Broken Hero

by Wright, Aubrey

He got up, prepared a glass of whiskey, sat down, took a sip, and went into it.

  When he was done, I couldn’t believe what he’d just said.

  “She’s safe now, right?”

  “She’s safe,” he said, his tone one of relief. “I went to California to make sure of that.”

  “Good,” I said. “But why didn’t you tell me all of this? I was ready to hate you for the rest of my life because I thought you’d sold me out to Joey for a paycheck.”

  “You’d just caught me in the middle of the biggest lie I’d ever told in my life,” he said. “Can’t imagine why you would’ve believed a word out of my mouth.”

  He had a point.

  “Yeah, you’re right,” I said. “I probably would’ve told you to screw off.”

  “So, I did the next best thing. Once I made sure Ellie was going to be OK, I came back here to make things right.”

  “You didn’t have to do it,” I said. “You probably could’ve easily stayed in California. I bet a guy like you knows how to stay off the radar and out of sight.”

  He shook his head.

  “Not a chance,” he said. “No way was I going to leave you like that. I would’ve regretted it for the rest of my life.”

  “So, the mercenary has a heart after all,” I said with a smile.

  He allowed himself a grin of his own, flashing that smile I’d grown to love. “It wasn’t anything I had to think about. And we’re damned lucky everything turned out like it did. You’re safe, Ellie’s safe, Joey’s behind bars, and…”

  He trailed off, and I could tell that he was thinking about that…other issue.

  Garrett extended his hand toward my belly, stopping a few inches short.

  “Can I?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  He placed his hand on my belly palm-down. “There’s really a kid in there, huh?” he asked.

  “There’s really a kid in there.”

  He closed his eyes, a warm smile spreading across his face.

  “We’re going to be parents,” he said. “And I guess that means we’re going to have to figure out what to do.”

  “What do you want to do?” I asked.

  He took his hand away and gazed at me with those gorgeous, piercing blues, the ones I could spend the rest of my life staring into.

  “I want to be here for you,” he said. “I want to be here for you and the baby. I know I’ve done some bad things, and I know you’d be well within your right to tell me to leave and never come back. But I love you, Natalie. And if you let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”

  I didn’t know what to say. His words drifted around my heart like a warm breeze.

  “But I know it’s up to you,” he said. “Whatever you decide, I’ll respect it, no matter how much it might hurt.”

  I knew what I wanted.

  I wanted him.

  Slowly, I leaned in, my lips moving closer and closer to his.

  “I love you too, Garrett,” I said. “And I don’t know what life is going to look like for the two of us. But I want to see. Together.”

  He didn’t need to hear another word. Garrett closed the distance between us, kissing me softly and tenderly. The moment his lips touched mine I knew that I’d made the right decision.

  We kissed deeply, with passion, our mouths opening and our tongues gently touching.

  The kiss was like this for several long, wonderful moments. There was an innocent hesitancy between the two of us, as though we were both unsure of how fast to move as we rekindled the passion that had been dormant between us.

  But the longer we kissed, the more certain we were of what we both wanted. Garrett’s hands moved to my hips, pulling my body close to his. His fingers moved under the hem of my shirt and grabbed onto the fabric.

  I placed my hands on his, guiding them up and along my body and taking the shirt with them. Once my top was gone, he quickly took off his, my pussy tightening as I laid eyes on his perfect, hard body.

  We kissed more and more, taking off our clothes one piece at a time until we were down to nothing but our underwear.

  Then a thought occurred to me and I took my lips from his.

  “Something wrong?” he asked.

  “No,” I said. “Just that after the day we’ve had, I’m feeling a little gross.”

  He cocked his head, curious what I had in mind.

  Then it occurred to him.

  “That shower of yours is big enough for two,” he said.

  “Bingo,” I replied.

  We hopped off the couch like two excited kids. Garrett took my hand and led me into my bedroom, then into the bathroom.

  My shower was one of those fancy setups with multiple jets and a built-in steam feature. After some fussing with the controls, all of the jets were spraying deliciously hot water, the bathroom filling with warm steam.

  “Come on,” I said with a wink as I took off my bra. “Water’s perfect.”

  “So’s the company,” he said with a grin.

  I gave him a playful swat for his charmingly corny line before wrapping my arms around his shoulders and pulling him into the shower as he stepped out of his underwear.

  “Oh, oh my god…” I moaned as the wonderfully warm water hit my skin, the jets doing their work on the tension in my body.

  Soon the two of us were glistening wet. I turned around and kissed Garrett again, his stiff cock rubbing against my leg as we embraced.

  “I need you,” I moaned. “I need you inside of me right now. I can’t wait another second.”

  “I’m right there with you,” he said.

  We kissed hard as Garrett took me by the hips and lifted me up in that effortless way I loved. He leaned me back against the wall, and I bent my leg and braced myself with one foot on the small bench inside the shower, my legs spread open in front of him and his cock perfectly lined up with my wet and waiting cunt.

  Garrett pressed his head against my lips, holding it there for a wonderful moment before slowly penetrating me. I let out a long moan as he entered me inch by inch.

