Irreparably Broken (The Broken Series Book 1)

by Heather D'Agostino

  "I don't know. I'm not much of a drinker," her voice was musical as she looked on with a confused expression.

  “That’s a shame,” the words fell from lips before I could stop them. “Smooth Cole,” I grumbled. She had me all kinds of twisted up. “There’s no way that a woman like you is here alone,” I leaned closer so she’d know I was talking her. She had yet to acknowledge me, something I wasn't used to.

  “Wh…what?” her voice hitched as she turned and stared at me. Her eyes were like saucers, round and wide. The darkness of the room prevented me of noting their color, but the emotion in them…that I could see. It was a mix between surprise and fear. I'm not sure why she would be afraid me, most women threw themselves at me. Surely with someone that was as attractive as she was, she would be used to getting hit on.

  “I’m Cole,” I held my hand out for her to shake, and waited patiently for her to respond. She stood there for a few moments completely lost in her own thoughts before her friend pushed her from behind. She scowled as she looked over her shoulder and snapped, "What the hell?" Her friend whispered something in her ear before slinking away, and leaving us. I grinned. I knew this move so well. I perfected it with my friends. Whoever this other girl was she wanted us to have time alone. Well, away from her anyway, we were hardly alone. "Looks like your friend left you," I cocked my head at her and waited for her to notice, but before she could respond the bartender interrupted us.

  “What are you having?” the girl was clearly annoyed as she waited for our orders.

  Deciding to put Miss Mystery out of her misery, I ordered first. "Jack and Coke." When the bartender returned with my drink and finished our order, I tossed a few bills on the bar and turned back to my beautiful companion. I was getting her name before she walked away this time, even if it killed me.

  ”Where'd your friend go?" I watched her to see if she'd even look knowing that this was my chance to see how interested she was in talking to me. "She's not a very good friend if she just walked off and left you with some strange guy hitting on you."

  “We have a table,” she swallowed and looked away. I couldn’t really tell what it was, but she seemed so uptight and fearful of me that I wasn’t really sure how to respond to her.

  “What’s your name?” I tried again.

  “I need to get back to my friends,” she began to step away from me, but I reached out and wrapped my fingers around her arm. I didn't want to watch her flee again, and it looked as if that was exactly what she was trying to do.

  “Please tell me your name,” I leaned into her ear from behind her. "Don't runoff again."

  “Again?” her voice squeaked and sounded almost like a whimper.

  “I saw you with your dog the other day,” I tightened my grip as she tried to slip away, and she yanked her arm from me as if I’d burned her.

  “Don’t touch me!” she recoiled, and began backing up.

  I watched her take a few steps backwards, and trip over someone behind her. I reached out and grabbed her hand just as her feet began to tangle with the girl behind her.

  “Careful,” I murmured as I wrapped my arms around her to steady her before placing her to the side of me. She stiffened, and narrowed her eyes at me. “I’m not a bad guy, really I’m not,” I lifted my hands in front of me trying to show her that I was just helping. "I just want to know your name."

  She sighed before squeezing her eyes shut as if this was the hardest thing for her to do, and then turned to look into mine, “It’s Maddie. My name…it’s Maddie.” Before I could say anything else, she turned and scurried towards the back corner of the club as fast as she could through the crowd surrounding us. I couldn’t help but stare as she was slowly swallowed up by the crowd. She was beautiful and delicate, not like my usual type at all. “Maddie,” I rolled the name around in my mouth. At least I knew her name.

  I turned to head back to where I'd left Wes only to find him laughing his ass off not ten feet behind me.

  "Dude," he chuckled when I approached. "You got shot down!"

  "Shut up!" I rolled my eyes at him.

  "She was hot man…what'd you say to make her runaway like that?" he continued to laugh as I growled.

  "Fuck you!" I shoved him as I tipped my head back letting the remaining drops of my drink slide down my throat. She was hot, and I had no intention of backing off. Maddie whoever she was was going to mine. I would find her again…after all…I saw her at the dog park before, I knew she'd be back. She'd come back, and I'd be ready. I'd make her mine. Sooner or later she'd give into me, and see that she was attracted to me as much as I was her.

