Fractured Hearts (Shattered Lives, Book Three)

by Blakeley, Rissa

  Incensed she was caught? How will she explain herself out of this one? Good fucking luck. “I get it, Elaina. He’s got a little up on me. He’s easy on the eyes, great body, and he could make an entire room of women drop their panties and orgasm just from a wink. I look sullen, soft in the belly, and I’m certain you aren’t swooning for me anymore.” Then I paused. “But mostly, he’s not an alcoholic like me.” I actually said the words again. I rubbed my chest as the pain settled in. Truth really did hurt.

  “Add paranoid to that list,” she mumbled.

  “That’s not helping me.”

  “Henry, listen… I think you’re pretty damn sexy.”

  I laughed. My confidence had dwindled to nothing. I sighed. “I’m sorry, Elaina. I know I’ve been a chore lately, especially since you have been trying to keep my issues under wraps.”

  She kneeled next to me. Her fingers fumbled through my hair. “You’re sick.”

  The guilt was overwhelming. “In more ways than one,” I grumbled. I couldn’t tell her all the ways. I was humiliated enough. If I told her about the voices, it would push me over the edge.

  “Well, we can get you through one at a time.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” I muttered.

  “I love you so much.”

  How could she love me? I’m a joke. “Are you sure? I’m pretty sure I haven’t been lovable lately.” I wouldn’t even look at her.

  She grabbed my face and turned it toward her. “Yes. I’m sure.”

  A gradual smile graced her beautiful face as she continued to play with my hair. My total insecurity was new to her and I didn’t know if she knew how to handle it. Frankly, neither did I. It was getting more disturbing by the second. I had a feeling she was just appeasing me, but I was willing to play along to spare myself from the devastation.

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather be with Captain Big Cock?”

  “Oh, my god…” She put her head in her hands, then looked back at me.

  “Sorry. I’ve heard stories.”

  “Well, just so you know, I’m extremely pleased with what you have.”

  “I hope so. Can’t change that,” I mumbled.

  “Don’t worry. You are quite…perfect.” I smirked. “You keep me satisfied…when you aren’t shitfaced.” And there it was. Kick in the bollocks round two. “You’ve passed out a few times on top of me,” she muttered.

  “I know. No need to remind me of that.” I pulled my hat back over my face, muffling my voice. “I’m sorry.”

  Pulling it away, Elaina leaned over and kissed my sweaty forehead. “You feel up to eating yet?”

  Just the thought of food made my belly churn and knot back up. “Oh, god…no.”

  “Sorry. Well, I should let you rest.” She kissed my cheek.

  Rolling over onto my side, another groan escaped me. She covered me with a blanket and left the room. I moaned as my stomach churned and rumbled, then my trembling turned into full-blown shakes again.

  Fucking ridiculous. What the hell did I do to myself?

  Strolling into their room with a swagger in his step, Gunther headed straight for the bed, where Quinn was thumbing through a book.

  “What are you reading, my love?”

  Holding up the book, she murmured, “The life cycle of a frog.”

  “Is it compelling?”

  “Absolutely.” She smirked. He plopped his big body down next to her, grabbing her face and kissing her. “Stop. I’m busy,” she mumbled against his lips.

  He yanked the book out of her hands, throwing it aside. “Nope. Looks like you are doing nothing to me.” He leaned in and tried kissing her again, but she pushed him away. Her reaction scared him. “What’s wrong?”

  “As much as I enjoy our intimacy, I can’t do it all the time. It’s been exhausting for me. Morning, night, sometimes in between… Just because you have a hard-on doesn’t mean you have to use it.” Gunther sat back looking somewhat crushed. “Don’t be like that, Gun.”

  “Sorry if I’m extremely attracted to you. Besides, there’s nothing better to do,” he mumbled.

  She sighed at him. “You’re making this difficult.”

  “What?”

  “This.” She waved between them and he sat straight up, panic written all over his face.

  “I didn’t realize there was an issue. Could you fill me in?”

  “Remember? Josie walked in on us.”

  “Yes. It was embarrassing for both of us, but how is that an issue between us?”

