Broken Butterfly_A Fortis Security Novel

by Maddie Wade

  Her pulse picked up. Zin felt his body heat and harden at the intimate contact with the woman who kept him awake at night.

  “Zin?” she asked on an indrawn breath filled with sexual tension. He felt his head lowering slowly and was about to take her mouth in a bruising kiss when Kanan ran in and the moment was most definitely gone.

  “Celeste, honey, are you okay?” her brother asked as she scooted off his knee putting a couple of feet distance between them.

  “Yes, I’m fine. A bit sick of being used for target practice, but other than that, fine.” Kanan hugged his sister and gave Zin a fuck you glare over her head, so she couldn’t see. The bastard knew exactly what he had interrupted. Zin fought the urge to headbutt the prick in the face, but he had a feeling that wouldn’t help him win over Celeste.

  He stopped short at the thought. Was that what he wanted to do? Win her over? He wasn’t sure, he just knew that if he didn’t do something that involved them both getting hot, sweaty, and having orgasms he would explode from wanting her, so he guessed the answer was yes. He needed to win her over.

  He grinned at Kanan, and the man frowned. Oh, it was on, and he played to win. Stepping up, he slid his arm around Celeste proprietarily. She swung her gaze to him in confusion, but she didn’t move.

  “Any news on the shooter?” he asked as Zack walked into the room, his eyes landing on them.

  Ever the professional Zack said nothing but got straight down to business. “No, but Dan, Drew, Roz, and Angel are out looking around. Celeste, I really think you should come back to the estate,” Zack implored firmly. Zin felt her shake her head.

  “No way, I won’t risk the only people I care about, especially kids,” she said with a sure tone.

  “Well, you’re not staying here!” Zin stated, and he felt her stiffen against him.

  “Will you stop with the caveman shit,” she hissed, moving away. Zin let her go. He found it slightly amusing when she got like this, all waspy and shit.

  “He’s right honey,” Kanan said, and Zin was shocked for a second, but he shouldn’t have been. Kanan loved his sister, and although he gave Zin a hard time, he would put her first.

  Not one to let an opportunity go, Zin pounced. “Pack a bag. You’re coming to stay with me!” he stated and started towards her drawers. He barely got his hand on the dresser when it was slapped away. He started and looked down at Celeste.

  “Don’t you go in there,” she said pushing in front and guarding the dresser with her tiny body. He fought a grin as recognition hit, so he took a step back and folded his arms over his chest.

  “What’s up Pixie? Is little viper in there?” he asked with a smug grin. He watched her flush and turned to look behind him as Kanan made a strangled groan.

  “Zack, sort this out. I can’t take much more,” K said and left.

  His attention on K and disbelieving Zack, Zin never saw the tiny fist that flew his way and landed on his left cheek. Motherfucker, she had punched him, not a slap but an actual punch in the face.

  “Ouch, that hurt,” she exclaimed as she shook her hand and held it to her chest.

  “You hurt? I’m the one who got punched,” he said in outrage that she had actually hit him.

  “Yeah, well, you deserved it you pig,” she hissed.

  Zin went to speak, but Zack stopped them with a bellow.

  “Enough! You two can sort out whatever the hell this is later, but, for now, Celeste, pack a bag because you are not staying here. Zin, go downstairs and find out if the others have found anything.”

  Zin stiffened, despite the fist to the face, he still didn’t feel like being more than touching distance away from her, but the look on Zack’s face promised retribution if he didn’t. It helped that Zin trusted Zack to put himself between Celeste and a bullet. With one last look at Celeste, he bent down and whispered in her ear, being careful not to actually touch her. He watched her flinch slightly and regretted being such a prick. “I’m sorry, Pixie I shouldn’t have said that in front of your brother.” He watched the anger dim and then leave her as she nodded at him, but still kept her arms crossed.

