Wounded Hearts: A Fortis Security Novel Book 9 (Fortis Security Series) Read online

  There was no doubting the property was beautiful, and Mara had loved it initially, spending her time reading in the library, surrounded by old, first edition books. Sitting by the large Inglenook fireplace or walking the grounds with Berry and Bracken, the two Jack Russells.

  But it hadn’t been real, and she’d missed working. Brayden had been fine about her job at first but then a few months in he’d changed, and the mask had fallen but by then it was too late. She was trapped and the threats to her family had started, veiled at first until she’d agreed to give up her job at the end of her contract.

  That had seemed to satisfy him until she was late home the night Drew had first come in. He’d been working so hard and she’d desperately wanted to help him heal, so she’d stayed late to finish a training programme for him to work with. That was the first time Brayden Wells hit her. He’d been waiting for her when she’d come through the door, pouncing and dragging her by her long, dark hair up the stairs to the room they shared. He’d beaten her until she could hardly move from where she lay on the floor beside their bed.

  He’d left her there on the cold floor as he readied himself for bed, stepping over her as he pulled back the duvet and climbed in. She’d lain there in shock and pain not knowing what to do, terrified to move in case she angered him and yet worried that if she stayed where she was, he’d find that annoyed him too.

  Finally, she’d dragged herself to the bathroom and cleaned up, noting he’d only hurt her in places nobody would see. Her face, apart from being pale, was devoid of any sign of the abuse she’d suffered.

  The next morning, he’d brought her breakfast in bed and told her he’d called into work sick for her and she was to rest. He’d be staying home to care for her after her mishap. His demeanour was sweet and caring but she knew if she stepped out of his invisible lines again, she’d suffer.

  “You’re mine now, Mara, and I take care of what belongs to me. See to it that you don’t let anything like yesterday happen again. I would hate for the lessons I had to teach you to spill over into your family’s lives. Those nieces of yours could certainly do with a firm hand.”

  The memory of those early days and the words he’d said replayed in her mind as Brayden helped her up the stairs to the plane that would take her to the home that had become her hell.

  He smiled at her as he strapped her into her seat belt and dropped a kiss on her lips. “I hope this nonsense is behind you now, Mara, and we can begin planning the wedding. I would like us to have a child soon. You’re not getting any younger you know.”

  Mara nodded, forcing her face into a smile that she hoped fooled him. She prayed she’d never bring a child into this nightmare that was her life, and an hour later as she sat on the toilet of the luxury plane and saw the blood in her underwear and felt the intense cramps, she knew she’d got her wish.

  Chapter 2

  One Year Later

  Sweat was dripping down Drew’s back as his muscles strained for the last minute on the rowing machine. Beating his personal best by a fraction more every day had become his goal. His body was stronger and fitter than it had ever been, and he felt good mentally too. It had been a hard slog for him to get here, but he finally felt happy in his own skin.

  He had a job he loved, a family he adored, and a network of friends he knew would be there for him at the drop of a hat if he asked. But more than that, he finally felt as if he was contributing in a way that made a difference.

  Working out the recruits for Fortis’ new security division that would expand the business into more mainstream work, gave him purpose. He worked them physically until they dropped or quit, and then he handed those that made it through to Daniel so he could break them a little more. Daniel put them through the equivalent of SAS selection. Having done it with Daniel—an ex-SAS operator himself—Drew knew first-hand how brutal it was.

  It sounded cruel, but the work Fortis did wasn’t for the faint of heart or for those looking for an easy job with good money. It was hard, dangerous work and only those willing to push through and go the extra mile would pass the bar. It had taken a long time and a serious amount of hard work and support from his friends before he’d felt worthy, but he’d found his place.

  The only thing not going great was his love life. That was stagnant. He’d hooked up a few times with different women but nothing serious had come from them. He just hadn’t felt that connection with any of them. Mara Kennett’s face flashed through his mind and he wondered, not for the first time, what had happened to her. They’d definitely had a connection worth pursuing. He’d wanted to know more about her on multiple levels, not just the way she filled out a bikini.

