Fractured Hearts (Shattered Lives, Book Three)

by Blakeley, Rissa

  “Why does he act so…?”

  “Mental?”

  “You said it,” Savannah said with a smirk.

  Elaina’s fists clenched at her sides. “That man has been through some really, really bad shit his entire life. He’s been through obscene amounts of abuse. He has had to do things and had things done to him that are morally unethical and just fucking horrible. He is who he is and I will not allow anyone to talk shit about him. I love that man more than anything and no one will dirty his name while I am still above the fucking ground.”

  As Quinn, Josie, and Gunther strolled into the cafeteria, they heard Elaina. “Elaina… Calm down, hon,” Quinn said as she approached.

  She was milliseconds from beating the piss out of Savannah. She wanted to rearrange her beauty pageant face, shanking her with the nail file that was seemingly jammed so far up her ass her teeth had been filed down.

  In mild amusement and a villainous twist of her lips, Savannah knew she was getting under Elaina’s skin. “We have all been through some pretty bad times,” she muttered.

  “Not what he has been through!” she ranted. “Trust me, you don’t have a clue. I have had to bring him back from committing suicide. Do you have any idea what it’s like to find the love of your life with a fucking gun to his head? Any idea? He’s tortured deep down inside. He doesn’t sleep, and when he does, it’s restless from all the nightmares of him getting beaten so severely, he has almost died on more than one occasion. He’s an alcoholic. He started drinking when he was a teen because of the abuse he endured. His mother was murdered in front of him when he was five! Is there anything else you want to know about my Henry? Or are you done making assumptions?” Before Savannah could even open her mouth to answer, Elaina continued, “I suggest you keep your fucking dick trap shut, or you’ll find yourself unable to do what you know best after I rearrange your pretty motherfucking face!” Tears formed in the corners of Elaina’s eyes as her breath was driving through her lips.

  “Elaina…,” Gunther warned. “I know you’re upset, but let it rest for now.”

  “That’s really fucking righteous, Gunther,” Elaina growled at him, still staring at Savannah.

  He touched her shoulder, causing her to look up at him. “I understand why you would think that.” He had the same warning tone in his eyes that was in his voice. Gunther turned to Savannah. “Come on. Just leave her alone, please.”

  “Why should I? You pretty much went bonkers yourself, especially on James.”

  Quinn laughed quite loudly, but then she heard a low rumble coming from Gunther. Seemingly, he was a bit trigger happy, as well. Just the sound of James’ name made Gunther want to drain him.

  “You know why that happened,” Quinn said. “Just go, please.” Savannah scoffed when she turned on her heels and stalked away. “You guys need to cool off. I understand everyone is edgy right now with everything going on, but I need all of you to stay in check for my own sanity.”

  “Sorry,” Elaina muttered. “I don’t want her saying bullshit about Henry. She has no idea.”

  “Trust me,” Quinn murmured. “I understand you.” She felt the same way as Elaina did, but was a little milder about it.

  Quinn ushered Gunther into the cafeteria and made him sit by the window. Following behind, Elaina took position at the windows.

  He folded his arms on the table, resting his head on them.

  “Are you all right?” Elaina asked.

  “Yeah. I’m just achy and have a headache.”

  “Are you in need?”

  “I probably should soon, but Quinn wanted me to eat something.”

  “Are you excited?”

  He looked up at Elaina with watery eyes and a tremble running through his lips. “I can’t even begin to tell you. It’s a dream come true.”

  “Congrats. Henry and I are really happy for you guys.” Quinn sat and placed a few small food items in front of him. “Did you tell him how it happened?”

  “I’m quite sure I know how the baby happened.” His eyes glimmered with lust when he looked at Quinn. “But I’m not sure which time…or where…”

  “Oh, lord…” Elaina rolled her eyes. He laughed.

  “I haven’t told him yet,” Quinn responded. He looked at her curiously, then she let out a great sigh.