  Reaching the living room, which had soft deep cream couches, and a dark hardwood floor with a huge area rug in teal in the centre and a glass coffee table covered in brightly coloured coasters, Zin stopped. It struck him as he looked around that she had made this place a home, unlike him, who used his place as a crash pad more than a home.

  He went to the fireplace and looked at the pictures of her with her adoptive parents. She looked happy and even at that tender age she had shown hints of the stunning beauty she would be. What she did not look was carefree like most teenage girls. She was guarded even surrounded by those she loved and who loved her, and he knew having a gift like hers had to take a heavy toll. Not for the first time, he admired her strength and tenacity, it took a beautiful soul to see what she did and remain so innocent.

  A commotion outside had him going to the window to look out. Dane and Kanan were wrestling a slim, slip of a woman. The woman was wriggling and thrashing as she aimed a tirade of abuse at them. Moving to the door, Zin stepped out and saw Roz and Angel appear with a shotgun in each of their hands.

  He came to a standstill beside the group and glared at the hissing, spitting young woman being held between Dane and Kanan. The woman looked mutinously up at him, with a mix of fear and fire in her eyes, but that wasn’t the biggest emotion. No, the biggest emotion was grief.

  “What’s her story?” he asked Dane.

  “No clue, but we found her trying to climb over the fence two doors down.”

  “Silly little bitch was shooting at them, but nearly killed herself mixing her bullets,” Roz spat with a disgusted sneer. The woman turned her glare on Roz but quickly paled when Roz advanced on her.

  Zin held up his hand, to stop his sister. “We need to find out what the fuck is going on. Get her to Fortis so we can interrogate her. You can have you go at her once the boss has had his turn,” he said as he tried to piece it together in his head.

  Kanan and Dane nodded and started to move away with the now quiet woman when Zack and Drew walked to the front of the house, and she went feral again.

  “You bastard,” she spat, and everyone looked as she aimed her hate-filled bile at a confused looking Drew. “You fucking killed her, you animal, all because she wouldn’t leave him. I’m going to kill you. I’m gonna fucking kill you all,” she screamed with tears rolling down her angry face as she tried to pull and wrench herself away from the two men holding her and failed.

  Drew looked around confused as if somehow someone would jump out and tell him what the hell was going on.

  Zack reached them and turned to him. “Take Celeste to Fortis until we figure this shit out. Dane, get this little hellcat into an interrogation room. Knock her out if you need to,” he said loud enough for the woman to hear. Instead of silencing her, she just started yelling about knowing her rights and her dad would fix this.

  Zin shook his head and wondered what the fuck his life had become. Still shaking his head, he turned and jogged back to the house and Celeste.

  Chapter Ten

  “I’m not staying with you,” she declared to Zin as she swung her leg over the beautiful custom ride that she had admired from afar but up until now had not been allowed to ride. They were leaving for the vets to see Samson. Her beloved dog had been cleared to come home the next day, and she couldn’t wait, but she had needed to see him and make sure with her own eyes that he was truly okay before then.

  Samson was clever and had only eaten a small amount of the meat those bastards had tried to kill him with. That coupled with his size had saved his life. She didn’t know what she would have done if Samson hadn’t come into her life when he had and losing him didn’t bear thinking about. He had literally saved her sanity with his beautiful nature and unconditional love.

  She focused on the present as Zin spoke. “Yes, you are. Now hold on!” he stated and then started the bike, throt
tling back and drowning out her protest as the powerful engine hummed beneath her. Celeste wrapped her arms around Zin’s huge frame, her hands barely touching as his hard, abdominal muscles rippled and moved under her hands.

  The feel of his gorgeous body moving under her fingers made her aware of the heat radiating from her core, a core that was snug against his sexy butt. Knowing she may not get the chance again she rested her face against his strong back and settled her body into his. Her hands moved of their own volition on his waist as she revelled in the steel feel of him.

  God, why did she have to fall for him? A man who carried so much pain and darkness it almost swallowed a person whole. And yet, with every thought she felt from him she also felt the fight he raged against that darkness. She knew in her soul that he held so much goodness, buried deep inside that if he let it out, the world would surely be blinded by it.

