Beneath Broken (Imperfect Heroes #2)

by C. J. Pinard

  “Sounds good,” I said.

  Hunter shook Harper’s hand and left the glass office and then out the glass front doors to the elevators.

  “Hungry?” I asked.

  Her lips twisted a little and I noticed her eyes didn’t look as tired as they usually did. They looked bright and happy. I liked the change.

  “Starved,” she simply replied.

  Chapter 15

  Harper

  I was relieved to get a corner booth in this busy Thai restaurant so we could talk. No way was I going to turn down a lunch date with Mason. I practically had to roll my tongue back in my mouth when I saw him standing there talking to Bryan. Black suit pants, dark blue dress shirt, light blue tie, shiny shoes.

  It wasn’t just my hormones that had fluttered, but my heart, too. My stomach did a little summersault when he met my gaze and smiled, and I couldn’t explain it. I knew I definitely had a little crush on Mason, but I also knew I was scared to death. I had to constantly flog back the guilt I felt over looking at another man… kissing another man… having butterflies over another man.

  Mason removed his suit jacket and laid it across the booth seat as we sat down. Once we were settled in, he wasted no time talking. I kind of liked that.

  “What’s on your mind, Harper?” he asked after the server left to go get our drinks.

  I smiled at him. “There’s always a lot on my mind.”

  “I bet. You strike me as a very smart woman, so I bet you’ve always got things swirling around in that pretty head of yours.”

  I blushed and looked down. “Thank you.”

  “So tell me something about yourself that I don’t already know.”

  Oh, God. Really? I didn’t want to do this. I now sort of felt like getting up and running out of here. Was this some kind of anxiety? It wasn’t like I could go in the bathroom and call Adria. She was dealing with enough problems. After our trip to the bar on Friday, she had had half a glass of red wine before she pushed it away and said it tasted bad. I’d taken her home after that. That was three days ago. I’ve tried to check on her but she’s apparently hibernating.

  I swallowed hard and went to speak when the server brought us waters and asked, “You ready to order?”

  I hadn’t even bothered to look at the menu. I was fairly sure my stomach wouldn’t be able to tolerate this type of food but I didn’t want to be like that, so I ordered the only Thai thing I’d ever eaten.

  “Pad Thai, please.”

  “Soup?” she asked.

  “Yes.” Soup might be edible. “Not too spicy?”

  She smiled and nodded then turned to Mason. “Sir?”

  “Red curry chicken. Spicy soup works for me.” He handed the menu back to her.

  She nodded and walked off as I took a deep drink from my water glass. I set it down and wiped off the condensation with my thumb in my nervousness.

  Mason stared at me, waiting for an answer.

  “Well, I have a degree in business.” God, I’m so boring!

  “Impressive. I didn’t go to college. Your turn.”

  I feigned offense. “How is it my turn?”

  “I just told you I didn’t go to college.”

  Smirking at his wit, I said¸ “That’s cheating.”

  “Tell me about your husband.”

  I sucked in a breath and I’m sure all the blood drained from my face. I opened my mouth to speak, grateful I didn’t feel like crying, but instead stunned into silence.

  Mason didn’t seem awkward, but did say a bit too quickly, “You still married?”

  “I’m surprised you haven’t run a background check on me,” I quipped in deflection.

  He shrugged a shoulder and unbuttoned the sleeves of his dress shirt. I watched as he rolled them to the elbows, admiring his strong-looking forearms. “I could have. I don’t want to, though.”

  “No, I’m not still married,” I replied flatly, fumbling with my napkin.

  “So what happened? You don’t want to talk about it? I’m not trying to be a dick. I just don’t mess with married women so I need to be sure.”

  I nodded and continued to flip the napkin between my fingers to keep from shredding it. “He left me.”

  “Just like that, he just left… you?”

  I looked up from my task and stared into his olive colored eyes. With more boldness than I felt, I replied, “Yes, in Afghanistan, he got himself killed and never came home.”