  Embarrassment spread across Elaina’s face. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”

  Looking at the both of them, Gunther wondered what Quinn was hiding. She looked at him. “Apparently, James had a vasectomy on one of his ‘business trips’. Hence, why I thought I couldn’t get pregnant. It was a perfect cover-up since it took forever to get pregnant with Carrie.”

  Incensed James would do that to her, Gunther grumbled, “So you spent almost half your life feeling inadequate because of his deceit?”

  “That would seem to be the case.” Quinn took a bite out of a protein bar.

  “So, then, why is he still here?” he asked in a growl.

  “Well… I couldn’t just throw all of those people out. It would’ve been cruel. Besides,” she smirked, “I thought you would like to have some fun with him. I failed to mention that part to Henry. Maybe some extra PDAs.”

  He smiled right back at her. “I’ve got that handled. You’re brill, my love.”

  “Eat.” She pointed at the food she had given him. “Then I can give you a donation.” She shuddered. “Here. Finish this, too. I’m feeling sick again.”

  “I’m not taking your blood. You and the baby need it.”

  “Tap me,” offered Elaina.

  He looked up at her with surprise. “You sure?”

  “Of course.”

  “Thanks. Much appreciated.”

  Gunther devoured his food so he could take Elaina up on her offer.

  “Feeling better, lover?” Quinn asked as she sat on the bed next to Gunther.

  His head was tipped back against the wall, his eyes shut, reveling in a lovely high. He groaned and turned his head to the right to look at her.

  Without warning, he pulled Quinn onto his lap so she was straddling his hips. His hard length was already throbbing. With grit and need fully in charge of his voice, Gunther demanded, “Kiss me.”

  Quinn leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his substantial neck. Her warm breath, like the electric feel between them, tickled his lips before they connected. The kiss was intense and hungry. His body sprung full of rousing invigoration as her tongue dipped and danced with his.

  Unexpectedly, she pulled away. Gunther growled, “Don’t stop.”

  Quinn smiled against his lips, reaching down and pulling his shirt over his head. Her warm hands roamed around his cool, fit body. When her hands paused at his waist, he inhaled hard and fast. Her fingers skipped around the fair hair that lead to the place he wanted her to touch most.

  “You sure you are up for this?” she asked him, a glint of the devil in her beautiful eyes.

  He gazed into them and hoped their baby had her eyes. “God, yes,” he panted.

  Quinn moved around his body, one torturous kiss at a time, starting at his ear and ending around his navel. She popped back up and shimmied out of her shirt.

  Her chest was a bit plumper than Gunther remembered. With a loud groan, he dove in—tugging, teasing, pulling. Somehow during the endless assault from one perky pink pretty to the other, she managed to get his cargoes unbuttoned.

  Then he stopped suddenly, fearful thoughts peppering his mind.

  “What?” Quinn asked. “What’s wrong, lover?”

  “My little bean…,” he whispered, pressing his palm over her lower abdomen.

  Confused, she inquired, “I’m not understanding your worry.”

  “Nothing will hurt my little bean, right?”

  “No,” she smiled. “Our little bean should be fine. Just don’t be too rough this time. Just make love to me, Gun.”

  He smiled and started kissing her again. Then he lifted her and tilted her back onto the bed as gentle as he could. She
kicked off her pants as he crawled up her body.

  “You are so bloody beautiful. Even more so now that I know you have my…our little bean in here.”

  Gunther laid a simple and tender kiss on her stomach, pressing his lips where he presumed their baby safely lay within her warmth. His fingers traveled across her abdomen once more before he crawled all the way up her body. He trailed little kisses down her neck to her collarbone, following it with his tongue.

  “You sure you are up for this?” she asked again.

  He looked at her, feeling so much love because of her concern about his welfare, but he had to chuckle. “Have we met?” he asked.

  “I just don’t want you to overdo it.” She ran her fingers over his ears in her usual loving manner.

  “I promise to rest afterward.”

  He pushed his cargoes down far enough to spring free. She wrapped her arms around his body as he filled her. In an instant, his eyes rolled and he exhaled with a loud sigh.

