Battered Not Broken by Celia Kyle Read Free Book Online Page B

filtered the knowledge that three very
large men, two of whom were hitting each other, stood on the other
side of the wooden door. Should she open it and clear the air, or
lock it tight against their intrusion and escape through the
window?
    Blood thundered through her body and all she
could hear now was the rapid beating of her heart as her body
infused with adrenaline. Her hand gripped the knob, knuckles
whitening from the pressure of her hold. Her breath came fast and
hard, as her thoughts warred with her body. The men had shown her
nothing but kindness, yet they were fighting, getting physical over
entering her room. No! Her mind screamed while the other half
yelled at her to open the door, end the torment.
    She wanted to run in two directions at once. To the window, or through the door? Frozen, she clutched the
knob as the voices continued, but she couldn’t hear any evidence of
a continued fight.
    “Feel better now?” Ronan.
    He was okay. Her grip remained on the knob,
even if she felt like sagging against the door in relief.
    “Asshole.”
    “That I am.”
    “Move, Max.”
    Feet moved on the other side of the door,
their shadows peeking beneath the wood. Her heart had begun to slow
at hearing the low growl of Ronan’s voice, but it was quickly
picking up speed once again. Now was the time to flick the lock. Now!
    But she couldn’t. The sweet way Conner took
care of her when she first arrived, the tender touches Max gave her
as he cared for her cuts and the softest most touching kiss she’d
ever received from Ronan made her hand freeze on the knob. They’d
proven their tenderness and caring toward her, she couldn’t let
Conner attack Ronan. Couldn’t.
    “Conner, I don’t think now’s the time…”
    “You’re not going in there, Conner.”
    “Watch me, Ronan.”
    “Guys, this is becoming a bit like a pissing
match only you’re pissing gas and she’s the match. Do you really
want to go in there as pissed off as you are?”
    Silence reigned then the sound of bare feet
padding down the hall met her ears. They’d left. Maybe she could
sneak into the living room and grab her shoes and then…well, she
didn’t know what. She just knew their fighting freaked her the fuck
out.
    Turning the knob, she opened the door on its
silent hinges and was met with what she could only guess was Max’s
back. Fuck!
    He must have heard her gasp, or breathe, or
something because he whirled around. His furrowed brow and look of
worry was quickly replaced with an easy smile—so much like Ronan’s,
but different.
    “Mornin’, beautiful.”
    He greeted her as if he hadn’t just broken up
a fight between his brothers. Like everything was as it should be
in the world.
    “Max?”
    “Yep, you’re getting better at telling us
apart.”
    Grunts and a thump against the house could be
felt through the floor. Max coughed, pounding his chest and
stamping his foot. Was she supposed to believe that the sound had
come from him? Did she look like an idiot?
    “Where are Ronan and Conner?”
    The fear still waged a war against her
compassion, but she didn’t like the idea of the two men fighting.
The fact that the fight had been taken outside, she presumed to
keep her from hearing, made her feel a little better, but she
couldn’t let them beat the crap out of each other.
    “Uh. Around.”
    His body blocked the entire doorway, his
shoulders nearly touching the sides of the doorjamb. She scooted as
quickly as her feet would allow to the left, but he was too quick
for her. She stepped back to look him in the eye.
    “Around?”
    “Uh huh.”
    She feigned right and moved her body left,
but he blocked her again. Stepping back, she planted her hands on
her hips and glared at Max.
    “Why are you keeping me locked in here,
Max?”
    “Uh. What makes you think I am?”
    “Max?” She growled his name, low and as
menacing as she could make it. “Do I look like an idiot to you?”
She held up her hand. Max had proved to be the laid-back