  I watched him visibly flinch and then suck in a breath. He shook his head and said, “Fuck, Harper. I’m so sorry. I’m such an asshole.”

  “It’s okay. I suppose you have a right to know. I don’t like talking about it, but I’m glad you asked. In fact, that’s the first time I’ve actually said that out loud.”

  “How long ago?”

  “Sixteen months.”

  He grabbed my hand and kissed it. “God, Harper, you are so incredibly beautiful and brave. I knew there was something sad surrounding you,” he moved his hand up and touched my face, “but I would have never guessed this. I can tell you loved him. He was lucky to have you.”

  “I was the lucky one. But I am getting better by the day.”

  His hand on my face was a hugely comforting gesture that surprised me. Instead of flinching back from it, I felt myself wanting to melt into his warm touch. I also somehow felt a huge burden lift off of me by actually expressing that out loud. By actually getting it out and being honest with Mason. So why stop now?

  “Meeting you has helped. I have been avoiding male attention for a long time.”

  He smiled and continued stroking my cheek with his thumb. “And I have no doubt you get plenty of male attention.”

  “I just didn’t think the next guy should have the burden of carting around the baggage from the last guy. It’s not fair.”

  Our food arrived and Mason broke the contact. I was surprised that I immediately missed his touch once it was gone.

  “Anything else I can get you?” the server asked.

  “No, thank you,” we both replied in unison.

  That broke the tension a little and we both laughed. The server bowed and walked off.

  Mason didn’t even look at his food. Neither did I. “Harper, your husband dying isn’t baggage. And you shouldn’t have to bear that burden alone. You need someone to help you carry it. I hope you’ve had some friends or family around since this happened to help?”

  I nodded. “Yes, my parents are great. I’m an only child but my best friend, Adria, she’s like a sister. She’s the one who drags me to the gym when I just want to stay home and cry.” I nervously ran my hand across my hair to make sure no strays had escaped my ponytail.

  “Your short friend with the crazy color stripe in her hair and the no-filter mouth?”

  I chuckled. “Yeah that’s her. However, she’s now going through a hard time herself.”

  “Yeah?” he asked, taking the cloth napkin and spreading it on his lap.

  Manners, nice.

  “Yeah,” I said, doing the same and picking up my spoon to try the soup. I then launched into the entire story about what had happened with my poor, heartbroken best friend.

  We walked the short distance back to my building so I could get back to work. Mason held my hand on the walk, and I was grateful when he asked me if it was okay before grabbing it. I loved his gentlemanly ways, but I hoped he didn’t think he had to walk on eggshells around me. I’d had enough of that lately.

  “You going to go back to work?” I asked when we reached my building.

  He nodded. “Yes but I’m walking you up to your floor. I don’t trust this Silas Short creep as far as I can throw his scrawny ass.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that,” I said lamely.

  His expression grew serious, even behind his sunglasses. I watched his jaw pulse as he looked at me square in the face. “No, I’m walking you up. There’s no argument.”

  I smiled. “Okay, Mace.”

  He removed his glasses as
we entered the lobby and then pushed the elevator button, one car opening immediately. I was grateful to see it was empty. When the doors closed, he turned to me, pushed me flush against the back mirrored wall of the elevator, and said, “Take a breath.”

  I blinked up at him, unsure if I could even breathe with him being this close. “Why?”

  “Because I’m about to steal it away.” He then crushed his lips against mine. They were warm and experienced, and my arms went up to wrap around his neck.

  God, this felt so, so, good. Too good. I prayed to God the elevator wouldn’t stop so we could have this stolen moment until we reached the 17th floor.

  Mason ran his hands up my sides and barely brushed my right breast, then moved around to box me in on either side as he continued to kiss me.

  “You’re so beautiful, Harper. Inside and out, I mean it,” he breathed when the elevator chimed our arrival.

  I couldn’t even respond. I was too busy seeing stars and wiping my lip with my thumb. As soon as the door opened, I’m sure my face turned the same color as my suit, as Tyler, our mail intern clerk, stood there with an empty metal cart, waiting to board.