  Chapter 6

  Maddie

  By the time, I got back to our booth my entire body was shaking. The encounter I'd had with Mr. Dangerous had sent me into an adrenaline high. My brain had been screaming at me to get away, but at the same time it felt good to be noticed.

  "So?" Jo looked up at me from her seated position and cocked a brow.

  "So what?" I wrinkled my forehead as I sunk down on the cushioned bench of the booth.

  "Who is he?" she rolled her eyes at me like I was the most exasperating person she had ever dealt with.

  "I don't know," I shrugged as I muttered "some guy."

  "Uh," she elbowed me sharply in the ribs.

  "Owe!" I shifted away from her just as she tried to do it again.

  "Well, whoever he is…he's staring at you so hard he might burn a hole in your head."

  I snapped my head up and swung my eyes in the direction she was looking, and sure enough Cole whoever he was, had a heated gaze on me.

  "He's hot," she smiled. "Why didn't you stay and talk to him?"

  “I’m not looking to meet anyone right now,” I blew out a breath and shook my slightly at her.

  "Why the hell not?" she gasped. "I know you haven't dated anyone as long as I've known you, and I know that you have got to be tired of pleasuring yourself."

  "Jo!" I hissed. "Shut up!"

  "Oh, come on Maddie," Ben chuckled from across the table. "We know what you do when you're alone at night." His grin that he'd been sporting soon morphed into a look of pleasure as the girl that was sitting on his right shifted, and placed her hand between his legs.

  "You need to get a room," I grumbled as I felt my face heat. I knew Ben was a player, but I'd never seen him like this. It's amazing what a little alcohol can do to a person's inhibitions.

  "Might just do that," he mumbled as the girl on his left began sucking on his neck. "Come on baby, let's get outta here," he shifted in his seat and began pushing the bimbos that were clinging to him out of his way. "Later," he called over his shoulder as he began walking away.

  "Sure glad I didn't agree to go on a date with him," I shook my head at his antics as I glanced over at Jo.

  “You have to remember he’s in a different place in his life. He's younger than us," she shrugged as she tipped her glass to swirl the ice around in it.

  “I guess,” I muttered. I never got to experience that part of my life…Going out and casually meeting someone. I’d been so wrapped up in Richard that I’d completely skipped over the time to be young careless. Part of me wondered if I’d truly missed anything, and the other part berated me for even caring. I knew no one would understand. No one had in the past, and any new friends would see me as weak. Most people that found out about my past didn’t understand. They would say that they did, but they didn’t really. I mean seriously…who stays with someone that wants to control everything they do? Who stays with a man that hits them? Me, that's who...the old me that is. Now…I do everything I can to avoid ever going back there. I don't date, and I don't even really talk to men. When they do talk to me, I give as little information about myself as possible, hence the encounter I'd had tonight.

  “Earth to Maddie,” Jo shoved me lightly.

  "Huh?" my head snapped to the side.

  “I said we’re taking off,” Jo and Ian both began to stand, and Jo wobbled slightly. “I’ve got the mor
ning shift tomorrow, and I need to get some sleep. Do you want to walk out together?"

  “Sure,” I swallowed the last of my drink, and quickly grabbed my purse to follow them to the front door. I knew I needed to call a cab, but I was thankful none the less that someone cared enough to make sure I got out of there ok.

  ooooooooo

  When morning came the next day, I groaned. The light shining in my room was way brighter than it needed to be. Thoughts of burrowing back down under the cover filled my head but were soon replaced by the sound of my cell ringing on my nightstand.

  "Ugh," I grunted as I slapped around trying to make contact with it. "What?" I grumbled in the offending object.

  "Good morning to you too," Erin's voice drifted through. "We're still on for the gym right?"

  "The gym…oh crap!" I muttered. "What time is it?"

