Page 36 of Twisted Hearts

Ahug. It was divine. I shuddered in his hold, unable to dig up the embarrassment I felt at losing it in front of him, unable to care any longer if everything I said scared him off.

For the very first time inyears, I realized how alone I’d been. How very few people I had in my life I could trust. How much I needed someone to be there for me.

Shawn, for whatever reason, stepped into that role without knowing a damn thing about me, and at every turn so far, he’d proved himself worthy of having it.

His heart was a steady thump in his chest, pumping against my cheek, and I stood lamely in his embrace, too damn exhausted to lift my arms and hug him back, thatthump, thump, thumpgiving me a rhythm to match my breathing to. I inhaled with him. Exhaled.

By the time the elevator bell rang, signaling we’d arrived, my legs were steady, my heart rate had slowed, and I’d somehow been infused with a little of his strength.

I coulddothis.

“You good?” Shawn asked, and his hands slowly swept up my back as I pushed against his hold.

“I’m good.” I grinned up at him. It was awkward, wonky, and felt crooked. “I’m ready.”

He stepped aside and let me exit the elevator first, and I was hit with the sudden sensation of stepping into the black pits of deep depression.

Everything was dark gray and black, not a single color in sight.

I pulled to an abrupt stop as I tried to find something to say, but all I felt were the walls closing in on me.

“Depressing as hell, isn’t it?” Shawn asked, grinning down at me.

“Um…yeah, kind of.”

“I get it. Not at all how I’d make an office look, but I’m pretty sure Jaxon only knows the colors black and gray exist.”

I chuckled, relieved by the joke, by the small moment of lightness before everything got heavy again. Which was probably why Shawn had given it to me.

“Thanks.” I bumped into his shoulder lightly.

“No problem.” He pointed down the hallway, past the main desk. “Jaxon’s office is that way. When I called him earlier, he said he was already here.”

I followed Shawn, my feet heavier with every step I took. I wanted to do this. I needed to.

It didn’t make it any easier, knowing how hard it would be to get everything out, and still I fought back the fear of Shawn looking at me with pity when I was through.

We turned the corner and I startled. Jaxon, at least I assumed that was who it was, was standing in a doorway, and at first sight, my breath was knocked from my lungs.

Holy crap. This guy was massive and built like a wall. The width of his shoulders took up the entire doorway. He might as well have just stepped foot off an airplane, performing military tasks in secret, identity unknown, job description confidential. Black clothes, black sunglasses on his nose despite being inside. His pants—black. With pockets, and lots of them. Probably held weapons of all manner and were tucked into black combat boots. Steel-toed, definitely. Shawn hadn’t been kidding a few moments ago—this guylovedhis black.

He probably could have lifted Daniel with one hand and tossed him the length of a football field.

Yeah, I’d made the right choice, as difficult as the next few minutes were going to be.

I swallowed, released the air trapped inside of me, and stepped forward. The massive beast, head almost to the top of the doorframe, relaxed his arms to his sides, rose to his full height, and holy freaking hell…he gottaller. Determined, with Shawn at my side and one step behind me, I continued to move, forcing my feet forward, and I lifted my hand to formally introduce myself.

He shocked the complete sense out of me when he said, “Adrianna Marquess, I presume.”

12

Shawn

“What the hell?”

“How’d you know?”

The first question was from me, the second from Addi. She’d jumped back as soon as Jaxon said her name, and even I was so damn stunned I’d pulled to an abrupt stop. Good fucking God, how badass was my boss? I’d called him barely an hour and a half earlier, giving him the name I knew her as—Addi—and he already knew her full name? Something she hadn’t yet given me?

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