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  Healing Hearts 6: To Love Again

  Emma isn't ready to love again, but fate steps in and the attraction is too strong to deny, even with all the guilt she can muster. Losing Westin, an NYPD detective killed in the line of duty, made her fearful to love again. She won't let down her guard, and his partner, Martin, makes sure she always remembers Westin, and of course that Martin is the only man she can trust.

  When she meets Houston, Miller, and Eagan, the attraction is just too strong to deny, even with Martin putting her down and trying to make her question her men's commitment to her.

  Martin has a plan in motion. He's manipulated her mind for years, is responsible for Westin's murder, and is about to take her away from the three men she took a chance on and loves with all her heart.

  She isn't the timid, naive young woman of years ago. She has a fire in her, thanks to the men she loves and her strong belief in good over evil. Fighting for her life and honoring Westin's death makes her actions speak louder than words, and end the sadness, guilt, and fears once and for all.

  Genres: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Romantic Suspense

  Length: 42,700

  Healing Hearts 6:

  To Love Again

  Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  Healing Hearts 6: To Love Again

  Copyright © 2018 by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  ISBN: 978-1-64243-270-1

  First Publication: June 2018

  Cover design by Les Byerley

  All art and logo copyright © 2018 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

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  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Healing Hearts 6:

  To Love Again

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Epilogue

  Healing Hearts 6:

  To Love Again

  DIXIE LYNN DWYER

  Copyright © 2018

  Prologue

  Emma Grace felt sick to her stomach. Covering her belly, barely able to see each step she took as tears flowed, she made her way through the cemetery. Martin, Westin’s partner, gripped her arm so she wouldn’t fall, and the sounds of bagpipes echoed through the warm summer air. She barely remembered the mass, the speeches by family, friends, and co-workers in the police department. Like flashbacks through her mind, she saw different images and Westin lying in the coffin. She stared at it, thinking this couldn’t be real. This wasn’t really happening. Why did he die? How could this happen? They had their lives to live, their happiness to grow. They were getting engaged, talking about buying a home and starting a family. Why, God, why? She cried and saw the military men, heard the bugler playing “Taps,” and then suddenly gunshots went off.

  Emma jumped forward and gasped for breath. She felt the aches and pains and the concussion, too. It was a dream, a nightmare, one she had less frequently over the last year. Her abduction had brought those nightmares back. She swallowed and coughed, her throat dry, and she looked at her bedside table seeing the bottle of painkillers and the water. In her mind, she heard the music, the lonesome sound of the bugle playing, Westin’s mom sobbing, and other family members trying to console her. Martin held her by his side, but she was numb. She could feel that cold, empty numbness even now, awakened from the nightmare. She stared at the pills, refusing to take the painkillers but thinking back to a time when she would have welcomed death to be with Westin once again. Now that thought made her feel terrible, guilty, like she was a horrible person for even considering doing that to herself. Such action would destroy her family, perhaps her friends, as well. No, no, she was years passed thinking that way. If she were going to have done that, it would have happened right after Westin was buried, when the pain, the loss was so bad she lay there on their bedroom floor, exhausted from crying as she wished for death.

  No, she was stronger. She refocused, regrouped, and made the decision to separate herself from the constant reminders of Westin, but to not forget him and what they’d had. It was sacred, and nothing would ever feel like the bond they shared.

  And even though, many a times, she went back to that deep, dark, lonesome place, where nothing seemed to pull her away from taking her life, she felt that simmering in her gut. Her parents would be devastated, and so would Westin’s, the ones she kept in contact with, and of course Martin, his partner and friend. Ultimately, she believed it was Westin that kept her alive. Kept her going. Forced her to move on, to live the life God gave her until he chose her death. It wasn’t easy, but Westin’s military friends were supportive, as well. She still spoke to many of them. In fact, several didn’t live far from here, on a military base close by.

  She wiped the tears from her eyes and laid back down. Looking around the room at her very large, upscale condo, she felt lonely and a little scared. Well, a lot scared. It had been only two weeks since the incident. Two weeks since she was taken, beaten, tied up, and her mouth taped closed by some dirt-bag criminals. Two weeks since she’d regained consciousness in the arms of Houston. She swallowed hard. She didn’t like that she found him attractive, and his brothers, too. Holy crap but his brothers were just as hot as Houston.

  Eagan was retired Special Forces, though Casey said not really fully retired. Which meant he still did dangerous things. Miller was some sort of businessman, and Houston was a manager or something at Gordon’s. What a small world it was that they’d met only a couple of weeks before the abduction and he and his brothers wound up being good friends with Ice and his brothers. Such a small world.