  After the hostage situation on St Kitts last year, he’d looked for her at the hospital and had been told she’d quit. He’d been disappointed but not altogether surprised. A life-changing event like that would make people re-evaluate their lives. He’d considered asking Will, the Fortis IT genius, to look for her after not seeing her around but in the end had decided against it.

  If she wanted a fresh start, then who was he to mess that up for her. A part of him had hoped the connection he’d felt and the spark between them had meant more but obviously that wasn’t to be. He couldn’t say he hadn’t been disappointed though.

  Drew was fine with it. ‘It was what it was’ had become his motto these days. Some things couldn’t be pushed, and love was one of them. God knew he’d spent the first twenty years of his life trying.

  Thanks to his sister Lauren, her husband Dane, and their gorgeous rug rats Leah and Aaron, he now had all the love he needed. Not to mention his massive extended family.

  He grabbed the water bottle he kept beside him and swallowed great mouthfuls as he stood from the rowing machine, noting he’d beat his PB yet again. His head turned to the door and he watched Lucy and Zin walk into the gym.

  “Hey, Luce. Zin,” he greeted.

  Lucy smiled and walked towards him; her lithe confident stride slightly slower, more cautious today. Zin, her work partner, lifted his chin in greeting and moved to the free weights, his large muscular body shredded until there wasn’t an ounce of fat anywhere on the large Russian.

  “Hey, Drew, how are the new recruits doing?”

  Lucy leaned on the bench looking like she was going to barf, and he took a step back. “You okay?”

  Lucy nodded as she took a sip of cold water from the bottle she carried everywhere with her. “Yep, just a little nausea.” She rubbed the tiny bump that showed easily in the skin-tight lycra sportswear and smiled. “This little one is determined to make me suffer.”

  Drew could hear the love in her voice as she spoke of her four-month pregnancy. It had been a hard journey for her and Jace to conceive. Every member of their family had felt their struggle as if it were their own. Lucy and Jace were loved by everyone and it hurt to see them hurting. This baby would be treated as the blessing that it was, and the thought made him happy.

  Drew knew, despite the morning sickness that plagued her from day one, Lucy was thrilled to be expecting this baby, especially as she and Jace seemed as in love as ever. Jace had been cool about Lucy working—of all the men he was the most laid back—but since the pregnancy he’d been like a shadow with his wife. Always one step behind her making sure she was okay.

  “I’m surprised Jace is letting you train.”

  Lucy lifted a brow and straightened, crossing her arms. Too late Drew realised his mistake. “Jace does not let me do anything. I’m my own person and it’s good for the baby if I’m healthy.”

  Drew backed up, hands out. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  “Good. Now, tell me about the new guys.”

  He was relieved she’d changed the subject. Upsetting a pregnant woman wasn’t the way he wanted to die and that pregnant woman being a deadly former assassin made it entirely possible. “They’re mostly average but there are one or two that show some promise.”

  Lucy smirked. “Who would have thought my sweet Drew, the
boy who blushed so easily, would become such a hardass.”

  Drew chuckled at her description of him. He supposed it was true, he’d been so different when he’d first come here. Unsure, immature, naive really but now he was more confident and the naivete was most definitely gone for good. “Well, I don’t know about that. I think you missed out sex god and ladies’ man.”

  “Eugh, that’s gross. And anyway, I don’t see anyone keeping your bed warm.”

  Drew shrugged his shoulder. “Been busy.”

  “Busy my ass. You need to get out there and get some. What about that pretty physio we met last year? She was hot and so into you.”

  “Mara quit her job when she got back, and I haven’t heard from her or seen her since.”

  Lucy pursed her lips and frowned. “That’s a shame. But my point still stands, you need to get laid.”

  “Lucy.” The call came from across the room and they both turned to see Jace striding towards them a pissed off look on his face.

