Battered Not Broken (3 page)

Gillian looked over her clothes. Mud had
spattered all over her clothes and still clung to the bottom of her
jeans. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what the rest of her
looked like now. Normally her hair hung in beautiful ringlets, but
she was sure that by now they frizzed in every direction. A soak in
a tub sounded divine, but there was no way she could lower her body
into a big ‘ole tub of water and crawl out again. At best, she
thought she could sit on the shower floor as the water poured over
her.

“Shower. A shower sounds good; I can just sit
on the floor. Ya know, considering.” She wiggled her feet to get
her point across.

“No worries. We’ve got a shower that will
take your breath away.” He bent down to her eye level, the same
smile playing on his lips. “I’m going to lift you up and carry you
to the bathroom, is that okay? Don’t want you injuring yourself
more than you already have.”

Nodding, she was swept into Conner’s arms
before she had a chance to say "okay". Gillian let out a screech as
she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight.

He strode toward the door with Gillian
holding on for dear life. Feet from the door, it swung open and
Gillian stared into Max and Ronan’s eyes. She couldn’t tell them
apart, but one of them barked a question at Conner.

“Well?”
That must be Ronan.

“She’s staying with us for now. Back up, will
ya? I’m taking her to the bathroom and I can’t get there with you
two standing in the way.”

Both men backed down the hall, grumbling
while never taking their eyes off her. Maybe Conner had been lying
when he said she’d be welcome. She couldn’t read the looks on Max
and Ronan’s faces, but they definitely didn’t say, ‘Welcome!’

Max swung the bathroom door open and stood
back. His hand held Ronan’s wrist, seeming to hold him back as
well. Conner kept his steps even and firm as he made his way into
the bathroom. Turning sideways, he moved into the room with ease.
Gillian was surprised when he kicked the door shut with his heel,
keeping Max and Ronan out, but also closing them in the room
together.

This was it.
The other shoe was
falling in the form of Conner being a total pervert and forcing her
to take a shower while he watched—or worse, participated.

Conner knocked the lid to the toilet seat
down before seating her on it. He left her there and went around
the corner to what Gillian presumed was the linen closet and came
back carrying a fluffy robe and towel.

“So, we’ve got the fluffy robe, a towel, and
a washcloth. I also grabbed an extra towel to dry off with for
later.”

“Why two towels?”

A pale blush stained Conner’s sun-kissed face
before he answered. “Well, I figured you could get undressed and
wrap this one around you while I carried you into the shower. The
second one is to dry off later. The shower is huge, with adjustable
showerheads and a bench seat. We can get everything angled just
right for you before I leave and then you won’t have to stand to
shower. It’s not ideal…”

“It’s perfect.”

She earned a blinding smile from Conner as he
rubbed his hands on his jeans.

Twice in fifteen minutes Conner had proven he
wasn’t anything like Kyle. She would have earned a smack for
smearing blood on the floor, even if he had been the cause. And not
once had Kyle ever thought about her comfort or privacy. It was
always about what made Kyle happy.

“I’ll just stand over here, with my back
turned of course, while you get undressed. Yell when you’re
ready.”

Gillian waited until Conner disappeared
around the corner then began peeling her layers from her body.
First her jacket, then her sweatshirt, and finally her t-shirt,
leaving her in her bra covering her breasts. Free of her clothes,
the scent of sweat and mud hit her like a ton of bricks.
Ew!
Body odor did not even begin to describe her scent. How had Conner
not wrinkled his nose at the thought of carrying her? She smelled
ripe!

Gillian flicked open the button on her jeans,
lowered the zipper and began her own version of a caterpillar
wiggle to get her jeans past her hips without standing. By the time
she got them down to her thighs, she panted from the exertion. The
soaked and soiled garment made a splat when she dropped it onto her
growing pile of clothing.

