Healing Hearts 1 Warrior Angel Read online

  “My turn,” he whispered, and Selasi lowered his mouth slowly to Kai’s and kissed her next.

  She was light, sexy, and Zayn was able to pass her to Selasi to hold and to feel like he had. He watched the hallway making sure no one interrupted this moment, this huge step for all of them and especially for Kai.

  He turned and watched his brother caress her thigh to her ass with one hand. The sight made Zayn’s dick harden in his jeans. His brother’s hand looked huge against her jean-covered thigh and then over her ass. Selasi turned so he was against the wall and it gave Zayn a perfect view of her ass, the low riding jeans, her tanned skin, that tattoo Thermo mentioned, and her sexy little body. She was feminine, hot, and men wanted what was theirs and they needed to set things in motion and claim her theirs tonight.

  “Selasi.” Zayn heard her moan and could see her pushing on his shoulders, but her head was tilted back and Selasi’s mouth was in her top against her breast. She grabbed onto his head.

  “It’s too much. Please slow down. Please,” she begged.

  Selasi reacted. He eased his mouth from her breast and hugged her to him, then locked gazes with Zayn.

  His brother never looked so intense and like a man who was not going to let go of what he had in his arms. Kai was coming home with them tonight.

  * * * *

  “You shouldn’t be drinking so much,” Kai said to Casey.

  “I can’t believe what happened here, Kai. I’m so embarrassed,” Casey said, and downed another shot.

  Kai glanced toward the bar behind her where Selasi, Thermo, and Zayn were standing, waiting for her to get back to them. She was still trying to recover from what happened in the hallway, and now their possessive holds on her in public.

  “You look scared, Kai. They’re Special Forces soldiers, you know that, right?” Amelia asked.

  “I know.”

  “Thermo has that look in his eyes. It was intense and got worse when he thought you were in danger,” Amelia stated.

  “It was intense, but he didn’t lose control,” Kai said.

  “Because you put your hands on him and he locked onto you. It was amazing,” Casey said, and a tear fell from her eye.

  “What?” Kai asked.

  “We saw it. What did he do to you back there in the hallway?” Casey asked.

  She swallowed hard. “He grabbed me, lifted me up, pressed me against the wall and kissed me like a man on a mission.”

  “Jesus, that sounds so hot,” Amelia whispered.

  “Zayn and Selasi, too?” Casey asked.

  Kai nodded.

  “You let them. You enjoyed it, right?” Casey asked.

  Kai nodded.

  “Be careful, Kai. You haven’t been in the dating scene for years. Things are different. Men demand and they want, they lie, they make promises and you think it’s perfect and then the next minute they’re done with you. That’s with one man. Multiple is that many times worse, and that many times riskier,” Casey said, and Amelia caressed Casey’s hair.

  “I think they really like Kai. It’s the way they look at her. The way they noticed her the first time they met. Plus, Kai has that look in her eyes, too,” Amelia said, and smiled.

  Kai hugged Amelia’s arm. “I’m so confused. I’m feeling way too much, and I’m scared. Truly scared because of their professions and the danger Zayn is in with the job he has, as well as the effects of war, of serving that Selasi and Thermo appear to have. Thermo the most.”

  “Slow things down and take your time. No need to rush into bed with them. You want more than just sex, or you would have accepted the doctor’s invitation months ago, never mind today,” Amelia told her.

  “I don’t feel for Chadwick what I instantly feel when I’m around Selasi, Zayn, and Thermo,” Kai said.

  Casey raised her glass, another shot of tequila.

  “You owe me, Warrior Angel. I just helped those three hard ass soldiers make a move, and for you to realize you’re hot for them and take a chance on whatever it is they want, even if it’s just your body. That’s huge,” Casey said, and Amelia laughed, so did Kai.

  “I’m driving you two home, so don’t even think of trying to get another ride,” Kai said to them.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to go home with them?” Amelia asked.