  She felt guilty when she thought about Houston. He took a protective role immediately over her, especially learning that she lived alone, had no family here in Mercy, and that they had met before and she had been a victim. She had to talk him out of coming to her place and watching over her. Emma’s friends were there, but so were Houston, Miller, and Eagan. Though Eagan didn’t say a word, just seemed to be on guard, watching everyone who came and went. Because of the concussion, it had been a bit of a blur, but Faith, Casey, North, Brook, and Melina filled her in. They were already trying to play matchmaker and plant the seed in her head that it meant more than just the men being chivalrous.

  She got Melina, Brook, and Faith to come over and talk Miller, Eagan, and Houston into leaving by realizing that Emma didn’t need the constant protection any longer. They’d taken turns staying the night up until just last night. Emma needed to suck it up and get back to work despite the bruises and her fears. She was more jittery, definitely on edge, and she would need to get over her fears because there was no one to take care of her but herself. That had been something that bo
thered her the last few days. The realization that she was alone. That there was no one to protect her but herself. That brought on thoughts of Houston.

  Any woman would fantasize about a man like him, like Miller and Eagan, as well. They were drop-dead gorgeous. Like total eye candy, yet different, masculine, unique in their own right. Houston looked at ease, yet commanding. The scruff along his cheeks added to the mystery about the man. Women threw themselves at him, but he seemed to ignore that. That night they’d met at Gordon’s, his eyes landed on hers. They’d locked, and that was it. He approached her, introduced himself, and they spent the next hour talking. She had liked him, but her fears, the guilt she had, came full surface, and when he disappeared for a phone call he received, she ran.

  She felt a little embarrassed about that, but he didn’t ask, hadn’t asked why.

  When she met Miller and Eagan, she was shocked at the instant attraction to them, as well. She hadn’t known they were brothers. As she gained consciousness and saw them there, as if keeping watch protecting her, she felt an instant attraction but thought it was simply their handsomeness.

  Miller was clean shaven, had wide shoulders, a firm, defined chin, and dark green eyes that added to his intimidating demeanor. He seemed a bit stuck-up, or maybe confident, like not anyone could be in his league or at his level. Yet instead of that turning her off, it interested her. Especially when he looked at her with hunger in his eyes.

  Then there was Eagan. Oh boy, did he remind her of Westin and his military buddies. Sexy, mysterious, quiet, strong, and with killer eyes that couldn’t be read. It was like he was solid as stone and nothing could penetrate his soul, his insides. He was a warrior and a hot, sexy, good-looking one at that.

  Her belly reacted, and her nipples hardened. She was such an idiot. She could never entertain this attraction. There were three of them. Three.

  She felt almost sick to her stomach with fear, with emotions she really was fighting and resisting to feel. Tonight everyone was going to Corporal’s, including Casey and her men. Emma needed to prepare for that and decided she’d better call Faith to confirm she would pick her up.

  She took another unsteady breath and looked around the upscale condo. She had worked hard to get a good job, and landing this events coordinator position at the upscale waterfront hotel had been pure luck. She didn’t want to risk losing the position. Tonight she would go to Corporal’s to meet up with their friends, but then Saturday, she would recover and prepare for the week by food shopping and getting ready for Monday morning back to work. She could do this. She could move on from this crazy abduction, the injuries, and her fears and focus on work and getting back to her routine and her life. No more complications. No more thinking about how different life could have been if Westin was here to protect her.

  She gulped down the lump of emotion and tried not to give in to those fears of needing a man’s strength, military and law enforcement capabilities, and confidence. It had been two years. She was self-sufficient and strong-willed. She could handle this.

  Just as she said that, her cell phone rang. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was nine a.m., and then she reached for the phone. She smiled. “Good morning, Martin.”

  “Hey, sunshine, how are you feeling today?”

  Martin had been so upset when she got hurt. He wanted to fly down from New York but was in the middle of some case. She talked him out of it, and then he called her every day, sometimes twice, just to check in on her. The days of needing that support, that connection to Westin’s partner and best friend were still strong. There were times when she felt like she needed to separate sooner from him, from his aid because she started to feel like Martin could have feelings for her. She didn’t feel that way about him. She didn’t even date, really, except maybe coffee here and there or a drink at one of the bars, but then she walked away, shied away, ran away from anything with potential, even a one-night stand to ease the aches. Westin had been her first and only lover, so moving on was quite difficult indeed.

  “I’m doing okay. I made it through the night alone.”

  “Alone? Where are your friends? I thought Faith, Brook, or Melina would be staying with you,” he barked at her, and she felt that uneasy feeling like she had done something wrong, disobeyed an order or something. He snapped right back into the old commanding police officer she had known for four years. She couldn’t let him make her feel weak and unable to handle this.

  “Martin, I’m fine. It isn’t like I’m still in any danger, and honestly, you know the story, it was a freak thing. Something that had nothing to do with me, just that I was in the right place at the right time to serve Casey’s brother’s plan. I have a lot of friends around to help and their boyfriends, too.”

