Not Quite Broken: A Callaghan Family & Friends Romance Read online

  Not Quite Broken

  Callaghan Family & Friends, Volume 2

  Abbie Zanders

  Published by Abbie Zanders, 2018.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  NOT QUITE BROKEN

  First edition. November 15, 2018.

  Copyright © 2018 Abbie Zanders.

  Written by Abbie Zanders.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Not Quite Broken (Callaghan Family & Friends, #2)

  Acknowledgements

  Before You Begin

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Epilogue

  Thanks for reading Brian and Tori’s story

  If you liked this book...

  About the Author

  Also by Abbie Zanders

  Not Quite Broken

  Callaghan Family & Friends, Book 2

  by

  Abbie Zanders

  Acknowledgements

  Professional editing by Megedits.com.

  Special thanks to my good friend and fellow author Tonya Brooks for her invaluable feedback.

  And THANK YOU for selecting this book. You didn’t have to, but you did.

  Before You Begin

  NOTE to readers: Not Quite Broken was originally published as part of the Love Under Siege collection, a limited edition anthology of military-themed, romantic suspense stories. If you purchased Love Under Siege, you should know that this version of NQB isn’t really much different from the one there.

  ~ * ~

  Not Quite Broken is the story of Brian McCain. Many of you fell in love with Lacie’s older brother in Beyond Affection, the sixth book of my Callaghan Brothers series (Shane and Lacie’s love story), and have been asking for Brian to get his happily ever after.

  That is one request I am thrilled I’m able to deliver. I admit, writing Brian’s story was difficult. He was convinced that a croie was simply not in the cards for him; that he was too damaged. Thankfully, Tori Donovan came along and convinced me (and him, eventually) that she was just the woman he needed.

  I loved writing their story, giving them the happy ending they both so desperately needed. Having a chance to catch up with the Callaghans in the process was nice, too. Going back to Pine Ridge always feels like coming home again to me.

  Happy reading!

  Prologue

  Dry Creek, Texas

  Cameron Dalton kept her eyes closed, feigning sleep as her husband got up and dressed quietly in the dark. The night was so still, so quiet, that even the slightest rustle of fabric was clearly audible. Her heart was pounding so fiercely that if she looked down, she would surely be able to see the sheet rising and falling with each beat.

  He walked over to the door. Opened it. Closed it.

  She wasn’t fooled. He was still there. Waiting. Watching. She could feel his gaze as keenly as if his body still covered hers, demanding that which, in his mind, was his right since she wore his band on her left ring finger.

  The door opened again and this time when it closed, he was on the other side. She listened to his footsteps fade as he walked down the hall. Heard the floorboards creak when he paused and checked on their sleeping son. More footsteps, then the opening of the side door leading out to the garage.

  Only then did she exhale. It was impossible to take a full breath when he was near. She always had to be on her guard, never knowing what would set him off.

  Never in a million years would she have believed this could happen to her. That she could fall prey to someone like him. She’d been a strong, independent woman once. Living life on her own. Making her own decisions. Forging her own path.

  Now she couldn’t even pick out her own clothes.

  She should have known he was too good to be true. Handsome, quiet, and capable, he’d had kind eyes and an easy smile.

  She’d been driving across the country at the time, a lifelong dream. One of her mother’s final requests was that she sell the house and use the money to travel, to experience new places and meet new people, maybe even meet the love of her life and settle down and start a family of her own.

  She’d made it as far as northern Texas when her car broke down. He’d appeared then, a modern-day knight to save the day, or so she’d thought. He’d been so kind, giving her a ride, offering to tow her car to his shop so he could take a look and get her back on her way.

  She’d been his prisoner ever since.

  A deep rumble met her ears, followed by the roll of big tires over dry, packed dirt. Her eyes popped open and she scrambled to the window, peeking out between the blinds to see the red glare of his tail lights fading into the darkness.

  Her heart started pounding again, but for an entirely different reason this time. Dare she hope that she was finally being given the chance she’d been hoping for?

  It wasn’t unusual for him to rise from their bed and spend hours tinkering in the garage when sleep eluded him. But he never left, not without ensuring she would still be there when he returned. In the beginning, he’d used restraints, but now he had an even better way of securing her compliance: their son. She would never leave Danny and he knew it.

  Warning bells chimed in the back of her mind. Her husband was such a careful man; he didn’t leave anything to chance. Perhaps the knowledge that he was going to be a father again had distracted him and made him careless. Regardless, she was not about to let this opportunity slip away. When would she get another chance?