  “Doesn’t matter…I’m in the lobby. Do you want me to wait here or come up?" her voice was so happy and chipper that I wanted to scream.

  "Give me ten minutes, and I'll be right down," I yawned.

  "Ok, but if you're not down in ten…I'm coming up," the line went dead as another yawn escaped me, and I tossed the covers back.

  When I shuffled into the bathroom, the dark rings around my eyes from last night's leftover makeup that I hadn't removed glared back at me. My hair was a tangled mess, and my eyes were bloodshot. "That's what you get, you dummy," I muttered as I reached for a brush. I shouldn't have gone out. Nothing good ever came from it.

  After tying my hair back in a ponytail, washing the makeup from my face, and quickly dressing in some yoga pants and sports bra, I grabbed a water bottle and made my way downstairs.

  "Took you long enough…oh shit, you look like hell!" Erin turned a concerned gaze on me.

  “I’m fine…just a little hung-over. I went to Vibe last night with some friends," I sighed as I held the door open for us to head out onto the street.

  "How was it?" she smiled softly at me. Erin knew what it was like to put yourself backout there after what I'd gone through. She was just like me in that aspect.

  "It was fun actually," I opened her car door and climbed in. "Aside from some guy hitting on me, it was pretty uneventful."

  “Some guy?” her brow raised as she slid into the driver's seat. "Was he at least hot?"

  I nodded silently as I licked my suddenly dry lips, "Oh he was hot all right. Scorching hot."

  "Really?" she grinned in my direction as she turned the key in the ignition. "Do tell."

  "Everything you've ever thought of when you hear ‘tall, dark, and handsome' this guy had."

  "Come on…details girl…I need details," she giggled as she pulled the car out onto the street and began heading east.

  “I don’t know…I guess he was about six foot four maybe. I mean…I’m five five, and he dwarfed me. Dark hair…kinda messy. I couldn't tell about the eyes, but it was his mouth that I noticed the most. The most perfect full pink lips were surrounded by dark scruff." I shook my head as I tried to clear the image from my brain. I was not interested in this guy. I did not want to be involved with anyone, especially someone who looked like he did. He hadn't done anything yet, but the keyword was yet.

  "Sounds delicious," she sighed beside me. "Next time you go out, you better call me. I need to meet someone."

  "I don't intend on seeing him again. I don't know anything about him other than his name is Cole," I shrugged before turning to gaze out the window.

  "You know," she paused as she turned into the parking lot of the gym and parked the car, "it's ok to feel something again. Not everyone's going to be like Richard."

  "I can't take that chance," I mumbled. "I won't go through anything like that ever again."

  "Well," she reached out and touched my arm causing me to look back in her direction "that's why we're here. We're going to learn how to kick butt."

  "Huh?" I pushed open my door and climbed out of the car. "I thought we were just going to work out, and hit the punching bag a few times?"

  "We are, but they teach self-defense here too. I signed us up for their Saturday class," she smiled at me as my mouth dropped open in shock. "I knew you wouldn't want to come," she barreled on as I stood there. "I thought it'd be good for us though. You'll thank me later."

  "I tried self-defense when I was in school. It didn't work," I grumbled.

  “I bet you didn’t have a pro teaching the class," she giggled.

  "What do you know that I don't?" I narrowed my eyes on her.

  “Wes McKay…used to fight professionally,” she chewed her lower lip as she watched me squirm. "He owns a gym and teaches the classes. He's been harassing me for a month to take a class."

  “Wait, he knows about your past?” I watched her smile at me in satisfaction as I rounded the front of the car.

  “Yeah,” she lifted one arm and wrapped it around my shoulder. “He came to a meeting one night and offered his services to our group free of charge. He told some story about a friend of his growing up in a home with an abusive father. He said he wasn’t able to help his friend back then, but he wanted to help break the cycle now,” she squeezed my shoulders lightly as she led us to the door of the building. "He's a nice guy," she urged. "Just try it with me today, and if you don't like it, you don't have to come back.