  “Fuck. You feel so good, Quinn,” he mumbled as he nestled himself fully into her body.

  “Gun…,” she moaned into his ear.

  Patiently, he worked Quinn to her limits, being as gentle and as tender as she needed him to be—making love to her. Her moisture flowed out all over him as the waves of pure ecstasy rippled through her body.

  Halting, he watched her come apart under him. It was a glorious view, watching her lose all inhibitions and writhe in pleasure under his big body while grabbing at both him and herself.

  Gunther began his gentle assault again—a slow withdrawal, then filling her again. He reached down between them and massaged her wet, swollen flesh, continuing to work her until she arched her back and rolled her hips beneath his. Her chest pumped, pressing to his.

  “Gun…no more,” she whimpered.

  “I’m almost there, love,” he murmured in her ear.

  With the urge to take her from behind, he pulled out and turned her over. He started slowly, relishing in the exquisite warmth as it captured and gripped his shaft. Unable hold back any longer, he wrapped his arm around her waist and gave her everything he had left, barking out a few expletives.

  After a few quick pulses, coupled with loud groans, his seed pumped out of his body. Breathless, he pulled out and collapsed onto the bed, face melting into exhaustion.

  Quinn curled up next to him and traced her fingers over his chest and abdomen. “You okay?”

  “I’m feeling incredible, just completely knackered. How about you?”

  She grabbed the blankets and pulled them over their sexually fatigued bodies. “Amazing. You are a wonderful lover.” She kissed him on his jaw as he smiled at her compliment.

  Pulling in a deep breath and letting out a slight sigh, he fell into a peaceful sleep with those words traveling through his mind.

  Cuddling further into him, Quinn ran her fingers up and down Gunther’s chest and abdomen, swirling her fingers in the thin line of hair. In cadence with his chest, her head rose and fell. Tipping her face up to look him, she noted the beauty in his softened features. She hoped their baby would look just like him.

  Thoughts about how close she came to losing him bludgeoned her happy ruminations, causing her to choke up. Just the idea of raising his baby in the nightmarish world without him made her fall apart. She cried in silence, hoping not to disturb him.

  She rested a hand on her abdomen, rubbing soft, little circles. Regardless of their living circumstances or Gunther’s life status, Quinn smiled through her tears, knowing how over-the-moon happy she was at that point in her life. And no one could take that away from her.

  Not even James.

  Chapter 30

  The little crew and I had walked for a few hours before we stopped to rest. I felt like we were making good time and, according to the landmarks I had already memorized, figured we were about halfway to the water pump. As long as everyone kept up, we would be there soon.

  “So how did you learn all of this stuff?” Josiah inquired.

  I looked over at the young kid and chuckled to myself, thinking I wasn’t all that old myself. Although, I believed I had more life experience than everyone in the group put together.

  “Lots of practice.” Time to redirect the attention from me. “Tell me about yourself, Josiah.”

  “Hmm… Not much to tell. As you know, I’m Savannah’s younger brother. We are the only two left from our family. We lived a nice life. Umm…what else? Oh, I play piano.”

  That perked me up. “Really? You any good?”

  “I think so. Been playing since I was three. I know most of the popular music from when, well…before.”

  “You should talk to Josie. She plays guitar and can sing bloody good.”

  Josiah cleared his throat and jammed his hand in his hair. “Yeah. I’ve heard her. She’s pretty good.”

  Hmm… I again sensed something between the two. It was none of my business, though. “Well, maybe you guys can combine your talents and play something for my wedding?”

  “Maybe,” Josiah muttered as he examined the ground.

  “We’ll get together soon and figure it out.” He nodded with pursed lips, eyes avoiding mine, then he went off and sat by himself.

  I shrugged my pack off and sat against the tree. Pulling my cap tight over my eyes, I stretched out my legs and crossed my ankles, doing my best to relax, laying the rifle across my lap, ready to go if need be.