  She checked the window again. The lights above the garage burned brightly, but the drive remained clear. She quickly pulled on a loose cotton dress – the only thing he allowed her to wear - then removed the case from her pillow and hurried down the hall to her son’s room. There she gathered a change of clothes, a story book, and Danny’s favorite bear, and shoved them into the case. Another pause, another quick check out the window.

  Danny didn’t fully wake when she lifted him out of bed and hugged him close. His little arms wound around her neck; his soft face tucked into the hollow there. She breathed in the smell of his shampoo, the fragrance of his warm, bathed skin and freshly washed pajamas. She’d made a lot of mistakes in her life, but Danny wasn’t one of them. He was her world, and she would do anything to protect him and his unborn brother or sister.

  She slid her
feet into a pair of well-worn canvas treads, then slipped out into the night. Moving quickly and quietly, her eyes scanned for any sign of her husband’s return.

  Finding none, she went around the back of the garage, her hopes rising when she saw the car was still there; old man Hennessy hadn’t gotten around to picking it up yet. She secured Danny in the back and slid into the driver seat. The key was atop the visor; she pulled it down and inserted it into the ignition.

  This was it. The point of no return. She could still go back into the house, tuck Danny back into bed, and forget this madness. She knew what would happen if she tried to leave him again, because he’d made it very clear. He’d come after her. He’d find her. And then he’d kill her.

  Or make her wish he had.

  Fear made her hesitate. She caught her image in the rearview mirror, the fading purplish-black shadows like a macabre mask around her eye. Joe was getting worse. One punch wasn’t enough anymore. More importantly, she couldn’t take the chance he’d turn some of that rage on Danny. Almost two, Danny was becoming protective of her. Joe wouldn’t tolerate anyone questioning him or his methods, including his son.

  She couldn’t take the chance that Joe would turn that silent rage on her sweet boy.

  Decision made, she pressed her foot down on the gas and eased forward. She kept the headlights off until she made it out to the main road, then flipped them on and increased her speed. Even though she wanted to press the accelerator all the way to the floor, she stayed within the speed limit. There weren’t a lot of cars on the road at that time of night and the last thing she wanted to do was draw attention to herself or the fact that she had Danny in the back without a car seat.

  She didn’t know exactly what story Joe had told the locals, but she knew they thought she was the crazy one and Joe was the good-hearted, Christian soul who took the sanctity of his marriage vows seriously. She’d seen it in their pitying looks, the sideways glances, the way they talked only to Joe and not to her, as if she was some kind of simpleton incapable of understanding.

  No, there was no help to be found from the people of their small town. The one and only time she’d managed to escape, she’d gone to the sheriff’s office and tried to tell her tale. Instead of helping her, the deputy had put her in handcuffs (for her own safety) and called Joe to come and take her home.

  She’d been chained to the bed for a week as a result.

  She was nearly to the county line when she saw them – headlights in the rearview mirror. It could have been anyone, but the icy fingers of dread wrapping around her heart told her exactly who it was. Her gaze dropped to her son’s image in the mirror, thankful for his ability to sleep through anything. Her determination surged, and she pressed the pedal down as far as it would go.

  A six-cylinder sedan was no match for Joe’s powerful V8 pick-up and the distance between the vehicles shortened quickly. The sedan suddenly lurched forward as he gunned the engine, ramming the car from behind.

  Another jolt came on the heels of the first, this one waking Danny and making him cry out.

  Joe backed off, then surged forward, pulling up beside them so they were side by side.

  “Pull over.”

  He didn’t yell. He didn’t have to. His voice carried in the night through the open windows, the absolute coldness of it sending chills down her spine. She shook her head. She couldn’t pull over now. If she did, she’d never have another chance.

  He didn’t repeat the request. Instead, he edged the big body of the truck ahead and crowded into her lane, forcing her off the road. She clutched the wheel with both hands, fighting for control as Danny’s cries turned to shrieks. She wanted to console him, to tell him everything would be okay, but she needed all of her concentration to stay in control.

  “It’s okay, ba-”

  Her words were cut off when her right tire hit something on the side of the road; the resulting blowout rang out like a shotgun blast. She wrenched the wheel but at that speed, there was no way to compensate. The car dipped and twisted into a sideways roll; she prayed that the seatbelt and blankets she’d tucked around Danny would keep him safe.

  White hot pain burst along her temple and everything when dark. When she opened her eyes again, she was staring up at the sky. The car sat on its roof; half of her body was still in the car, half was out. “Danny!”

  No answer. No cry. She tried to move, calling out to him over and over, but her body wouldn’t cooperate. Her lower half was pinned inside the car. Her fingers scraped uselessly against metal and dirt as she frantically tried to extricate herself. The resulting agony was nothing compared to the thought of losing her son.

