Page 8 of Wounded Hearts

“It was named after the Czar of Russia, Alexander the Second. Looking at it in daylight it’s difficult to believe it could change so much, so that you would hardly know it the next time you saw it.” Brayden smiled at something behind him and Drew turned slightly so his back wasn’t to the person approaching.

His breath caught in his chest when he saw Mara falter for a split second, her shock at seeing him gone in an instant before she smiled at Brayden and moved to his side. Her head was down, and she wouldn’t meet his eyes. For a second, he was unsure what to do but instinctively knew he had to follow her lead. Her appearance was shocking. She’d lost so much weight and while she was still breathtakingly beautiful, something was different. As if her spirit was gone, her joy had left her.

“Drew, let me introduce to my fiancée Mara. Mara, this is Drew Preedy. He’s helping us out tonight with security.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mara.” He held out his hand for her to shake and she hesitantly slipped her tiny boned hand into his much larger one. Her hand was cold as ice, but the grip was firm as her eyes met his and he sensed she was trying to say more with her handshake than was possible. Before he was ready, it was over, and she moved her hand back to Brayden’s arm.

“She is a beauty, is she not, Drew?”

Drew wanted to punch the man in the face for treating her like a trophy, but he bit his tongue. There was so much more at play here than he could see. “That she is, Mr Wells.”

He was about to excuse himself and get away from the situation so he could get his thoughts together when a loud crash came from the staff entrance. Drew whipped his head around and saw a waiter on the floor, his tray and glasses all around him. Smithy was standing over him, his eyes wild. He looked wrecked as he staggered back with fear, pain, and aggression whirling around him as people approached from all angles.

Excuse me,” Drew said absently his mind on reaching Smithy and getting him out of there.

Wells smiled and nodded.

Drew quickly moved close to Smithy and turned to Craig who’d already reached Smithy. “What happened?” Drew demanded.

“Not sure.”

“Smithy, what’s happening man?” Drew moved slowly closer as he waved everyone else away. He could hear Craig speaking to his men, instructing them to get people away from Smithy. Less than a minute later, the three of them stood alone in relative privacy. “Smithy, talk to me buddy. Let me help you.”

“No, no, I can’t go back. I won’t.” Smithy was holding his head as he shook it in denial, his face a tortured mask.

“It’s okay, mate, you don’t have to. We can go home to Fortis and just kick back with a Strongbow. What do you say? Want to do that?”

Drew could see he was getting nowhere fast when Smithy lunged at Craig with a fist, before falling to the ground and curling up on the floor, covering his head.

“Get down, she’s coming.”

Craig turned to him. “We need to get him out of here.”

Drew nodded and as a team they picked up Smithy who fought them the entire way and carried him outside. Once there they released him. He fell to the ground and began to cry as he rocked and spoke in a whisper over and over again, “I can’t. Please don’t make me.”

“Can you help me get him in the car?”

Craig nodded sadly and helped Drew lift a now comatose Smithy into the back seat of the car. “Does he have a girlfriend?” Craig asked.

Drew turned his back to Smithy, not wanting the man to see him talking about him and fraying his pride even more. Drew was confused by the question. “Not that I know of.”

“That’s a case of PTSD if ever I saw it. I don’t know what triggered him, but he needs help.”

“Why the question about the girlfriend?”

“When I was going through something similar, the only person who could get through to me was my girl. Calmed me right down. You need to find his person, the one who can get through when nothing else can, and he needs counselling. This won’t go away on its own. Find a vet support group and see if they can help.”

Drew knew the man meant well and obviously had experience with this, but a vet group might not be the answer. Drew knew where this episode stemmed from and it broke his heart to know his blood had done this to a man he considered a friend. A good man, one who’d fought for his country, protected people, one who’d been hurt so deeply by Drew’s own estranged aunt. The sister of the sick man that had sired him. He wondered if he’d ever free himself of the guilt that being related to them carried.

“I know someone that might be able to help.” Drew rounded the front of the vehicle, chancing a glance across at Smithy who seemed calmer now. “I’m sorry about this, Craig.”

Craig held up his hand. “No need. Just get him some help. Tell Zack I’ll call him.”

Drew nodded and got into the car. He was halfway down the drive before he thought of Mara again. Smithy was silent in the back and Mara was a shadow of the woman he’d known. This night had been a cluster fuck from the get-go. What he didn’t know was why Mara looked like a beautiful, walking zombie and what had caused to Smithy to freak out. He didn’t know but he’d find out.