Battered Not Broken Read Online Free PDF Page A

before she looked
away.
    Damn, he needed to get a hold of his lust and
rein it in. His cock was way too interested in what lay hidden
beneath Gillian’s towel. And if Conner was right about her past
abuse, it could very well be a while before he’d have a chance to
explore her body.
    Remembering Conner’s words, Max looked at her
exposed flesh with new eyes. He picked up every discoloration and
marking which marred her beautiful complexion. Conner had been
right. Someone had harmed Gillian, grabbing, pulling, and possibly
even hitting her hard enough to leave bruises. Some looked weeks
old while the one on her neck looked fresh and new.
    He wasn’t sure how long he stood there and
stared at her, but by the time he finally snapped out of it, her
light blush had deepened to a bright red. Max stepped into the
shower and dropped to his knees before her, placing his jars on the
ground.
    “Here, you hold this,” Max handed her some
bandages, “while I treat these sores.”
    He wrapped his palm around her calf and
raised her foot, propping it on his thigh. She jerked her foot back
as if scalded.
    “I can take care of it. Just leave the stuff
with me and I’ll be fine.”
    “No, I’ll put the salve on and bandage you
up.”
    He was doubly careful when he picked her foot
back up and replaced it on his thigh. She jerked it away again.
    “Gilly, will you put your foot on my leg so I
can take care of you already?”
    She didn’t seem to notice when he grabbed her
leg again and began working on applying the salve.
    “Gilly? Since when did I become Gilly?”
    Raw sores and blisters covered the tops and
sides of her foot, but the sole seemed to have fared well during
her trek. With soft touches, he smoothed the sticky medicine on her
various injuries before wrapping her foot in gauze. Removing her
foot from his thigh and grabbing the other, he answered her.
    “From the moment Conner told me your name was
Gillian.”
    She snatched her foot away again. Damn, the
spirits were testing him. He was going to have to develop the
personality of a saint if he had any hope of getting through this.
Every time he moved the towel rode higher on her thighs. Soon, he’d
be staring at her sweet mound, and more than anything, he wanted a
taste.
    “You’re not Conner!”
    Sighing, he placed her foot back on his
thigh. Of course she snatched it away again.
    “Of course I’m not Conner, I’m Max. Do I look
like Conner to you?” He held up his hand to stave off her reply.
“Never mind, don’t answer that. To you, I must look like him.”
    He picked up her foot. Before he even got it
to his thigh she’d snatched it back again. This was really
beginning to annoy him.
    “You could have said something when you came
in. I asked for Conner.”
    Sitting back, he let his eyes travel to hers.
“Conner and Ronan are making our dinner and I’m the one in the
family who knows first aid. I’m sorry I didn’t say something right
away, but I tend to forget not everyone can tell us apart.” Running
his hands through his hair, he dropped his eyes to his lap. His
cock was getting very interested in his half-clothed mate, even if
she was pissed. “If you want Conner to come in and bandage you
up…?”
    “No,” she cut him off. “I was just surprised,
that’s all. You’ve…you’ve been nothing but kind to me. Please, I
appreciate you taking care of me.”
    This time she placed her foot in his lap
without his urging and when his eyes moved back to hers, she gifted
him with the most amazing smile he’d ever seen. It was as if the
spirits had gifted him with the sight of heaven in his home.
    Max broke eye contact before he embarrassed
himself, instead focusing his attention on the task of treating
Gillian’s foot. When that was done, he rolled to his feet, but bent
down to look her in the eyes.
    “I’ve taken care of your feet, how about I
take care of your neck as well?.”
    The blood drained from her face, leaving it
deathly pale and her