Unlikely Hero (Atlanta #1) by Kemmie Michaels Read Free Book Online

female by any chance?”
    God, sisters are a nuisance , he thought lovingly.  
    “Yes, but that’s got nothing to do with anything. I found this book of hers when I was cleaning in her office and I read a few pages. It was cool, her story. Something bad happened to her, too, and she’s coming out of it. It was just good to read, I suppose.”
    “This book while cleaning? Her story? YOU READ HER DIARY???”
    “See that’s why I didn’t want to tell you. I didn’t know it was her journal or whatever until I was already reading it. Then, I just wanted to see how it all played out. If it makes you feel any better, I left her a note apologizing to her and telling her she was strong.”
    “Oh. My. God. You’re an idiot. Seriously an idiot. I hope you don’t get fired over this,” Cassie said, genuinely worried for her brother.  
    “Don’t worry,” Marcus teased. “Your gravy train isn’t going to stop. Besides, I was kind of intrigued so I asked her to let me read more.”
    “Wow. You’ve got balls, Marc. I’ll give you that. But, seriously, you’re an idiot. Or you’ve been kicked in the head too many times now. Maybe you should take up sewing.”
    “Don’t you have to go study?” he tossed back at her.
    “Actually, I do. So, uh, don’t be any more of an idiot this week and I’ll talk to you next Sunday. Thanks for calling, Marc. Love you.”
    “Love you, too, Cass.”
    Marcus sat back on his couch and stared at the wall. Maybe he was an idiot for writing that note. Erin Connor never would have known he read her journal and life could have just gone right on along. What’s done was done, though, so no point in questioning it.  
    Besides, he needed to write that note. She needed to hear what he wrote. Knowing she has strength inside her when someone else tried to strip it away could is crucial. Finding that within herself could very well be most powerful experience she’ll have. Bill taught Marcus; Marcus wanted to teach Erin.  
    He thought back to her picture on the wall of the accounting firm. She was standing tall with her shoulders back and her chin level. She had sharp, intelligent green eyes and what was probably very pretty hair. He couldn’t tell when it was all pulled back like that, but at the very least her hair was a really sexy shade of red.  
    Erin Connor was obviously fit, or at least took care of herself enough to look very good in professional clothes. Marcus had never really found women in power-suits very attractive, but even business-wear couldn’t hide that Erin Connor was very pretty. He imagined that in a pair of jeans, tight t-shirt, and with her hair down, Erin Connor would be down right hot.  
    He found himself sitting black-eyed on his couch, wanting to find out. He thought more about her than he should have. He kept picturing all those scenes from her childhood she had written about. He so easily imagined the neighbor’s puppy licking her nose and the innocent, little-girl giggles that probably followed. The mental image was sweet.  
    He didn’t have a lot of “sweet” growing up, and he and Cassie never had a lot of friends. They kept mostly to themselves out of a shared sense of survival. Marcus was now feeling a bit like Erin was a childhood friend. They grew up at about the same time, he assumed, and sharing in her memories made him feel a bit connected with her even back in his childhood. That way of thinking wasn’t rational, but he found the connection comforting. He wanted to hear more.  
    Marcus spent much of the day on Sunday sleeping, just like he did after almost every fight. He was pretty sure he had a broken or cracked rib under that knee-shaped bruise so he knew he had to go easy on himself for a few days. Down-time was the hardest part about the fight. Pain wasn’t difficult; he was well used to that. Recovery left him with too much time to think and not enough physical work to vent the angry energy that would build up only too quickly.  
    He