  Hearing a shuffle of feet, someone sat next to me. For real? I was never left alone for more than a few minutes at a time. It was one of the downfalls I would never get used to.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  I groaned with annoyance and lifted my ball cap. James was looking ahead instead of at me. “Doesn’t mean I will answer,” I bit out.

  “Why are you letting me stay? I mean, it’s obviously going to be an issue with Quinn’s fiancé…” James’ voice trailed off.

  “She asked me to allow you to stay. We talked about it the morning after you arrived. She knew it would upset Gunther, but she didn’t feel right about making everyone leave.”

  “She’s a good woman,” James mumbled.

  “That she is. I respect her a great deal. Her opinion means a lot to me, which is why you’re still around.”

  “Yeah. I kind of regret everything. She stood vigil by his bedside while he was sick, didn’t she?”

  “Yes, she did, and would only leave when we made her. They love each other implicitly. You do know she’s with child, right?” I winced, wondering if I should have even said that.

  “She mentioned that.”

  “Be easy on her. She just found out. It’s none of my business, but that was a pretty shitty thing you did…leaving your family high and dry like that.” James looked down at the ground. I was going to be lenient about it because I knew Gunther would be pretty harsh. “I hope you realize he’ll be extra protective of her and would kill for her, so watch your step. I’ve seen him snap someone’s neck without effort.”

  “Damn,” muttered James.

  “We don’t mess around.” With a sly smile, I added, “Both of us are trained assassins.”

  “Really?”

  I held up the rifle and smirked. “Yup.” I pulled the cap back over my eyes and lay my head back against the trunk of the tree again, chuckling to myself, enjoying the mindfuck with James.

  “So who were you supposed to assassinate?”

  “That’s classified information, my friend.”

  “Come on! You can’t tell me you’re a trained assassin, then leave me hanging.”

  “Sorry. Nature of the beast.” I chuckled again, enjoying the banter far too much.

  James grumbled something unintelligible, then asked, “So… How long have you and Elaina been together?”

  “Couple years.”

  “How’d she meet a Brit assassin?”

  “I had been on assignment in the States for a while. I met her on the streets of New York. Fell in love with her the moment our
eyes locked. Happily ever after.” Truth…well, sort of.

  “Wait, you were going to assassinate someone here?”

  “Told you…classified information.”

  “Who cares if you tell me? There isn’t a government to find out.”

  “You never know who’s watching.”

  “So you’ve traveled all this way?”

  “Yup.”

  “Did you guys have any kids?”

  I sighed, remembering my brief conversation with Elaina about not having a single pregnancy scare. “Look, let me rest for a few. We can chat while were walking.”

  “Yeah. Sorry.” James got up and walked away. Thank fuck for that.

  I stayed against the tree for maybe a half-hour more, taking a catnap, listening to every sound around us.

  Then I heard something peculiar. Mara and Eli were arguing in whispers. I couldn’t hear what was being said, but Eli wasn’t sounding all that pleased.

  “Are you fucking insane?” Eli growled.

  Mara smirked, leaning against a tree, her arms crossed. “I could very well be.”

  “She will kick your ass and leave you for dead. And what happened to you hating him over your father’s death?”

  “I’ve had a change of heart…and I have needs. Have you seen him? Fucking gorgeous.”

  Eli was disgusted. “You’re sick.”

  “Just because I want to get laid? Unlike you, I have no one.”

  “He’s taken! I’m pretty sure he’s completely in love with her! Have you paid any attention to the way he looks at her? There are a couple guys in that new group. Maybe some of them are single. And, just so you know, Lauren and I haven’t had sex since she became pregnant. If you haven’t figured out we aren’t a couple anymore, you’re blind.”

  Mara rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Eli. All your holier-than-thou bullshit lately is getting on my nerves. Besides, who could I choose from in that group? Baldy? The scarred one? The baby face? Or the All-American boy? No, thanks. I want a man. Something–”

  “That you can’t have! Don’t be so bitchy. And I’ve been trying to show Lauren that I can be a good father to our child, but she’s hardly receptive. I practically have to beg her to help take care of her,” he muttered.