  “That’s what I’ve missed,” I sighed once he was buried to the hilt.

  “Me too,” he said, leaning forward and resting his hands at my sides. “I don’t think I can ever go without it again. Without you.”

  Tears formed in my eyes, and I was quick to wipe them away. Being back with Garrett, having him here, inside me, knowing he wasn’t going anywhere.

  It was exactly what I’d wanted, even when I didn’t know it.

  He kissed me deeply again as he began to thrust in and out of me. Each slow drive of his cock was like a different heaven. He fit me perfectly, as though he was made for me, and me for him.

  Garrett placed one hand on my smooth, flat belly, caressing me as he kissed me and made love to me, his touch moving up and up until he held my breasts in his grasp.

  His thrusts picked up in speed, and soon he was filling me in exactly the right way that I wanted, the precise way to make me come.

  “Don’t stop,” I moaned, my breasts shaking with each hard thrust. “Stay inside of me, please.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” he growled softly into my ear.

  It was just what I wanted to hear.

  My orgasm was soon on the horizon, my nails digging into the thick skin of his back, my head on his hard, muscular shoulder, my wet, dark hair draped over him.

  And then I came, came like I never had before. I don’t know if it was the way he was fucking me or the feelings I had for him or the need for release that had been inside of me—or maybe all three—but the orgasm was like nothing else I’d ever experienced.

  Garrett came next, his cock pulsing inside of me as he spent himself.

  When we were done I was in state of total ecstasy—warm, relaxed bliss. We took our time afterward, getting good and clean. And through it all I could hardly suppress a smile at knowing that this man was going to be by my side, that he was mine, all mine.

  EPILOGUE


  GARRETT

  Today was the day. After months of working with the NYPD, after delivering our testimonies, after wanting to just be done with it all, the day of sentencing had arrived.

  “You don’t have to do this,” I said as I stood in front of one of the full-length mirrors in Natalie’s bedroom. “He’s already been found guilty, and there isn’t a chance he’ll get away with anything less than life.”

  “I know,” said Natalie as she stepped into a pair of black flats. “But I’m not going to be able to move on until I hear the words. And I want to be there for them.”

  “There’s that stubbornness I love,” I said with a smile.

  “You love it?” she asked. “You sure you’re not just tolerating it?”

  I stepped over to Natalie as she stood in front of her own mirror. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her softly on the neck. “I love everything about you,” I said. “Even your stubbornness.”

  “I suppose I’ll just have to take your word for it,” she said with a smile.

  “Good,” I said. “Because you’re going to be hearing a lot of what I love about you.”

  Natalie glanced down, her hands resting on her small baby bump.

  “Even when this thing makes me look like I’m smuggling a watermelon?”

  “Even then,” I said. “Especially then, since the bigger you get, the closer we are to having our family.”

  “Stop,” she said. “You’re going to make me melt.”

  “That’s what I’ve got planned for later,” I said.

  She turned around and gave me a kiss. “Sweet-talker,” she said, playfully swatting me on the chest.

  I checked the time. “Shit,” I said. “We’d better get going.”

  “Let’s do it,” she said.

  We gathered our things and were out the door, the car that Barnes had sent for us waiting in front of the building.

  Once we were settled into the back and the car pulled off and merged into the flow of traffic, I watched as a curious expression formed on Natalie’s face.

  “You OK?” I asked.

  “Yeah,” she said. “I think so.”

  “You think so?”

  I reached over and grabbed her hand. “Tell me what’s on your mind,” I said.

  She squeezed me back and spoke. “Can’t believe this is all over,” she said. “Or almost, that is.”

  “Believe it,” I told her. “In an hour from now, we’re going to hear the judge officially say that Joey is going to be in jail for the rest of his life.”

  “I know,” she said. “After all that I’ve been through—that we’ve been through—it’s going to be over. I don’t have to live in fear anymore. I can be normal.”

  “Well,” I said with a smile, “you’re just going to have to get used to it. But I’ll be here to help you make the adjustment.”

  “I know you will be,” she said, matching my smile. “You always are.”

  I leaned over and kissed her.

  Before too long we were in front of the courthouse, the stately building imposing before us. Barnes was there waiting, a concerned look on his face.

  “There you both are,” he said. “I was wondering if you two were going to show.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it,” said Natalie.

  Barnes nodded. “Time for some closure, huh?” he asked.

  “That’s right,” I said. “The rest of my crew’s locked up, Joey’s empire is done, and now there’s one last thing to do.”

  “Then let’s not waste any time,” he said. “I got us some good seats.”

  He led us through the entrance and the security checkpoint right after. The courthouse was packed with press and cops and city employees, but thankfully the NYPD was able to keep us at a good distance from them.

  “So, this might sound a little strange, but me and Wharton and a bunch of the other men and women who’ve been working on Joey for the last god-knows-how-long have a little celebration planned for tonight.”

  “A celebration?” I asked.

  “Yeah,” he said. “Rented out this bar in Midtown overlooking the city. I wasn’t sure if you two were going to be in a reflective mood tonight or what, but you’re both more than welcome to come. After all, we couldn’t have done this without you both.”

  “What do you think?” I asked Natalie.