  Kai shook her head. “I said I need slow. I need to process what happened tonight. If I continue with them, I’m opening myself up to some sensitive issues and memories I have, and even fears. I need time to think.”

  “Then go be with them now. I give Casey another hour tops, and then we’ll be carrying her out of here,” Amelia said.

  “No way. I’m good for this bottle,” Casey said, and then stared at the half drunk bottle of tequila.

  “Looks like I’m sleeping over at Casey’s tonight,” Amelia said, and Kai chuckled.

  Kai walked back over toward Selasi, Thermo, and Zayn. The second she was close enough, Selasi pulled her between his legs as he sat on the barstool. Zayn moved in behind her and put a hand on her shoulder and Thermo who sat right next to Selasi, took her hand and placed it on his lap. Her heart began to race once again, practically pound against her chest as all three huge men touched her at the same time. She had to tilt her head back to look up at Selasi.

  “She doing okay?” he asked.

  “Amelia and I will take her home and stay with her tonight. She’s embarrassed.”

  “Amelia can take care of her. We want more time alone with you,” Selasi said, and caressed her skin under her top against her hips.

  “I think we need to slow things down.”

  “No, you’re not going to deny what happened between us,” Zayn said, squeezing her shoulder and under her hair before pressing his lips to her head.

  She leaned back and glanced over her shoulder at him. “I’m not denying it, Zayn. I need time to think things through.”

  “To push us away,” Thermo snapped at her.

  She looked at him and shook her head. “To get over the fears, my concerns.”

  “We can help you with that. We want you with us. We want to feel more of what we had in the hallway, but in privacy. Come home with us tonight,” Selasi said to her.

  “No.”

  “Why not?” Zayn asked.

  She turned slightly so she could look at him, as well. She was now standing sideways between Selasi’s thighs. She pulled Zayn’s hand to her hip. Selasi pressed his palm to her belly, and she put her hand on Thermo’s thigh and he covered it with his hand.

  She closed her eyes and breathed. “This feels incredible. To have the three of you touch me and for me to feel so much. But…I need to go slow. Every bit I feel I fear.”

  “Do we scare you?” Thermo asked.

  She looked at him. “All three of you do.”

  “Why? Do you think we’re capable of hurting you like Casey’s boyfriend?” Selasi asked, and he sounded insulted.

  “No. I…oh God how do I admit this to you to make you understand?”

  “It’s about your ex-boyfriend being a soldier like us?” Zayn asked.

  “Yes,” she said.

  “Baby, you can’t deny what we feel because of that,” Zayn said to her.

  “There are multiple reasons, and I know I’ll need to share them with you, but I’m not the type of woman to jump into bed with one man never mind three.”

  “So it’s the ménage thing?” Selasi asked.

  “Add it to the list.”

  “The list?” Thermo asked, and squeezed her hand.

  She looked around them but no one seemed to be paying them attention.

  “I have a lot of fears and a lot of things to work out. I…I only had one lover ever. I gave my heart and soul to him besides my body. It was sacred, and deep, and the reason why I haven’t been with any other man in more than three years.”

  Thermo squinted at her. Selasi’s eyes widened and Zayn caressed her lower back under her top. He leaned down and kissed her shoulder.

 
“It’s going to be torture not taking you home tonight, but I get it. We’ll work it out. We’ll spend more time together, and you’ll see this is real,” Zayn said to her.

  “I’m not playing games or anything. It’s how this has to be,” she whispered.

  Thermo just stared at her, and she could see the walls go up. She hurt his feelings, but then a few of Devin’s friends came over and started talking to them. Not going home with Thermo, Zayn, and Selasi was the smart thing to do. They were complicated men. Hard, and even standing here between them, allowing them to show a bit of possessiveness as the men spoke about the job and the case they completed, she felt scared for them all. She just wasn’t sure being involved with men like this was a smart move. After all, she loved a soldier with all her heart, body and soul, and even that wasn’t enough to keep him from taking his life. How the hell could she make three soldiers like these happy?

  * * * *

  “I wish she was here right now,” Selasi said to Zayn and Thermo.

