Page 4 of Wounded Hearts

Chapter 2

One YearLater

Sweat was dripping down Drew’s back as his muscles strained for the last minute on the rowing machine. Beating his personal best by a fraction more every day had become his goal. His body was stronger and fitter than it had ever been, and he felt good mentally too. It had been a hard slog for him to get here, but he finally felt happy in his own skin.

He had a job he loved, a family he adored, and a network of friends he knew would be there for him at the drop of a hat if he asked. But more than that, he finally felt as if he was contributing in a way that made a difference.

Working out the recruits for Fortis’ new security division that would expand the business into more mainstream work, gave him purpose. He worked them physically until they dropped or quit, and then he handed those that made it through to Daniel so he could break them a little more. Daniel put them through the equivalent of SAS selection. Having done it with Daniel—an ex-SAS operator himself—Drew knew first-hand how brutal it was.

It sounded cruel, but the work Fortis did wasn’t for the faint of heart or for those looking for an easy job with good money. It was hard, dangerous work and only those willing to push through and go the extra mile would pass the bar. It had taken a long time and a serious amount of hard work and support from his friends before he’d felt worthy, but he’d found his place.

The only thing not going great was his love life. That was stagnant. He’d hooked up a few times with different women but nothing serious had come from them. He just hadn’t felt that connection with any of them. Mara Kennett’s face flashed through his mind and he wondered, not for the first time, what had happened to her. They’d definitely had a connection worth pursuing. He’d wanted to know more about her on multiple levels, not just the way she filled out a bikini.

After the hostage situation on St Kitts last year, he’d looked for her at the hospital and had been told she’d quit. He’d been disappointed but not altogether surprised. A life-changing event like that would make people re-evaluate their lives. He’d considered asking Will, the Fortis IT genius, to look for her after not seeing her around but in the end had decided against it.

If she wanted a fresh start, then who was he to mess that up for her. A part of him had hoped the connection he’d felt and the spark between them had meant more but obviously that wasn’t to be. He couldn’t say he hadn’t been disappointed though.

Drew was fine with it. ‘It was what it was’ had become his motto these days. Some things couldn’t be pushed, and love was one of them. God knew he’d spent the first twenty years of his life trying.

Thanks to his sister Lauren, her husband Dane, and their gorgeous rug rats Leah and Aaron, he now had all the love he needed. Not to mention his massive extended family.

He grabbed the water bottle he kept beside him and swallowed great mouthfuls as he stood from the rowing machine, noting he’d beat his PB yet again. His head turned to the door and he watched Lucy and Zin walk into the gym.

“Hey, Luce. Zin,” he greeted.

Lucy smiled and walked towards him; her lithe confident stride slightly slower, more cautious today. Zin, her work partner, lifted his chin in greeting and moved to the free weights, his large muscular body shredded until there wasn’t an ounce of fat anywhere on the large Russian.

“Hey, Drew, how are the new recruits doing?”

Lucy leaned on the bench looking like she was going to barf, and he took a step back. “You okay?”

Lucy nodded as she took a sip of cold water from the bottle she carried everywhere with her. “Yep, just a little nausea.” She rubbed the tiny bump that showed easily in the skin-tight lycra sportswear and smiled. “This little one is determined to make me suffer.”

Drew could hear the love in her voice as she spoke of her four-month pregnancy. It had been a hard journey for her and Jace to conceive. Every member of their family had felt their struggle as if it were their own. Lucy and Jace were loved by everyone and it hurt to see them hurting. This baby would be treated as the blessing that it was, and the thought made him happy.

Drew knew, despite the morning sickness that plagued her from day one, Lucy was thrilled to be expecting this baby, especially as she and Jace seemed as in love as ever. Jace had been cool about Lucy working—of all the men he was the most laid back—but since the pregnancy he’d been like a shadow with his wife. Always one step behind her making sure she was okay.

“I’m surprised Jace is letting you train.”

Lucy lifted a brow and straightened, crossing her arms. Too late Drew realised his mistake. “Jace does not let me do anything. I’m my own person and it’s good for the baby if I’m healthy.”

Drew backed up, hands out. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Good. Now, tell me about the new guys.”

He was relieved she’d changed the subject. Upsetting a pregnant woman wasn’t the way he wanted to die and that pregnant woman being a deadly former assassin made it entirely possible. “They’re mostly average but there are one or two that show some promise.”

Lucy smirked. “Who would have thought my sweet Drew, the boy who blushed so easily, would become such a hardass.”

Drew chuckled at her description of him. He supposed it was true, he’d been so different when he’d first come here. Unsure, immature, naive really but now he was more confident and the naivete was most definitely gone for good. “Well, I don’t know about that. I think you missed out sex god and ladies’ man.”

“Eugh, that’s gross. And anyway, I don’t see anyone keeping your bed warm.”

Drew shrugged his shoulder. “Been busy.”

“Busy my ass. You need to get out there and get some. What about that pretty physio we met last year? She was hot and so into you.”

“Mara quit her job when she got back, and I haven’t heard from her or seen her since.”