Page 17 of The Desperate Warrior

“Your shoulder is injured.”

That explained the sling. And the intense discomfort in her shoulder.

“You have a pelvis fracture on your left side and minor lacerations on your face from the shards of glass.”

A tremble of alarm went through her as she gingerly touched her face with the fingertip of her free hand. “How bad is it? Will it leave scars?”

“I don’t think so,” Mom said with a reassuring smile. Tears gathered in her eyes. “You’re lucky to be alive.”

“Why would someone hit me and then flee the scene?”

Dad’s eyes narrowed. “That’s what we’re trying to figure out.”

“Maybe someone got scared and panicked,” Jules surmised.

“That could be the case, but it’s still unacceptable.” Dad’s tone held the hard edge of one ready to hunt down the driver and put the man or woman in jail.

More memories of the wedding and reception came trickling back, filling Jules with a heavy gloom. Brock was going back to his ex-wife. He loved her, not Adrian. And yet he was going back to Adrian because of Trevor. The knowledge was as painful as her broken body. Tears filled her eyes.

“It’ll be okay,” Mom soothed, stroking her forehead. “Are you in pain?”

“Yes,” Jules rasped.

“I’ll call the nurse and ask her to get you something.”

Jules nodded, even though no amount of pain meds could temper the hollow ache spreading through the center of her heart. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks.

In a matter of a few short hours, her life had completely fallen apart.

And she had no idea how she was supposed to put herself back together again.

Chapter 5

The scent of salt from the ocean clung to the breeze as Brock got out of the Uber and thanked the driver. Normally, he loved coming back to his home in Coronado Island after wrapping up assignments. His favorite experience was crossing the Coronado Bridge and leaving the sprawl of San Diego behind as he entered Coronado with its charming architecture and palm-lined streets. What he appreciated most about the island was its slower, more restful pace.

Today, however, he felt no peace. Only turmoil. Weariness pressed down on him like a weighted vest as he closed the door behind him and glanced around at the familiar surroundings of his cottage-style home.

The ache in his body was nothing compared to the emotional gut punch he kept replaying—the devastated look on Jules’s face when she found out he was going back to Adrian.

He hadn’t meant for her to find out like that.

He’d wanted time to explain … time to soften the blow.

But now?

Well, now she’d never forgive him.

Who was he kidding? Jules wouldn’t have taken the news well, no matter how he phrased it. He crossed over the tile in thefoyer and headed for his bedroom. The place was quiet except for the soft hum of the fridge and the rhythmic creak of the ceiling fan in the living room.

When he got to his bedroom, he set his duffel bag down on the bed and raked a hand through his hair. Maybe he’d feel better after a long, hot shower and some rest. At least then he’d be able to think somewhat clearly. Tomorrow, he’d go and spend the day with Trev—maybe take him to the beach. Ever since the divorce was finalized a year before, Adrian had been begging him to come back to her. She’d be ecstatic when she learned that he was willing to give their relationship another try. Everything in him recoiled. Could he do it? Could he really go back to living in turmoil?

An image of Jules flashed through his mind. He saw again the shock and hurt in her expressive eyes, which were normally golden brown. However, they’d turned an impenetrable black-brown when she realized that he was going back to Adrian. He recognized her reaction. He’d reacted the same way time and time again when dealing with Adrian and all of her drama. It was the only way he could protect himself emotionally. It killed him to know that he’d hurt Jules as Adrian had hurt him.

Why did life have to be so tough?

After he broke things off with Adrian, Brock told himself that he was done with relationships. However, from the moment he met Jules, things had been amazing. He'd seen a way forward with Jules into a future that wasn’t murky.

Brock wasn’t good at relationships—he could thank his old man for that.

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