  “I slept like shit,” Zayn said.

  “It’s me she’s afraid of,” Thermo added.

  “What? Why would you say that?” Zayn asked.

  “You didn’t see the look in her eyes when I knocked out Lionel. She was shaking.”

  “She stopped you in your tracks before that and after. She calmed you. You reacted to her voice, to her, not any of us. You’ve never reacted to any woman like you do with Kai,” Selasi told him.

  “I don’t know if this is going to work out. She has too many fears. Too many reservations and she is already comparing us to her dead boyfriend,” Thermo stated.

  “That’s natural for her to do so. He committed suicide. She loved him. She told us how much and that he was her only lover. That’s deep and heavy, and she probably lives with feeling like she couldn’t save him. Don’t you think that’s part of why she has dedicated her life to creating Guardians Hope and First responders?” Zayn said to them.

  “She can’t save every soldier and cop with PTSD or a fucked up mind because of the shit we all go through.” Thermo raised his voice.

  “That may be the case, but perhaps it’s her way of healing and getting closure. We represent two types of men she lost. Her boyfriend who was a soldier and her brother who was a state trooper.”

  “Keono told me about her brother and how he was gunned down in the line of duty,” Thermo said.

  “So us being soldiers aren’t her only fear. Me being in law enforcement and aiding in the position I’m in is a fear, too. Don’t you remember how she spoke with Devin at the barbecue? She was upset at seeing him hurt. She shied away from us big time,” Zayn added.

  “We have to help her to see that she doesn’t need to be afraid. That we aren’t going to get hurt, or lose our minds because of what we saw and experienced in the military, and because of your current position, Zayn,” Selasi said to them, then stood up and leaned against the kitchen counter. He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

  “I still have nightmares and shit. If we do convince her to trust us and let us into her heart and we’re in bed sleeping after making love, what if I snap?” Thermo asked with real concern and emotion is his voice.

  “You won’t,” Selasi stated with confidence.

  “We’ll be there with you. A ménage works for a lot of men like us that have remaining effects of the military. We’ll have one another’s backs, and Kai will handle it,” Zayn said.

  “Like she handled you in Corporal’s last night,” Selasi teased.

  He flipped Selasi the middle finger and they laughed.

  “The woman has power,” Thermo said.

  “The woman is going to be ours. We just need to be patient, and I for one, believe she is worth it,” Zayn said.

  “Agree,” Selasi stated.

  “Agree,” Thermo said.

  Chapter Seven

  Chadwick Hayes stopped walking and talking the moment he spotted Kai Devaro. She was being greeted with hugs and kisses hello from both women and men who were part of the board, and others who were involved in law enforcement.

  She looked stunning. Absolutely stunning.

  He stared at her in awe of her beauty, the long, slim fitting, black evening gown enhanced her incredible body. The deep cleavage of her dress was slightly hidden by a sheer piece of champagne material, but any fool could see she was well endowed. As she turned to greet two men and a woman from behind her, the dress got even more amazing, dipping low against her back, revealing her toned, fit muscles and that incredible ass many men spoke about. The dress was classy, sexy, sophisticated, too sophisticated for the men that were here this evening. Except for him of course.

  He made his way to her, grabbing two glasses of champagne from the waiter walking around as he passed him by. She would look perfect by his side. He had to convince her to spend time with him and to realize how great a couple they would make. “Excuse me, Miss Devaro, you look absolutely stunning this evening.” He passed her a glass of champagne and leaned forward to kiss her cheek hello.

  “As do you, Dr. Chadwick.” She smiled softly.

  She didn’t have a clue what she did to him. How badly he wanted to kiss her, hold her in his arms, take her to bed. He always got what he wanted, and despite him needing to leave in the next week or so for Africa and a humanitarian trip he did every year, he still hoped to get a little taste. She was sweet and she would wait the three weeks for his return, or better, he would send for her to join him and she would see that he was giving and caring to those less fortunate, just like she was.