  “I wasn’t sure what kind of mood I’d be in either,” she said. “But something fun actually does sound nice.”

  “Perfect,” said Barnes. “I’ll let you know the details.”

  My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I took it out. It was a text from Ellie, letting me know her flight had just landed.

  “Ellie’s here,” I said. “We’ll have to bring her along.”

  “Oh,” said Natalie. “I get to meet the famous sister.”

  “You’ll like her,” I said. “She’s tough like you.”

  I gave her arm a squeeze as we made our way into the courtroom.

  The place was packed, and Barnes led us to an open space near the front. After a time, the judge arrived, and the chatter in the courtroom stopped.

  Joey was there, seated among the expensive lawyers who, I hoped, hadn’t done him a bit of good. The fucker could still barely walk after that bullet Natalie had put in him. I hoped each step he took made him hurt.

  The judge went through the preliminaries before getting into it. He went through the numerous charges Joey had been found guilty of.

  Then came the sentences. He said the crime, then said the term, and I did my best to keep up. When he was all done, I did the math and turned to Natalie.

  “Two hundred and forty years,” we both quietly said to each other.

  Barnes reached over and gave me a solid slap on the back as I squeezed Natalie’s hand.

  Then Joey was led out, and that was that. He was gone.

  It was over.

  We soon were back outside the courthouse, the sun feeling extra warm and bright.

  “And that’s that,” said Barnes. “And a bunch of his colleagues, too—either by the book or on the hook. Take out the king and the whole castle crumbled. We got them.”

  “We did,” I said. “Now it’s time to get ready. I have a surprise for you tonight.”

  “Oh yeah?” said Natalie, an eyebrow raised. “What might that be?”

  “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  Thank you for reading! Want more? Garret has a surprise announcement for Natalie that you don’t want to miss. Sign up for my Aubrey’s Angels Newsletter and receive an additional epilogue for Broken Hero. The epilogue will be in the welcome email. Click Here or go here: https://www.subscribepage.com/aubreysangels

  You seem like a great person who loves to help others. Could you extend your greatness by leaving a review for this book? It will earn you good karma and many hugs and kisses :) Also, keep reading for a couple of sneak peeks on the next page. Love, Aubrey

  Ex’s Best Friend Sneak Peek

  Introduction

  The cocky hottie is my ex boyfriend's best friend.

  He’s also my damn roommate.

  And he just caught me doing something... private.

  Living with him was my brilliant ex boyfriend’s idea.

  I needed a temporary place to crash.

  But me and the “EX” just broke up.

  Not that I minded.

  His million dollar smile had a way of making panties disintegrate.

  I was doing an OK job at keeping my dirty thoughts to myself...

  Until he walked in on me.

  I need a distraction.

  Something to keep my mind off of him.

  What’s the first thing you do when someone says “don’t touch”?

  Yeah, exactly what you’re thinking.

  Click here and get your copy now!

  Chapter 1

  Michael

  She was temptation made flesh, and I was the lucky asshole who had to sleep down the hall from her.

  My best
friend’s ex-girlfriend.

  Gorgeous, willowy, blonde, curves that melted my resolve into a puddle of nothingness.

  Emma Burk had been my obsession since college. My desire. And now that she’d broken up with my best friend, her living under my roof simply couldn’t continue. Not without collateral damage.

  But goddamn if I didn’t want her to stay.

  I’d gotten used to the sound of her around the apartment. The smells of her perfume and her cooking. Her laughter and conversation.

  Get your shit together, fuck head. She’s got to go. Or you’re going to do something you regret.

  I strode down the hall toward her room, which was opposite mine, grinding my teeth. It had been a long day and discussing this with her would only make it longer.

  I’d only let her move into my apartment in Manhattan as a favor to George. Because he hadn’t been ready to move in with her yet, and she’d had nowhere to stay.

  She paid her rent, she was a good friend, she kept to herself when the time was right, and she never made too much noise. A good roommate, but this shit didn’t make sense anymore, and her being a good roommate didn’t compare to the amount of distraction she brought to me.

  I hadn’t been able to think of anything but touching her since she’d broken up with George.

  I ran my fingers through my hair and stepped up to her bedroom door, raised my fist.

  A soft noise from within stalled me.

  The muscles in my arms tensed, and that tension spread upward and backward, through me, from head to toe.

  I listened hard, but there was nothing else. No further sound.

  “Emma?” I said quietly, and placed my hand on the doorknob. “Are you all right?” She had epilepsy, or a mild form of it at least, and I always worried about her when it came to that. “Emma?”

  She didn’t reply, so I turned the knob, cracked the door open. There was the off chance she wasn’t in, but that didn’t explain the noise I’d heard. “Emma?” I repeated, and stepped into her room.

  I halted just inside, my muscles turning to iron. My cock stiffened and tugged against the inside of my pants.

  She was on the bed, her eyes closed, her earphones in, linked to her iPhone. She was naked from the waist down, her panties around her ankles, her knees collapsed outward, and her fingers working her pussy. She moaned and tossed her head, bucked her hips in time to the movements of her fingers, little oscillations as she soared higher and higher.