  They stopped at a traffic light, and Celeste felt Zin grab her hand and hold it to his heart before dropping a light kiss to her knuckles. “Pixie, I cannot drive us safely while your hands torture me with their gentle touch.”

  The kiss coupled with his words made her heart stutter and almost stop before starting a steady thrum, her lips tilted up into a smile as they moved off as the light changed to green. He didn’t drop her hand though but held it firmly against his heart as he drove the last mile to the vets.

  That was the man she knew was hiding inside, a man who kissed her hand and made her feel as if he had given her the world. He was also the same man who had embarrassed the hell out of her in front of her brother and Zack and been a dictatorial asshole about her attending the meeting that morning. That was before she even thought about his rejection of her. And yet, her heart and body still reacted to him so profoundly and fool that she was her desire to throw caution to the wind and beg him to love her was almost overwhelming.

  She sighed as she saw the vets come into view and knew her few minutes of luxury against his heat and protection were at an end. Deciding to take one minute at a time, Celeste loosened her hold on Zin as the bike stopped. She swung her leg off the bike and stumbled a little as her legs felt wobbly from the ride.

  A powerful arm came out to steady her, catching her by the waist. “You okay?” he asked as he watched her carefully.

  Celeste nodded and offered him a small smile and was rewarded with a tilt of his mouth that made her body tremble even more.

  “Are you sure?” he said with a frown. “You’re trembling.”

  “Yes, I’m fine, just finding my legs after the ride.”

  He nodded but continued to watch her as they walked to the entrance of the vets and pushed through the double doors. Walking up to the reception desk, Zin gave their names. Celeste watched as the beautiful blonde girl on reception practically eye fucked Zin before giggling and turning to the computer in front of her.

  Celeste hated her on sight, and yet she had no claim on him, he wasn’t hers. Despite his flirty comments today they were just friends, if that, really.

  “I’ll just check for you now and see if Samson can have visitors,” the woman said and clicked some buttons. Zin leant his arm on the desk and looked her over. Celeste was sure he was getting a bird’s eye view of that enormous cleavage.

  “Aw yes, no problem. I will just let Dr Rogers know that you and your… sister are here,” she said, clearly fishing to see if Zin was unattached. Celeste was about to tear the bitch off a strip, when Zin chuckled and moved his arm around her, hauling her close to his side and placing a hand on her now quivering tummy muscles.

  He leaned in close to nuzzle her neck and then turned his head to catch the shocked receptionist’s eyes. “There is nothing brotherly about what I want to do to this woman, of that I can assure you,” he said as he brushed his lips over the now pounding pulse in her neck, causing a delightful shiver. “Now, can we move this along? I need to get my Pixie home, she had had a trying day,” he said sharply, and Celeste tried and failed to hide the grin at the woman’s furious expression.

  A few moments later a man in a tweed jacket and brown corduroy trousers, with unruly curly hair and wild bedraggled look came towards them. “Ms Bourdain?” he asked as he came towards her with his arm outstretched.

  “Yes,” she nodded as he shook her hand vigorously. Celeste felt the love and affinity he had for animals pour through her and felt an instant relief that this man had been the one to look after Samson.

  “I have to tell you,” he said as he released her hand and turned to walk the way he had come. “Samson is a beautiful animal and so intelligent. Of course, German Shepard’s are a very clever breed and very protective although I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that,” he hurried on.

  “No, he is a beautiful friend to have, thank you so much for looking after him.”

  “Oh, it was my pleasure. He has stolen all our hearts; my nurses are fighting over who looks after him.”

  Celeste grinned at that and knew that Samson had a way with him that drew people to him.

  Dr Rogers, as she now knew he was called, opened the door and there he was. Her beautiful boy, sitting in his pen looking all regal and commanding, he reminded her of the man who warmed her back and had still not let go of her hand. Both instantly changed the vibe of a room with their presence.