  “Hi, Tyler,” I said, trying to act normally and failing miserably.

  “Good afternoon, Ms. Mathis,” he said with a smile. Thankfully he’d been looking down at his phone as the doors opened and I prayed to anyone who would listen that he’d not seen the awkward way Mason had to push off of me.

  Mason walked me to the front doors of my business and smiled down at me, not touching me. “Thank you for lunch, even though you didn’t eat yours.”

  “Hey, I ate the soup and a few noodles. I’m stuffed!”

  “You need to eat more,” he grinned down at me.

  “Have a nice afternoon, Detective Oliver,” I replied with a flirtatious smirk.

  He turned around and hit the elevator button as I walked into my office to finish out my workday, floating on a cloud.

  I walked out of my office at the end of the day with a stupid goofy grin on my face. The same one which hadn’t left me all day. Even a couple of my employees had commented on it and I had no excuse for it except that it was a nice day and I was enjoying it.

  They hadn’t bought it, but I didn’t care.

  Once in my car in the parking garage, I called Adria. She didn’t pick up so I shot off a text: I’m on my way to check on you. I have a key, don’t forget that.

  God, I was beginning to sound like her. That might not be a bad thing, I guess. In my defense, I had to not only think of her, but the unborn life inside her. I didn’t think she would hurt herself, ever, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she was destroying her house or is going all Carrie Underwood on Gage’s BMW. Actually, that might be kind of fun to watch. The jerk sure as hell deserved it.

  I pressed the gas a little harder, feeling concerned for my best friend, but also a little empowered. I hated that the shoe was on the other foot, but that being said, it made me a little proud that it was my turn to help her. It grieved me deeply that she was going through this, but Adria was strong and I knew she wouldn’t crack and shatter under the heartbreak.

  I parked in front of the small house she and Gage shared and prayed I didn’t see his BMW in the driveway – destroyed or not. I breathed a sigh of relief when I only saw her small white sports car. I didn’t even know what kind of car it was. She bought it a few months ago but I had been too busy crumbling in on myself to care to ask what kind it was. I felt like such a bad friend. I went to the front door and gave two courtesy knocks and then tried the doorknob. To my surprise, it opened. Shoving my keys in my purse, I pushed it open with my fingertips and cautiously called out, “Aid?”

  The immaculately clean and decorated living room in whites and bamboo was completely empty. I dumped my purse onto the white sofa, kicked off my heels, and wandered back to her bedroom – hers and Gage’s bedroom – decorated similarly to the living room. I also found it empty. Billowing white curtains caught my attention and I noticed the back door was open.

  I found my best friend in her patio Jacuzzi with her head back against the edge of the hot pool. An empty glass of wine sat next to her hand, which was sprawled out against the ornate rocks that decorated its exterior.

  “Aid?” I said, walking cautiously toward her.

  She slowly fluttered her eyes open. “Hi, Blondie.”

  I immediately sat next to her, placing my aching feet in the hot, swirling water. It was heaven.

  I touched the top of her head. “You alive?”

  “Barely,” she murmured, her eyes closing again.

  “Talk to me,” I said, swishing my fingers into the warm water.

  “Gage moved out.”

  I sucked in a breath. “Just like that? Just moved out?”

  She nodded. “Yep, just like that. Didn’t even argue. Didn’t even beg for me to forgive him. Didn’t ask for a second chance. Didn’t fight for us. Just walked out the door and said I could keep the ring.”

  I shook my head. “That’s awful. What an asshole.”

  “Mmm hmm,” she replied.

  “You gonna sell the house?” I asked, looking around the immaculately landscaped backyard and small swimming pool glistening next to the Jacuzzi.

  She nodded. “Eventually. I may try to buy him out.”

  “You’re talking so normal,” I said, thinking of how grief had torn me into a thousand pieces, making me wonder if I would ever recover and be normal again. I still wonder. Normal is over for me.