  “Oh, shit,” Lucy whispered, before turning to her husband with a huge smile. “Yes, love of my life?”

  “Don’t you give me that shit.” He stopped in front of her and lifted his hand to her hip, tugging her closer to his body. It was as if he couldn’t stand even a tiny amount of space between them and Drew envied that. “I know you were going to train with Zin.”

  Lucy cast Zin a scornful look of betrayal. “Grass,” she hissed at her partner, who just tilted his lips in a semblance of a smile.

  “He’s not a grass. He knows better, that’s all,” Jace said his tone still holding an edge of anger in it.

  “I just want to feel normal again. I hate being sick when I’m not actually sick.”

  Drew decided to head towards the changing rooms to give the two some privacy and bent to pick up his towel.

  “Drew, before you go, Zack wants to see you in his office as soon as you’re finished,” Jace said and Lucy took the opportunity to slide her arms around her husband’s waist and move in close.

  “Yeah, sure, okay. I’ll shower then go see him. Thanks.”

  Jace nodded and turned Lucy towards the door, her body still cocooned by his. Drew knew they were probably having a conversation in their heads. Jace was a telepath and Lucy had learned to communicate with him in her mind. She could only do it with Jace though, while Jace could hear the thoughts of anyone around him if he chose to. Thank god he chose not to.

  Heading in the other direction towards the changing rooms, he quickly showered and changed into to clean clothes and changed the prosthetic he wore for sports to the one for everyday use. He was lucky he had the funds and access to such state-of-the-art prosthetics. He still experienced pain in that leg around the knee joint and the phantom pain was a bitch, but he was alive, and it could’ve ended so much differently.

  Slinging his kit bag over his shoulder, he lifted his hand in a wave to Zin, who’d now been joined by Daniel, the Fortis Team leader, and Nate, the sniper of the group and all-round good guy. He and his wife Skye had welcomed a daughter at the end of last year, a child that had been predicted by her son, Noah. Nancy was a sweet child that held her father and brother in the palm of her tiny hand.

  Drew knocked on Zack’s office door and pushed it open when he called ‘come in’. He nodded when he saw Smithy in the seat opposite Zack. “Hey, Smithy, how’s it going?”

  The man dipped his head back and forth in a yes-no way. “Okay, making progress and breathing free.”

  “Good, good.” He sat down beside him and stretched his leg out.

  Smithy had become one of them over the last year or so. The things that had been done to him by the Divine Watchers were still affecting him. Formerly serving in the SAS with Jace, he’d been kidnapped and drugged with mind-altering drugs that made him do things the man himself would never have done.

  One look was all it took to see the psychological damage that had caused him. Drew couldn’t imagine doing horrific things to people he cared about and having no knowledge of his actions. Even though Lizzie, Dane’s older sister, had forgiven him for kidnapping her and her subsequent injuries, Smithy couldn’t forgive himself.

  He turned his attention to Zack who was looking at the two men. “I have a job for you both. It’s short notice but it should be a piece of cake. A friend of mine over at Peak Range Security called. They want two extra bodies to cover security at a party for some rich asshole and his rare gem collection. Good money and easy work—you in?”

  Drew would certainly like the extra cash and he’d nothing else planned for a Saturday night, which was so sad he couldn’t even comprehend it.

  “Yeah, sure. Not like I have a date tonight.” Drew glanced at Smithy who was giving it more consideration. A result of his trauma was that he considered every option now before jumping into anything. The man was broken in so many ways, Drew wasn’t sure he’d ever be fixed. But then so was he, and he was whittling out a good life for himself. Maybe Smithy could too.

  “Who is the party for? And how come the short notice?”

  Zack produced a file. “I thought you might ask. It’s for a man named Brayden Wells. He wants to show off his rare gem collection before it goes on tour next week. It’s at Blaisdon House tonight. The reason it’s short notice is simple. Two of his guys have food poisoning and the others are on jobs they can’t get out of. I know the owner, Craig Linos, from way back. He’s a stand-up guy.”