  “I don’t know. I feel like our relationship is turning out to be just about sex. Even though, I will freely admit, it is pretty mind-blowing.”

  Gunther grinned with pride. “I’m glad you enjoy it because it’s you who makes me want to make it that way,” he murmured in Quinn’s ear, playing with her hair. Knowing his cool breath and seductive voice would make her insides stir, he continued, “When I see you come over and over again, it makes me feel good it’s me who sends you to that special place.”

  Sitting forward, she moved away from him before she fell for his antics. “Okay, I understand that, but we have to do other things besides sex.”

  “Like what?” he muttered with irritation. “Go out to dinner, the movies, for a stroll around the Eiffel Tower? Maybe a trip on the London Eye? Kill some undeads in candlelight?”

  “Stop. You’re not funny.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t… I was just… I don’t know,” he mumbled.

  “Just figure something out. What else do you like to do?”

  He shrugged, then muttered, “Workout.”

  “Yeah, I figured that out.” She laughed, squeezing his bicep. “What else? There has to be something else.” Gunther looked down and frowned. “What?”

  “I used to love to cook, but that’s not an option right now. I would love to cook you an amazing meal.”

  “Really? I wish you could, too. There isn’t anything else you like to do?”

  “Not really,” he sighed. “Why is this all on me?”

  “I just want to know what else you like to do. Next time, I pick.”

  “I was good at fucking, cooking, and fighting. That’s about it.”

  Quinn thought for a moment. “Teach me how to fight.”

  He looked at her like she was insane. “Fight? You want to learn how to fight? Like kickboxing?”

  “Yeah. It would be useful. I only know how to pull a trigger.”

  He perked up and felt a bit excited about the new task in front of him. “Well, let’s go to that little gym then.”

  They got up, excited about doing something new, and walked hand-in-hand to the gym.

  Chapter 4

  Gunther opened the door of the dark, shadowy gym. Pulling out the small flashlight he always carried in his pocket, he depressed the button and grumbled, “Fucking batteries.”

  After scanning the room with the narrow swath of yellowing light, he found several candles, matches sitting by one.

  The room wasn’t much, but there were gym mats, a couple racks of free weights, a bench, and a few pieces of power equipment, which weren’t of much use at the moment. There was also a mini gym set to work out legs and arms, and do squats. It was all basic, but necessary exercises.

  “This will do. I’m going to teach you how to fight in the candlelight. It will be very romantic,” Gunther laughed, as Quinn smacked him on the arm.

  They walked around and lit all the candles, then placed his Sig on the weight bench. Quinn followed suit. Slow and taunting, he took off his shirt.

  “Show off.”

  “What?” The innocent act wasn’t working on her.

  She laughed. “You know you look good.”

  “I’ve worked bloody hard to look this way, love,” he murmured, trying to pull off a nonchalant flex of his pecks.

  “I bet, stud puppy.”

  “Can it, bird.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “Okay, I’m going to teach you the basics of Krav Maga.”

  “Uh…say what?”<
br />
  “It’s a type of self-defense or fighting technique. It’s what they used to use for training in the Israeli army. In no time, you will be able to flip me.” She laughed. “I’m being serious.”

  “Oh, okay… Sorry,” she said, trying to stifle a giggle.

  Gunther shook his head and chuckled. “Whatever am I going to do with you?”

  He went on to show Quinn the basics. She learned all the weak points of the human body, and the basic moves. Her quick progression, strength, and fitness level really impressed him. Then he showed her the technique behind the flip. She was the target, and he talked her through the steps a few times.

  “Your turn,” he said with a smirk.

  He stood in front of Quinn, his hands on his hips. She sized him up, noting that his shorts had slid down and were barely hanging on. “But you are so much bigger than I am,” she murmured with a lusty stare.

  “You can do this.” He drew his bottom lip into his teeth and chomped down. Just thinking about her attempting to take control was making him thicken in his shorts.

  “Okay,” Quinn sighed. “If you insist.”

  Several highly unsuccessful attempts later, they both fell to the mat. The laughter went on for several minutes until they were out of breath.

