough to go wandering around without permission.

“You told your story to a room full of strangers to help them find an evil woman without comparison. That is brave.” Lizzie spoke with passion and emotion.

She sighed. “I just wish I could do more.”

“I think you may be able to. You see, Smithy isn’t the only one suffering from PTSD. I can’t tell you his story because it’s his to tell, but I can tell you mine. Would you like to go and grab a coffee in the kitchen?”

Mara was intrigued as she looked at Lizzie. The woman seemed to have it all together but then she wondered if perhaps everyone had their own story. Her mind went to Drew, his story, at least what she knew of it, wasn’t pretty or clean and now it seemed as if there was so much more. A burden he shouldered and kept inside, and she wanted to know it, to know him better.

He was helping her without question, without asking for a single thing in return. Maybe she could help him in some way too. To do that she needed to know more, and maybe Lizzie could help her. “I’d like that.”

Lizzie’s grin was wide as she stood. “Let’s leave them to it. Planning and strategy is long and boring, and they certainly don’t need us for that.”

Mara stood and went to the door, almost running into Drew as she did. He steadied her with his hand on her waist and she felt the shiver run through her at his touch.

“Do you have a second?” he asked.

“Yes, Lizzie and I were going to grab a coffee.” She looked at Lizzie. “Go ahead, I can catch up.” Lizzie nodded and Mara watched her slip into the kitchen before Drew pulled her gently towards an empty office.

“What’s up?”

He leaned against the desk, his arms crossed, a frown on his handsome face and she wondered if she’d upset him somehow. “I’m sorry for acting like a jerk.”

Mara shook her head not understanding. “What?”

“Telling you that we’d handle it and treating you as if you had nothing to contribute was a dick move. The fact is, anything to do with my aunt, such as she is, brings out the douche bag in me. Being related to someone so evil, when she’s hurt so many people I care about, is a hot button for me. I want to protect you any way I can and sometimes that means I want to lock you away to keep you safe. I would never do that obviously, but I reacted, and it was wrong. You’ve had enough choices taken from you and I won’t be the man to take more.”

Mara smiled as she approached him, putting her body in line with his but not touching him. She wanted to reassure him that he was taking this harder than she was. “Drew, I never noticed and if I had, I know you mean well. The truth is, I can’t contribute a lot to this. I’m a physio, so if anyone needs help with that or if they need help with PTSD, I’m there, but even then, my training is limited.” She lifted her hand to his chest and laid it over his heart. “I would never compare you to Brayden. You’re like night and day. Rightly or wrongly I believe you’d never hurt me. I trust you. I always have and what happened in St Kitts only bares that out to be true.”

Drew lifted his hand and placed it over the one on his heart and his face a solemn countenance. “But I can’t promise you won’t get hurt because of this, sweetheart.”

“I know that, but you’d never degrade or physically hurt me because I’d left the mugs in the cupboard the wrong way around or the toothpaste facing the wrong way on the counter. You’d never lift a finger in anger to those you love.”

Mara saw his jaw tighten and ignored the flutter of her heart.

“I would rather die than be that person.”

“I know. So, please, try not to worry that I’ll think you’re anything like him. There will be times when I have bad days and times when I’ll struggle but I know with help, I’ll regain what I lost. Maybe not everything, but mostly.”

“I promise you, Mara, we’ll help you with that.”

“I know and I can never thank you or your friends enough for what you’re doing for me.”

Drew frowned as he lifted his hand to her face, his callouses scratching her skin slightly, his scent surrounding her in a cloud of comfort. “I’m just sorry my blood is involved in this.”

Mara raised her hand placing it over his much larger one. “We don’t choose our blood, Drew, but the family you have chosen are wonderful and Lauren has been so kind to me. Don’t take Rhea’s sins on as your own. Her actions are hers, and hers alone.”

“Easier said than done.” He laughed without humour, his eyes dropping to her mouth.

The air stilled in the room as she watched his eyes take on a hungry look. Mara felt her heart begin to beat faster in her chest as a slow ripple of desire moved through her body. She wanted him to kiss her, to feel his lips on her own, to taste the strength inside him, to feel it surround her.

She watched as his head moved closer until he was but a breath away from her. She could feel her pulse thud in her throat, almost dizzy with wanting him. There was no fear, no niggling doubt in the back of her mind telling her this was a mistake. Just the want and the need to be held and kissed by this man who made her feel as if she was precious and wanted. To be valued by a man like Drew was heady.

“I want to kiss you.” His voice was like broken glass when he spoke, the husky sound making her squeeze her legs together. He didn’t move, waiting and watching her for permission. Granting her the choice she’d been denied for so long. She wanted that more than anything, but what if this was a rebound? What if what she felt for him was a reaction to him being her hero?

The last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt him; he was good wrapped up in a handsome, delicious bow. The kindness he’d shown her and everyone he came into contact with, was impossible to fake. The way people lit up around him and responded to him, proof of what was inside him.

She’d never hurt him by confusing her feelings when she didn’t trust herself to make that decision anymore. She looked into his eyes before closing her own and taking a breath, fighting the need to lean into him and give in to what they both wanted and screw the consequences.

A knock on the door had them jumping apart and as she watched, a broad smile spread across his beautiful face. “Saved by the bell.”

His eyes crinkled when he smiled, she noted, and a pang of regret pulsed through her at the missed chance. It was then she realised she’d wanted him to kiss her more than anything. Because it didn’t matter that she no longer trusted herself—she trusted him.

“Drew, Smithy and K are here. You ready?” Zin’s voice felt close on the other side of the door.

Drew winked and walked to the door before looking back. “You may have some dribble on your shirt, Mara. Might want to clean that up before you leave. Don’t want everyone thinking you dragged me in here to make out.”

With that, he opened the door and she smiled at his outrageous comment. Then she laughed as she realised what he’d done. Knowing she’d be feeling ill at ease and worried about how it looked to others, he’d instantly lightened the moment to make her feel better. A good man through and through, that was Drew.