She looked around the bathroom to make sure
Conner was still out of eyesight. He was, so Gillian repeated her
caterpillar wiggle to remove her panties, draping the towel over
her lap just in case Conner didn’t hold to his word. She held one
side pressed between her chin and chest as she reached behind her
to unlatch her bra. She added it to her pile of laundry before
wrapping the towel firmly around her chest and making sure her
lower body was covered. Happy she was as covered as she could be,
she yelled—well, croaked—for Conner.

“Conner?”

He appeared from around the corner. His pale
blush had deepened to a fire engine red. “All set?”

“As I’ll ever be.” Gillian mustered the best
smile she could, but inside she quaked like a leaf. Conner came to
her side and scooped her into his arms without any apparent effort,
but this time, she kept her hands to herself. The last thing she
wanted to do was flash the man. The situation was awkward
enough.

He carried her around the corner where he had
been waiting and she got a good look at the shower she had only
glanced at before. Massive didn’t begin to describe the glass
enclosure. The bottom half of the walk-in shower was what appeared
to be a marble wall while the top half consisted of large panes of
glass. The door, also glass, was propped open and Conner carried
her into the shower and settled her onto a built-in bench.

The shower
room
is what he should have
called it. The space looked as if it could easily fit three or more
people. There were showerheads in so many different places Gillian
didn’t think she could count them all. Preoccupied with her
surroundings, she’d completely forgotten Conner was with her. Well,
until he plopped down onto the bench beside her. She let out a
squeak of surprise.

He held out some sort of wireless computer
panel. Taking it in her hands, she stared at him.

“And I’m doing what with this exactly?”

“That controls all of the showerheads in
here. All you have to do is pick one and a directional screen comes
up and you can move it around until you like where it’s at. Then
push ‘OK’. We each have our own settings pre-programmed, but we can
program one for you while you’re here so you don’t have to mess
with it so much every time you shower.”

She needed to cut him off at the pass. If she
stayed too long, Kyle would surely find her. “I’m not going to be
here very long. You don’t have to program anything for me.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble.”

Conner took the computer panel back from her
and messed with a few showerheads until he seemed happy with the
array. “How hot do you like it? Lukewarm, skin burning, or
somewhere in between.”

“In between.” She wasn’t going to fight with
the man if he wanted to program the stupid machine. It was his
toy.

“Girl after my own heart.” Conner winked at
her before returning his attention to the panel and butterflies
seemed to take up residence in her belly. Where was pesticide when
she needed some? Gillian didn’t need to crush on some guy while she
was running from Kyle. Getting tangled up with a man while on the
run wouldn’t be a good idea. He’d try to convince her he could take
care of anything and damn if she wouldn’t be tempted to believe
him.

When everything was settled to his liking, he
rose from the bench. “Well, push this button here and the water
starts collecting in the reservoir from the water heater. When it’s
gathered enough of the water at the right temperature, it’ll come
out of the showerheads, but not before it gives you a ten second
warning.”

“Okay.” She nodded.

“Great! I’ll leave your other towel near the
door. You should be able to reach it, but it won’t get wet. When
you’re done and ready for me to come get you, just push the
intercom button and speak. I’ll hear you no matter what.”

“Okay.” Her smell was getting to her, how
could he stand to be so close and in such a confined space with
her?

With a nod of his head Conner turned and was
steps away from the shower door when Gillian called him back.

“Conner!” When he turned to face her, she
felt those damn butterflies flutter and bounce again.
Stupid
things.

“I just…I just want to…” Tears were forming
in her eyes, but she refused to cry in front of a near stranger.
They could wait until she was snuggled in bed, alone. “I just want
to thank you, for everything.”

“It’s my pleasure, Gillian.”

He turned away from her again and she yelled
one last request. Well, croaked it at least.

“Can you thank your brothers too? Tell them
I’m sorry for making such a mess and…well, for everything.”

“It’s no problem, Gillian. We’re happy to
have you here. Now, enjoy your shower and just give a yell when
you’re done.”

When he stepped into the hall, Conner noticed
Ronan’s handiwork right away—every trace of the mud and blood
Gillian tracked through the cabin had been wiped clean. Their home
appeared spotless once again.