  Rushing forward she touched her hand to his muzzle and Samson tiled his head and rubbed her hand. His delight in seeing her obvious to all who watched.

  “Hello, my gorgeous boy,” she murmured, “are you feeling better?” Samson whined and lifted his paw to her. “I know sweetie. You can come home tomorrow when these nice people have made sure all that nasty stuff is out of your system.” She gave him one last rub around the ears and then turned to a smiling Dr Rogers. “Will there be any lasting damage?” she asked.

  Dr Rogers shook his head. “No, we got to him in time. He should make a full recovery.”

  Celeste felt a relief so strong she went weak from it, the solid strength of Zin as he moved closer to her back and looped an arm around her waist was the only thing holding her up. Tears pricked her eyes as she wondered what would happen to Samson if she didn’t make it out of this alive. “Thank you.” Her voice was husky with emotion, causing Zin to tighten his hand on her tummy. Dropping her hand over his, she squeezed a reassurance that she was okay.

  “Come on Dushka,” he said softly as he tugged her gently towards the door. “Let’s get you home, you need to rest too.”

  Celeste let Zin lead her outside to the bike. He lifted her as gently as if she was glass and put her on the bike before fastening the helmet and getting on himself. Celeste knew she should probably object and demand that she could do this herself, but she was suddenly so exhausted from the last few days. She didn’t have it in her to argue when she was exactly where she wanted to be.

  Holding on tight to his waist, she thought back to what he had said in the vets about what he wanted to do to her. Had she got everything wrong? Did he want her? Was she just deluding herself or could he have changed his mind and decided he wanted her after all? More importantly, should she let him when potentially she may not live to see her next birthday?

  Confusion swamped her as she leaned into him and inhaled the scent that was only his. The one thing she did know was that no matter what happened her feelings for Zin only grew stronger and maybe if her time was borrowed she should be selfish and act on them. She was learning was that life was not a practice run and she needed to stop being scared and live hers and pray that her fear was unfounded, and maybe just maybe she could have what she wanted, and she wanted Zin with every breath she took.

  Chapter Eleven

  As he lifted her off the bike and carried her tiny frame up the steps to his home, Zin scoped out his surroundings and knew that his sister was out there watching. He couldn’t see her, but he felt her. Roz had a protective streak a mile high and would gouge her own eyes out before admitting it.

  He appreciated it though, not because he needed her to watch his
back but because his desire to protect his sleeping pixie was overriding his common sense. Like holding her hand as he rode to the vets. One wrong move and they could have been toast, and yet nothing could have made him let go. The way she had moved her tiny hands over him had driven him wild, heating his blood to a fever pitch as he rode.

  An erection in jeans, on a bike, while trying to be aware of everything going on around him was not a good combination. It had been sheer desperation that made him grab her hand to stop her exploring his body. Any other time he would have gladly let her take her time, in fact, he would have enjoyed it immensely. But her timing had sucked, he had almost been glad to get to the vets, so he could try and discretely re-arrange his manhood before it went blue.

  Dropping a kiss on her knuckles had been instinctive and sappy, and yet it had felt like the most natural thing in the world. Holding her hand in his over his heart had felt right somehow. She had burrowed in there and gotten under his skin, despite his best efforts to keep her out. He knew now that he needed to show her how he felt and not be the overbearing asshole that he had been lately.

  The chat or more like lecture he’d had from Zack back at Fortis, after they had brought the screaming banshee that had shot at Drew in, had hit home. The man might be his boss, but Zin also considered him a friend, one of the growing few he trusted. He had made a lot of sense when he talked about being open and honest with how he felt, and Zin knew it was right, but fuck he found it so hard to open himself like that. He looked down at the woman in his arms, and everything in him screamed that if he didn’t talk to her and try to contain his alpha asshole, then he would lose her and that was something that he could not and would not accept.

  Celeste stirred as he opened his front door and swiftly closed it, turning off the alarm.