Open Wounds Read Online Free PDF

He’d shown her how to defend herself, and how to inflict the most damage possible. If his students ever needed the skills he taught outside the gym, there was a damn good reason and he wanted them to be safe. He wanted them to be able to put their attacker down.
    Kellie had been wary of him at first. He didn’t pull his punches and his students went home with bruises until they learned to block his attacks. Kellie had almost drawn blood the first time he’d pinned her to the mat and it wasn’t a mistake he made twice. He was a patient man and had given her the power over him that she needed to get her out of the darkness she’d been drowning in. She fought her demons and when she understood what he’d done to help get her there, she began to trust him and could now knock him on his arse with little to no effort.
    “Nick,” Kellie acknowledged, smiling at him. “Twice in one day. Lucky me.”
    Darryl stiffened. Interesting.
    Nick sat on the edge of his desk. “How are you?” he asked Kellie. “You were up and out before I had the chance to talk to you.”
    Kellie’s eyes widened and he replayed the words and realised how they sounded. He winced. “At the gym today…you were up and out so quickly. I missed our chats,” he rephrased.
    “Tomorrow then. Don’t be late or I’ll kick your arse,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
    “You already do that. So what are you doing down here? I thought your kind stuck together.”
    She accepted his dig at her job with good humour. “I’m on a case.”
    Nick frowned. “Really? And you needed Donovan’s help with that?”
    Kellie gnawed on her bottom lip and Nick glanced at Darryl before sliding a covert glance at Donovan who was busy ignoring them.
    “Kel, no,” he said, his voice full of agony. “I know what I said about your kind, but we’re all cops here and Donovan’s one of the best.”
    Her face showed a mixture of anguish and determination. “It’s just a formality, Nick. A complaint was made. It has to be followed up.”
    “Shit.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “You know this could be a career ender,” he charged, anger evident in his voice.
    He understood the need for Internal Affairs, but he didn’t have to like it. He hated the fact that Kellie was investigating one of their own — one he worked closely with. He hadn’t meant to sound so harsh. She had a job to do just as he did, but it had slipped out before he could censor himself. Her face paled at the harsh recrimination and he wondered if their friendship would survive this.
    “Jesus, sorry, Kel. I didn’t mean to sound like such an arsehole.”
    He reached over and pulled her gently to him, giving her an apologetic hug. The tension in her body was like a punch to the gut. He would give anything to go back and unspeak those words. Kellie didn’t need that shit from him. Her job was hard enough as it was.
    He kissed her forehead, then stepped back. He withered beneath the look Darryl shot him.
    “I know the deal, Nick,” Kellie said softly. “I’m not out to ruin careers.”
    “I know that, honey. I’m sorry for opening my mouth.”
    Amelia snorted. “I swear that’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.”
    Nick grinned light-heartedly at her, happy to be made fun of. He was sure that one day he would end up with his mouth duct-taped shut.
    “Me too,” Darryl said as he brushed past him. Hill looked about ready to pack it in for the day. His once crisp shirt was now rumpled and had come loose from his pants. His tie had been jerked, causing the tails to be uneven and there were also lines on his face that hadn’t been there earlier.
    Darryl rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and small sweat marks showed on the fabric under his armpits. He offered silent sympathy for his colleague. There was nothing worse than getting stuck between two furious females.
    He loosened his own tie, the atmosphere in the room getting sucked out as the electricity crackled between