  Smithy nodded. “Yeah, I know him too. He’s a straight shooter. Fine, I’m up for that.”

  Zack handed them each a card with a number on it. “Good, it’s black tie and they want you there by six for a de-brief and it starts at seven. Any problems call Craig.”

  Drew stood as he checked his watch. He had just enough time to go see his nephew and nieces before he had to leave. The thought of spending time with those little tykes enough to make him smile. “I’ll meet you here at four-thirty?” he asked Smithy, who nodded as he looked at the card in his hand.

  “Yeah, sure.”

  With a smile on his face, Drew walked out of Fortis.

  Chapter 3

  Mara looked in the mirror, smoothing the tight-fitting dress over her flat belly. In the last year she’d lost over ten kilos. The loss hadn’t been intentional, unless you counted the desperate need to disappear from your own existence intentional. Her hair still shone in long glossy waves as it fell artfully down her back. Her pale complexion was still clear and almost radiant, though if you looked closely you could see the dark circles around her eyes that she’d hidden with make-up.

  She looked like the epitome of health and happiness, until you looked into her dark chocolate brown eyes. They held so much pain and hopelessness that she could barely look at herself in the mirror anymore, so stark was the anguish she saw there. Turning from her reflection, Mara sat on the antique wooden bed and eased the silver beaded sandals that cost more than she’d earned in a year as a physio onto her feet. Standing, she settled the long navy sequin sheath dress around her, grabbed the small satin silver clutch from the bed, and walked to the door of her suite.

  Putting her hand on the brass handle she paused to take a breath, steadying her nerves. A shiver wound down her spine, as if someone had walked over her grave. A sense of apprehension skittered over her and she couldn’t for the life of her pinpoint the reason—at least not any more than usual.

  For a moment she considered adding a shrug to the spaghetti strap dress she wore but thought better of it. Brayden would want as much of her on show as possible. After all, this was what tonight’s party was about, showing off his sparkly gems and she was just another one of those shiny things he owned.

  Once again Mara squared her shoulders, took a deep fortifying breath, and composed herself. She’d survive this. She said it over and over in her mind like a mantra, but each day she believed it less. Each blow, each cruel word, each gentle touch followed by a brutal beating chipped away at her. The space in her head where hope lived shrank each day until she w
asn’t sure how much she had left before the darkness swallowed her entirely.

  Pulling open the door she nearly jumped when she found Brayden leaning on the wall beside her door. He looked dashing in a black tuxedo with his dark hair swept back from his head. He was handsome until you looked closer, past the superficial into his cold, calculating eyes. His smile caressed her skin as he moved forward, and it took every ounce of strength she had not to shrink away from him as he took her hand and brought it to his lips.

  “Darling, you look ravishing as always. You’ll outshine every woman in the room.” His words were sweet, the caress of his warm lips on her knuckles soft, but she knew all too well how it could change. A perceived slight on her part and he’d be using those same hands to hit, those lips to bite her skin, as he taught her a lesson for her misdemeanour.

  She schooled her thoughts. “Thank you. You look very handsome tonight, Brayden. I am very lucky to have you.”

  She said the words he expected to hear, hoping she’d put as much fake emotion into them as she could. He assessed her for a second, looking for a lie, or a reason to doubt her. Mara felt her heart begin to pound, her belly cramping in fear, and then he smiled and tucked her arm into the crook of his elbow. The miniscule sense of relief washed over her for just a second before her guard came back up.

  “Come, Mara, I have someone I wish you to meet before the party begins.”

  Mara stayed beside him as they descended the wide oak staircase with the intricate carvings in the wood, the sun shining off the stained-glass windows to the grand foyer below. The red and gold patterned carpet was soft beneath her heels as they crossed the large space to a spacious meeting room with its parquet flooring polished to a high shine, ornate high ceilings, and dark red antique couches. A fire was lit in the room, giving it a warm, welcoming feel and cutting the chill from the early autumn air.