  “I know damn well about their boyfriends and those other men that have been around the last two weeks.”

  She gulped and felt that guilty feeling rise a little higher. Martin was talking about Eagan and Houston. Apparently when Martin called Caden at the police department in Mercy, Caden mentioned that Emma was being well protected and taken care of and specifically mentioned Eagan, a Special Forces soldier, and Houston, who was a pretty damn big guy with apparently boxing abilities or something. Martin wasn’t too descriptive, but he seemed irate that men she didn’t know were taking an interest in her.

  “You don’t need to worry. I’m getting things back to normal starting today, and Monday I’m returning to work. I have a lot to do there.”

  “Are you sure you’re ready, Emma? I don’t want you pushing it.”

  “I think it’s a good idea to get back into the swing of things immediately. I have some plans this morning and then tonight. Faith will be driving with me to and from.”

  “Where, Corporal’s?” He sounded a bit snappy still.

  “Yes, Martin.”

  He exhaled. “Listen, be careful. A woman in your state is vulnerable right now. You don’t need some macho guys, soldiers or whatever, coming into your life and manipulating you. I know things can seem scary and lonely, and you might want to grab onto the support that is closest.”

  “Martin.” She raised her voice. She was a bit upset that he was doing this to her. Making her feel guilty despite not even knowing that she was attracted to someone. It was like he sensed it and he was pissed, and it confused her because she hoped he didn’t have feelings for her like that. It would make their friendship, their connection and bond because of Westin, uncomfortable. She didn’t want to let him go because he was Westin’s partner, his best friend, and had been with Westin the night he was killed. Westin had told Martin to tell Emma that he loved her and that he was sorry. The tears filled her eyes, and she clogged up.

  “Shit, I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry. Jesus, this case has me on edge. It’s almost over, and maybe, maybe I’ll take a long weekend and some vacation days and fly out to see you. How does that sound? Maybe seeing you, knowing that you’re okay, will help?”

  She was uneasy immediately. The last time he showed up out of the blue he had acted funny, like he wanted her to invite him to stay at her place. She didn’t. She was worried that he could take it the wrong way. She thought quickly.

  “Only if you really want to, but not because you think I need looking after or that I can’t handle things on my own. If you need a little vacation, I’ll hook you up with a nice room at the hotel. I can probably get you the royal treatment,” she teased.

  He chuckled. “I was thinking more like I could stay with you. You know, make sure you’re okay, especially at night. I know that you still have bad dreams about Westin and all, and I’m certain this fucked-up situation didn’t make those go away. It may have made them worse for you.”

  “Like I said, I can handle it. Just let me know if you decide to come so I can get you a good room at the hotel,” she said, hoping he wouldn’t push staying with her.

  “You got it. Okay, I need to head out. Call me if you need anything, even just to talk.”

  “Will do. Be safe.”


  “You bet.”

  Again that uneasy feeling hit her belly. Her fear for his life, for his career, and also for what potential feelings he could have for her. She didn’t know if he dated in New York, if he fooled around or what. She knew she hadn’t dated anyone, never mind had sex with anyone since Westin. She got out of the bed and was headed to the bathroom when Houston popped into her head.

  Holy God was the man good-looking and rugged, too. He had scruff along his cheeks, stood over a foot taller than her, had wide shoulders, big muscles, a super gorgeous tan, and deep blue eyes. He spoke in a low, hard tone that was sexy as sin, and although when they’d first met he was a bit arrogant, and hard to talk to, that changed the longer they spoke. Soon they had been chatting away until he got a phone call. She had never seen him again. Which was so odd considering how well they’d hit it off, but she remembered feeling guilty about that and thought about Westin.

  She brushed her teeth as she remembered the circumstances of that first time meeting Houston and then meeting him the second time. He’d found her along with his brothers and Casey’s men. When she gained consciousness and locked gazes with Houston, with those deep blue, serious, concerned eyes, she was so confused, so shocked. He quickly explained why he was there, being such good friends with Ice and the others, and it was all a blur. Yet she felt his palms caressing her. Sensed a protective shield around her and she no longer fought being conscious. It was like she knew she was safe with him and his brothers. Then Eagan and Miller were looking at her, and Eagan, she believed, cut off the ropes on her bound hands and ankles as Miller gently pulled off the tape on her mouth with Houston’s help.

  She’d been a bloody, swollen mess, her clothes torn, but thank God those men hadn’t raped her. She shivered and closed her eyes, held on to the sink, and exhaled. She felt Houston’s arms around her. Could smell the scent of his cologne as he carried her to the ambulance. The next time she woke up, all three men were by her bed in the hospital, and then the doctor mentioned Martin in front of them and referred to him as her boyfriend from New York who was concerned about her injuries and had taken care of all the medical expenses.