  "Ok, but I'm warning you…I'm not very coordinated," I groaned as we entered the gym, and I took in all the weights and various machines surrounding me.

  ooooooooo

  Cole

  When my best friend Wes had asked me to help him with his self-defense class, I jumped at the chance. I mean what kinda guy would I be if I didn’t find wrapping my arms around women while they rubbed against me a turn on? He hadn’t bothered to tell me last night that the class was at ten o’clock in the morning. I know. I know…most of you must be shaking your head at me but when you stay out drinking all night…ten o’clock is early. Anyway…since I had to be at the gym early Saturday, I had opted to go ahead and try to get a morning workout in. I hadn’t hit the weights in a couple of days, and I knew I’d feel the burn if I didn’t get back to them soon. I’d just finished a run on the treadmill when I saw her walk in the door. Maddie…she was talking to another girl, a petite blonde as they made their way up to the front desk. What was the luck that the woman that I couldn't stop thinking about showed up here? Was the universe trying to tell me something?

  After last night, I wasn’t sure how I was going to go about finding her other than stalking the dog park, but here she was again, and this time on my turf. Wes was talking to them at the front desk, and they were nodding along, her friend a little more enthusiastically than her. Her friend giggled, and then they turned to head towards the room where we were holding the class. Was she in the class?

  "Wipe the drool," Wes shoved me in the shoulder hard. I hadn't even seen him walk up to me I'd been so entranced by her.

  "Shut up!" I scowled him.

  "It's your mystery girl," he grinned. "But dude take it easy with her."

  "What are you not telling me," I cocked my head to the side. "Is she married or something?"

  “No…not married, but it’s not my place to tell. Just trust me when I tell you to go easy,” his eyes held a warning that I’d never seen him use before. It was almost like he was trying to pass a secret message to me. I didn’t know what it might be, but after the way she ran from me in the park, and then last night…she practically bolted when I touched her. Now with the added warning from Wes, and the fact that this was a self-defense class…it was leaving me with a sick feeling in my gut. What was it that she was hiding, and why did I scare her so much? Did she have dark secrets like me? Was she just as broken? Knowing that I wasn’t going to get the answers I so desperately wanted by just standing here, I grabbed my water bottle and a towel and slowly began walking towards the room we were having the class in.

  Today I would back off. I would show her she could trust me. If her secrets were what I thought they might be, she was
going to need a friend right now. She was going to need a protector, someone who would stand up for her, and if I had any say in it…it was going to be me.

  Chapter 7

  Maddie

  Once Wes had directed us into the room in the back corner of the gym, I dropped my things in the corner and took a seat beside Erin. There were about six other women in the room at the moment, but I was sure there would be more. Sadly, there were always more. Other than the women in my group, my boss, Hannah, was the only person who knew my secret. Her sister and brother-in-law were both doctors, and they had told her that they saw people like me at the hospital all the time. I knew there were others, but I somehow always felt alone.

  “Good morning ladies,” Wes’s voice was deep and rumbling when he walked into the room. “It’s good to see all of you here today,” he smiled and scanned the room. When his gaze landed on me, his eyes widened slightly. It was like seeing me was a surprise or something. I couldn’t figure it out, I mean…he saw me walk in here. He talked to me. He knew I was here, but when his assistant ambled through the door it all made sense. “I have someone helping me out today,” he motioned toward the door where Cole was standing. “This is a friend of mine…his name is Cole Walker. Cole meet the ladies," he grinned as Cole sauntered to the front of the room shaking his head.

  As I watched them talk to each other in whispered tones, I turned towards Erin, "That's him."

  "Him?" she wrinkled her nose at me.

  “The guy from last night…that’s him,” I hissed as I felt a shiver run through me. Goose bumps erupted all over my body, and my senses went on high alert. It was as if my instincts were shouting DANGER at me.

  "Yum," Erin giggled and wagged her brows.

  "I gotta go," I turned to the side and began to stand just as Wes's head snapped up.