  Blood dripped into her eyes, obscuring her vision, but she had no difficulty identifying the scents of gasoline and smoke. The car was on fire!

  A big, dark shape moved closer, then kneeled down beside her.

  Joe.

  “Help Danny!” she cried. “Save my son!”

  The fire flared and in its light, she saw Joe flatten himself on the ground beside her and crawl forward into the flaming wreckage. His hand slipped down and released a lethal-looking knife from the sheath attached to his belt. Then he was pulling back out of the vehicle, Danny cradled in his arms. Joe rolled around in the dirt, trying to put out the flames that licked at his clothes and the bundle he held.

  Her heart dropped at the sight. “Oh God, is he okay? Please, tell me he’s okay!”

  Joe got to his knees, then his feet, wincing in pain even as he cradled his son. He looked down at her, his eyes colder than she’d ever seen, filled with pure hatred and something else – grief.

  Then he turned and started walking back to the truck, but it had been enough to see that her son had not been spared. She screamed out in torment. Screamed for her son.

  Joe got in his truck and drove away, leaving her there to die, but inside, she was already dead.

  Chapter One

  Six Years Later... Pine Ridge, PA

  “So, what time do you get off?”

  Brian picked up the glass and the coaster, wiping the spot where they’d been with a soft cloth. The movement was smooth, rote. One he did hundreds of times every night. He hadn’t missed the playful innuendo, nor the way the woman’s voice dropped slightly when she’d asked. She’d been flirting with him all night, so it wasn’t unexpected.

  It wasn’t entirely unwelcome, either. The woman was attractive, well-dressed, and well-spoken. If he had to guess, he’d say she was around mid-thirties and looking for a little company to ease a case of the lonelies, nothing more.

  “I’m here until close.”

  “And after?”

  He glanced again toward the table in the far back corner, remembering his promise to Kieran. The group of spirited, inebriated females was now down to two: Phoebe, the bride to be, and Tori Donovan. The number had dwindled from the dozen or so they’d started out with as husbands, boyfriends, and siblings had arrived over the last hour or so to take them home safely.

  “I’m busy,” he answered. He didn’t bother explaining that he was helping out a friend, or that his plans for the night were wholly benevolent. She could assume whatever she wanted.

  Disappointment flashed in her eyes, but she smiled. “Another time, perhaps?”

  He returned her smile with one of his own. “Yeah, maybe.”

  The woman paid with cash, padding the tab with a nice tip. He watched her walk out the door, feeling only a vague sense of missed opportunity. At one time, he would have been walking out with her, but things had changed. He had changed.

  “Hey, Brian.” Josh Delario, the lucky groom, waved in greeting as he walked in.

  “Hey, Josh.”

  “How did it go? Did they behave themselves?”

  Brian grinned, thinking of the male strippers that he’d directed toward the back room earlier. They were good guys, both of them, local college students trying to earn extra cash and fully vetted by the Callaghan brothers. No surprise there. Phoebe worked at Kieran�
�s fitness center, BodyWorks, and as such, Phoebe was considered extended family. The Callaghans took care of their own.

  “No worries. She’s going to have a rough morning, though.”

  “Got it covered. Ice pack’s in the freezer and I stopped at the store and picked up ibuprofen, saltines, and ginger ale.”

  “Good man.”

  “Storing credit,” Josh said on a laugh. “I figure whatever is left over she can use on me after my bachelor party. Hey, you should come. We’re having it at Angels, Thursday night. Got a private room and everything. Gonna be epic.”

  Brian nodded politely, though he had no intention of going. The lights, the loud music, the crowds – they fucked with his head. Working at Jake’s Irish Pub weeknights was about all he could handle. That wasn’t something he advertised, though. The fewer who knew his weaknesses, the better.

  Thankfully, Phoebe spotted her groom to be and kept the conversation from getting awkward.

  “Baby!” Phoebe stood and with arms open wide, walked unsteadily towards the bar. She stumbled at the last second and Josh caught her in his arms.

  “Whoops!” She laughed, stretching to give Josh a sloppy kiss.

  “Did you have a good time?”

  “The best! But now I’m ready to go home. Those dancers got me all worked up and you are going to reap the benefits, my studly stud of studliness. Those guys were packing, but they got nothing on you, babe.”

  Phoebe reached down and boldly cupped her fiancé between the legs. Brian turned away, barely covering his laugh with a cough. Josh was certainly in for a wild night – if Phoebe managed to make it to their place without passing out on the way.

  “What about Tori?” Josh asked. The last member of the bachelorette party had made her way over, too.

  “Hey Tori, you need a ride?” Phoebe bellowed. “Oh, there you are.”

  “Thanks, but I’m good.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah, Cole’s picking me up.”