Conner padded down the hall and he found his
brothers just where he thought they’d be, pacing the living room
and snarling at one another. The tension would only rise when he
told them what he’d seen on Gillian.

Ronan noticed his presence first and stomped
to stand before him.

“Well?” Did the man ever talk instead of
growl or bark?

“She’s taking a shower…”

“You saw her naked? Shit. Lucky bastard.”
Damn, Max’s mind was always on one thing.

“No, I did not see her naked. I gave her
privacy, which she deserves. Sit down, both of you.”

“Why?”

“Just sit down, Ronan.”

They grumbled while they did it, but Conner’s
brothers did as he asked. Thank God! He wasn’t sure where to start
explaining what he’d seen and surmised from his time with Gillian,
but they didn’t give him much time to think. They wanted answers,
now. The moment Ronan’s backside touched the couch, his questions
began.

“Well? Is she staying? Of course she’s
staying. You didn’t give her a choice, right?” Ronan pointed at
him. “Right?”

“Yes, she’s staying, but I gave her a choice,
Ronan. We can’t kidnap her. I have a feeling she’s been manhandled
enough.” He pointed a finger at Ronan, making sure his brother was
paying attention. “You need to cool it with the caveman act. You
scared her witless.” Conner couldn’t sit any longer, he stood and
began pacing. “I’m pretty sure she’s been abused by a man. Why do
you think she mumbled she didn’t want to die? I think dying by a
man’s hands was a real possibility for her not too long ago.”

His statement got Max’s attention and both of
his brothers leaned forward, resting their elbows on their knees,
eyes narrowed.

“What do you mean?” The menace in Max’s voice
was unmistakable. Ronan may rant and rave, but deep down, he was
fair and level headed. Max, well, Max just wasn’t. “Gillian has
bruising around her throat, four fingers and a thumb spanning her
neck, and the same on her arms. I think she’s running from someone,
and I don’t doubt she only plans to stay for a couple of days until
her feet are healed enough to walk. Then she’ll be gone again.”

Ronan’s denial was instantaneous. “No.”

Conner ran his hands through his hair, and
then slid his hands down to his neck, rubbing and kneading the
tense muscles.

“I know, Ronan, I know.” Conner stated the
obvious as he looked at his two brothers. “Look, she’s here now. We
need to make her feel comfortable and safe. We’ll give her the room
across from yours, Ronan. But you guys better not try paying her
any late night visits. Understood?”

Ronan jerked his head in a brisk nod, but
Max’s gaze was unfocused at the wall behind him.

“Max?”

“Someone hurt her, Conner, and I want to know
who.”

Damn Max and their mother’s teachings.

“I know, Max, but I didn’t even ask her about
the bruises. She’s upset. I didn’t want to upset her further. I was
only trying to get her into the shower and cleaned up.”

Sighing, Conner flopped back onto the couch.
Gillian had been in their lives for barely half an hour yet the
emotional connection already felt stronger than a mere
acquaintance. He was sure Max and Ronan were having the same
feelings toward her as he was. His bear wanted to hunt down and
kill the man who dared to harm his mate, their mate. Gillian’s
scent identified her as their bears’ mate and she would be the
center of their triad and complete their souls.

A hesitant, croaking voice interrupted their
conversation.

“Conner?”

All three men’s bodies jerked at the sound.
Max rose from the couch and moved toward the kitchen, yelling an
order over his shoulder.

“Conner, let her know you’ll be a
minute.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to grab some salves for her wounds
and then I’ll go take care of her.”

Conner and Ronan jumped from the couch to
follow Max.

“Do you think that’s wise? I mean, she seems
comfortable with me…” The truth of it was, Conner wanted to catch
another glimpse of a half-clothed Gillian.

Max stopped his search in the pantry and
faced him. “She needs to be comfortable with all of us, Conner. I
am the most medically inclined out of the three of us, right?”

“Well, yeah.”

“So, I’m going to tend her wounds. I’m not
going to molest her or force her to do anything, but I am going to
take care of her.”

Max returned his attention to gathering the
jars and bandages he needed, leaving Conner to stare at his
brother’s back.