  “What else can I do? He doesn’t want me, and according to him, it’s been that way for a while. He was just too much of a damn pussy to tell me. He’s been seeing that bimbo for months – fucking her behind my back. I literally vomited when he told me that. And then I got pissed off that he made me throw up. You know how I hate to throw up, Harper.”

  I chuckled. “Yes, I know. Which is why I always had to cut you off in college at the bars. I’d have to hold your hair back while you puked, and then you’d fly into a rage about how you hated to throw up, then you’d blame me for letting you drink too much.”

  She smiled, her eyes still closed. “Ah, the good ol’ days, when we didn’t give a shit about anything but college and guys. But then you met Keith and our fun was gone.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said like I always did when she brought it up. She always said that. I was used to it, though. “But I had to hear about Ky the whole time.”

  “Ah, Ky, high school was so much simpler than college.”

  “Yes, you broke up with him, and then whined to me about it for months. Shoulda stayed with him.”

  She sighed and looked even sadder. “You never met Ky, he was too sweet for his own good. I hope he’s doing okay in the military.”

  “What, you haven’t stalked him online?” I asked smugly.

  “No, the bastard doesn’t have a Facebook. The nerve of some people not being on social media. How am I supposed to stalk my exes?”

  “You only have one ex.”

  “Well, two now,” she retorted.

  We were quiet for a while, until I said, “So are you going to live?”

  “I don’t know. But don’t tell me I need counseling or therapy or some shit because I’m not going.”

  I chuckled, “Okay.”

  “I’ll get through, Harper. I promise.”

  I looked at the empty glass. “Wine helping?”

  “No. Do you have any cocaine?”

  Knowing she wasn’t serious, I tried not to laugh but failed. “I don’t think unborn babies are supposed to have cocaine.”

  Her eyes fluttered open. “I am not sure there will be much of a baby left soon.”

  My heart sunk. “You’re going for an abortion?”

  The thought had occurred to me, because really, what a nightmare. Single parenting, or co-parenting with someone you can’t stand, doesn’t sound exactly like a picnic for the next 18 years. But I also couldn’t imagine getting rid of a life like that. That, and I was selfishly
looking forward to becoming an aunt.

  “Absolutely not,” she said numbly. “I’m spotting – bleeding. And before you say anything, it’s my fucking hot tub and I’m practically wearing a damn adult diaper because I need the hot water. The cramps are unbearable.”

  I hung my head and tears immediately pooled in my eyes. I stripped off my skirt, shirt, and suit jacket and slipped into the Jacuzzi in my bra and underwear, sinking down next to her. With tears now streaming down my face, I kissed the top of her head and breathed out, “I’m so sorry, honey.”

  Her only response was to burst into a sob and shake violently against me while letting go of her grief as I held her tight.

  Chapter 16

  Mason

  “But why not?” I asked, sounding like a whiny kid.

  Shelton Lange took off his glasses and glared at me. “Lack of evidence. Come on now, Oliver, do you need to go back to the academy and learn ‘Warrants 101’ again?”

  “That was not an actual class,” I said sarcastically.

  “No shit, Sherlock. Now, go get me some hard evidence and then we will get you a warrant to search,” he looked down at the paper in his hand and then back up at me, “Silas Short’s house.”

  “It’s a trailer.”

  “Yet, he probably still calls it home,” my boss replied dryly. “A nice, calm, uninvaded home.”

  “Hug-a-thug,” I muttered under my breath as I walked out of his office.

  “What was that?” he called back at me.

  I threw him a fake smile over my shoulder. “Oh, nothing. I’ll get you your evidence, and then you’ll be begging us to arrest this piece of shit.”

  “Don’t call suspects pieces of shit.”

  “Sorry, sometimes my brother rubs off on me.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Don’t get me started on Duke Hawthorne. Unfortunately for him, me and Jeff Howard go way back. He’s told me all about your brother.”

  I grinned at him. “My brother’s a badass.”

  “Who almost lost his FBI job for being a hot-head.”

  “That’s why I love him,” I retorted, leaving his office with a smile on my face.