  “Maybe we should save that for when you can show me how to do it on someone else,” Quinn said as she pushed herself up onto her elbows.

  A bead of sweat traveled down her forehead. Gunther reached out and swiped it away. “You look so fucking sexy right now,” he said in a low growl.

  “Are you mental?”

  “I thought we already established that.” He crawled in closer, like a big cat stalking its prey. “I love that you’re all hot and sweaty. Turns me the fuck on.”

  “A hole in the wall would turn you on.”

  He sighed. “Not nice.” As he nuzzled Quinn’s ear with his nose, goose bumps rose on her skin. He shifted, moving to within millimeters of her lips. He was so close, an electric feel moved between them.

  Gunther pounced on her like a hungry animal. He pulled off her clothes and kicked off his shorts in record time. He pushed her down, kissing her, momentarily pinning her shoulders to the mat before his hands frantically roamed all over her body.

  She returned each kiss, running her hands down his pronounced chest, past his abdomen. A groan filled the room when she reached his aching shaft. His fingers walked down her body and weaved their way between her folds. She was ready for him, he was going to fuck her until she screamed again and again.

  There was no tenderness when he slammed into her, a deep growl escaping his chest. “Jesus fucking Christ…,” he yelled, his body shuddering.

  Quinn cried out so loudly, her throat burned and tears formed in her eyes. His thrusts were vigorous and he wasn’t letting up. He wasn’t being his usual self, but she let herself go when she realized the pain was exhilarating. He was fucking her harder than he ever had and she loved every second of it.

  “Harder,” she whispered in Gunther’s ear.

  Every vicious thrust was met eagerly, each time forcing himself into her harder and deeper than the last. He gripped the edge of the mat with both hands, holding his upper body taut so he could focus all his energy into his lower body. His abs burned with fatigue and he wanted to give in, but he had to get them to that pot of gold. She dug her nails into his back and sides, causing him to bark out more obscenities.

  She cried out again. His size and power hurt her terribly, but her moans and movements between her screams told him she loved the feeling. A groan rumbled from his chest as she trembled beneath his big body.

  As he drove her right over the edge like a runaway freight train, Quinn peaked. She went limp and had nothing left to give. Gunther finished seconds later, kicking hard inside her, hissing each time his seed pulsed out. When he fell on top of her, they were a sloppy, wearied mass of sweaty limbs and bodies, robbed of breath.

  Her fingertips traveled up and down his back. He moaned with pleasure and found the little energy he needed to roll off of her and onto his back. “Holy shit,” Gunther said between breaths. “I had no idea you liked it that way.”

  “I didn’t, either, but I loved it.” He smiled. “I love that wild, untamed beast lingering under the surface. You have brought new meaning to sex…fucking…making love.”

  Gunther reached over and took her hand. “I figured I would just go for it and you would tell me to stop if it was too much.” Turning on his side, he nuzzled her ear again.

  They lay on the floor, fully exposed, until the candles started extinguishing one-by-one.

  Hand-in-hand, Quinn and Gunther walked to the cafeteria to get a bottle of water. It was turning out to be the common gathering spot for everyone.

  Nick and Josie were entertaining the kids, Kate sitting in the chair and plucking the guitar strings. “Be right back,” he said and kissed Quinn’s forehead. She smiled as he headed for the kids.

  “Mr. Gunther!” Silas yelled.

  “Hey, mate!” Silas jumped up and hugged him. Carefully picking away on the guitar strings, Kate played a few chords. “That sounds great, Kate. Much better than I could ever do.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Her voice was soft and low, still a bit shy around Gunther.

  “She said her dad used to play and she always wanted to learn, so I thought I’d teach her,” Nick said with a smile, excited to have a purpose and something else to focus on.

  Gunther scooped up Callie and tickled her, making her giggle. Quinn watched the scene from afar with such pride because of how far he had come with his ability to feel compassion and genuinely care about others.

  He’s a pro, she thought, watching him dance around with Callie.

  When Cora and Elaina walked through the door, Cora stopped and glared at Gunther with a furrowed brow. Quinn went to her.