  “Dr. Chadwick, congratulations in advance on the award you’re receiving. You have done such amazing work. I heard that you did a spectacular job on a gunshot wound to the chest near the heart, that other doctors wouldn’t have touched and gave up on the patient,” Ken Willson said to him and in front of Kai. It made her lovely blue eyes widen in shock. He couldn’t have paid the man to say something so perfect right now.

  “Yes, it was indeed a very risky operation, but considering the man would die, his family chose to take the shot and it was a successful operation. I’m hoping that he’ll recover completely, but it’s going to be a long recovery process for him.”

  “Amazing. Excuse me please,” Ken said, and walked away leaving him alone with Kai.

  He placed his hand on her hip. “You are the most beautiful woman in this place, Kai,” he said to her, and she smirked.

  “And you are a complete flirt, Dr. Chadwick.”

  “Are we back to such formalities because I told you how I feel about you?” he asked, and she took a sip of champagne so he took one, too.

  “It changes things, Chadwick.”

  “How so?”

  “I think of you as a very good friend. Someone I can talk to and count on for advice with clients, with anything medical, and you want something different now that I can’t give you.”

  He tapped her hip.

  “You can give it to me, and I guarantee it will be perfect. Come on, we’ll talk more before this thing gets started.

  He guided her through the crowds of people, and every man took in the sight of her, smiled and said hello, and the women looked at her with envy.

  “Dr. Chadwick, so nice to see you made it this evening, especially with your trip to Africa right around the corner,” Mary Phelps said to him, and then she looked at Kai.

  “Kai Devaro, meet Mary Phelps, her husband Peter is the top neurosurgeon in the country, and she is a huge contributor to my program I do overseas in third world countries treating those with grave medical needs. You two should talk later. Mary, Kai is the coordinator and founder of Guardians Hope,” he said, and Mary smiled wide.

  “Oh my goodness, I recently heard a story about John Sander’s nephew. That was the first I heard of this organization. I would love to find out more. Could we possibly get together to discuss things, or perhaps Chadwick can bring you along to lunch this week at the country club? I’ll have several of my friends there who would all lov
e to assist I am certain.”

  “That is so kind of you, Mrs. Phelps.”

  “She’ll be there. I’ll make sure of it, and hopefully Meredith Walker as well. She would go head over heels for Kai’s ideas.”

  “I bet she would, too. I’ll be sure Meredith is in attendance. Enjoy the evening both of you. She’s stunning, Chadwick,” Mary said, and smiled and then walked away.

  “Oh my God, Chadwick, I can’t believe that just happened.”

  He smiled at her as he continued to guide her toward their table. “Believe it. You and I would make a great team. I can help to introduce you to some very influential people willing to put money into your programs because they actually work.”

  “Chadwick.”

  He stopped her by the table. “You have amazing ideas, your success rate is commendable, but you can do so much more and that takes money, donations and staff. Many of the people who are part of the country club and meet each week for this luncheon Mary mentioned, are the kind of people with deep pockets but also big hearts. Plan on attending with me and I guarantee you’ll be blown away and realize what I say is true. Together we can do so much.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the top of it.

  * * * *

  “What the fuck?” Devin yelled out as Zayn spoke to him over the earpiece.

  “Hold your position with the others. We got movement in the backyard, across the way, and the other team just picked up on—”

  The gunshots ricocheted against the wall right above Devin’s head.

  “Get down!” he yelled to the others. I front door of the building burst open, the window on the side, just a few feet from where he and two men were. The men inside had guns and they were shooting at the police, at Devin and his team.

  “We’re coming in hot,” Zayn said, and they did just that, counter fired into the building and against the men by the door and window. They took them out and the orders were given to move in to arrest Mark Garci who was wanted for federal and local charges of rape, murder, and drug operations. He was one badass catch if they could capture him. They had been hunting for more than fourteen months when they got this tip. Devin had his weapon drawn and was moving into the house. Shots were fired and him and the team and now Zayn and others were going through each room and catching multiple gang members but no sign of Mark.