  “He only wants them to be happy. He adores them.” Quinn swallowed hard. “He wants nothing more than to be a father, but I can’t give that to him.”

  “I see that,” Cora said with an air of a broken heart. “Since we’ve all been together, he has shown them more fatherly love than Peter ever did. He wasn’t the hands-on type. I guess it just hurts seeing how affectionate he is, and they aren’t even his.”

  Quinn took Cora’s hand. “I want to thank you.”

  “Me?” Cora tilted her head in confusion. “Why?”

  “Gunther has had an extremely rough life. Up until a couple years ago, he endured a lot of physical and mental abuse. When I say a lot, I mean on a daily basis. He has come a long way. He spent many days and nights hating himself, thinking he wasn’t allowed to love or be loved.”

  “That’s so sad,” Cora said as she held her hand over her mouth, eyes welling with guilty tears.

  “It’s been a struggle for me to get through to him that he is so worthy of being loved, but those kids have really been a world of help for him. I haven’t seen him this happy…ever.”

  “I had no idea. I feel terrible for slapping him and yelling. I need to go apologize.” Cora headed over to Gunther.

  One more turn around with Callie and he saw Cora walking up to them. Gunther tried to hand Callie to her and escape. “I’m sorry. Here.”

  Holding up her hands, she said, “No. Please continue. She’s happy with what you’re doing…and that makes me happy.” He gazed at her curiously. With a smile, she touched his arm. “I would like to say I’m sorry for my terrible behavior. I understand what you are trying to do for my kids, and I appreciate it. You have been such a blessing for my children, and I cannot thank you enough.”

  Cheeks flushing from the kind words he rarely heard from anyone other than Quinn, he turned away and whispered, “Thank you.” His voice was rough, fighting the lump rising in his throat. “That means a lot to me.”

  After a quick embrace, Cora focused her attention on Kate, who was taking her lesson seriously. Gunther picked up Silas and danced around the room with both the kids. Watching from a dist
ance, Quinn smiled, enjoying seeing him so happy.

  Chapter 5

  Nick invited Josie back to his room. She sat in a chair, as he planted himself on top of the desk. Hanging out with her was the first time he had been able to laugh since Claire and Willow passed. They talked about their favorite songs and how much they missed the internet, going to the movies, and all the unnoticed music that used to surround them.

  “I still can’t believe you never had a lesson. That blows my mind. I took lessons for a while, but I grew tired of the lame chord sessions. So I started working hard on my own, developing my own style.”

  “That would bore me to death. My guitar was a gift from an uncle. I had no idea if I would even like it, but he said he bought it for me because of the pure joy music gave me. Messing around with it for hours at a time, I was finally able to play by ear. I can’t read a lick of music, though.”

  Hopping down from the desk, Josie threw Nick a nervous glance. “Don’t be nervous.” He reached out for her hand. “Dance with me.”

  With her hand in his, she rose to her feet. A tender touch and a gentle grace in his movements, he wrapped his arms around her. Hesitantly, she put her arms around his neck, then rested her head on his chest. He hummed her favorite song as they swayed together. Josie didn’t want the moment to end.

  It felt good to hold her—to hold someone. “This is wonderful…doing this with you,” he whispered.

  She peered up at him and was mesmerized by his gaze. Slowly, he leaned down and kissed her. Trying to be a gentleman and act accordingly, his lips traveled effortlessly over hers. But then, with a slight tilt of his head, his kisses turned greedier. He ran his hands down her sides and groaned when she pressed her body against his.

  The feel of his body reacting to her made her insides scream for attention. She wondered if he realized it was her, not Claire. The pull deep inside her body was looking to be relieved. Something she had never really felt from a man before.

  Nick picked her up and carried her to the bed. Before he settled on top of her, her eyes wandered around his body. He was beautiful, lean, and trim. As her eyes traveled south, she could see he was hard and ready, trapped behind the zipper of his dingy jeans. He pulled off his shirt and she shimmied out of her hoodie, exposing the worn white tank top underneath.