Broken: Mending Hearts, #1

By Iris Deorre

Nina and Liam meet under unusual circumstances. Liam believes that everything happens for a reason, but Nina begs to differ. Life has given her some unfriendly blows. With a nightmare husband and a family across the ocean, Nina just thinks life is unfair.

But as things develop and unfold, maybe Liam is right. Life has a way of sorting itself out. Nina discovers that she has no control how her life unfolds. She can make decisions, but when it comes to the heart, that decision is made for her.

Love doesn't and should never hurt, but it takes pain first before Nina can realise that.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Iris Deorre
• Release date: Jul 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781501484186

Iris Deorre

Iris is a romance author and loves to read and write interracial romance... Iris loves to tackle things people rarely talk about. She loves to bring love where it seems the hardest place to find it. She sees love as the flower that grows in the desert or out of a rock. Her stories are about love that penetrates the hardest of places. In short, her stories are about hope and overcoming.  Iris resides in the United Kingdom, with her lovely daughter and a crazy eyed German Shepherd. When Iris is not writing or reading you'll find her taking walks in the countryside with her doggy or spending time with friends and family. To learn more about Iris visit her blog page at irisdeorre.blogspot.co.uk or follow her on twitter.

Book preview

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations and incidents are products of author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales or events is entirely coincidental.

Chapter One

Nina winced as she patted the bottom of her left eye with concealer. She’d become and expert at hiding the bruises. She blinked back continuously to stop the tears from ruining the work she’d already done. She had to be strong, she just had to be. What else could she do? How else was she supposed to be?

She stopped for a moment and looked long and hard at herself. Her caramel skin almost looked flawless beneath the heavy foundation. She was extremely beautiful with a round nose that always got her the name button, and luscious thick lips that made people believe she was a great kisser. To look at Nina, no one would know the secrets she held in her heart.

The sudden knock on the bathroom door made her jump. She took in a deep breath and waited.

‘Honey, I’m leaving for work,’ said Colt. ‘Could you open the door please?’

She shut her eyes a moment and swallowed back hard. Colt was like the English weather, unpredictable.

‘Honey,’ he said again.

‘Yes, in a sec.’ Her heart raced at an incredible rate.

She took a few steps to the door and turned the key. She was face to face with a tall and handsome man. He had blue eyes, eyes he’d inherited from his father, light brown skin that he got from his mother. The height was definitely another gift from his father and so was his sharp nose and European features. The first time she’d set eyes on him, he was the most amazing looking man she’d ever seen. But, as she looked at him wondering what would spew from his mouth, he was ugly. All the attraction had left his body the first time he laid a hand on her.

‘You’ve got too much makeup on,’ he said.

‘I...I’ll take some off,’ she said.

‘I’ll be home for seven.’

She nodded.

‘You need to be home by half five, no excuses.’ He fiddled with his tie.

Again she nodded.

‘We’ll have a night in. I could get Chinese. Would you like that?’

‘Yes, that would be great!’ She smiled even though it hurt like hell.

‘Okay.’ He stood still a moment and gazed at her as if there was more to say. ‘See you later.’ He snapped out of it, leaned forward and gave her a kiss. ‘And take off all that makeup.’ He turned away.

Nina waited, she waited until she heard the front door slam shut before she went back to the mirror. The makeup wasn’t as much as he made it out to be. The only reason she had to cover up so much was because of what he’d done to her. She decided to finish what she’d started. Taking any of it off would only reveal the damage done.

Her lips were finished off with a pink gloss, her cheeks had a light hint of pink blush and her short hair was immaculate. Nina looked amazing, and she loved the way she looked. It felt good, but it always seemed to get her into trouble.

Finally, Nina was ready for work. Work was a haven, a place that brought moments of happiness. It was the place she’d rather be, than be at home. She walked downstairs, grabbed her keys and read the note that was beside two twenty pound notes. 

Money for this week, use it wisely. Love you.

She looked at the note a moment with disdain. How was forty pounds going to fill her tank? She’d already borrowed money off a very close work colleague, which still had to be paid back. Nina sighed defeated and pushed the notes into her handbag and left for the day

****

‘Good morning Mister Carter,’ said the cashier at the coffee shop. ‘Are you having your usual?’

‘If you mean two coffees and two bacon and egg sandwiches, then yes, I am.’ Liam smiled.

It was the usual daily routine, everyday before going into his office, he would order two coffees and two bacon and egg sandwiches. While he waited, he went through the events of the work day through his head. It was going to be a long day ahead, and then there was the dreaded evening. He didn’t even want to think about the evening.

‘There you go, Mister Carter, that will be ten twenty please.’

‘Thank you!’ He handed the man the money and took his order cheerfully. ‘You have a great day!’

‘You too sir, I shall see you tomorrow.’

‘Yes you will.’

Liam stepped into the warm morning sunshine and headed in the direction of his office. A block before his building he noticed the man he’d become friends with for many years.

‘Good morning, Josh,’ said Liam as he handed the homeless man the coffee and the sandwich. ‘How was your night?’

‘Not too bad, I had no trouble last night.’ He took the sandwich gratefully, opened it quickly and began to eat. ‘Two guys tried to take the tenner you gave me yesterday, but they didn’t succeed.’

‘Ah, that’s not very nice.’ He handed him the coffee too. ‘I wish you’d let me help you, get you off these streets.’

‘You’re helping me. Life isn’t always what we want it to be. You don’t have a responsibility to me.’

‘Ah, but I do.’ He laughed. ‘To turn my back on you, is to turn my back on myself.’

Joshua chuckled, the sandwich almost finished.

‘How about you sir, good night?’

Liam was quiet for a moment as he thought about his evening.

‘I take that as a no.’

‘You know, sometimes I think you have a better life than I do.’ He laughed.

‘I’d have to agree with you there.’ The man laughed. ‘You look exhausted, I’m all wide awake and ready to go.’

Liam smiled, it was the perfect way to start his morning. Each conversation with Joshua was a time away from his real world.

‘One day it will all come to an end. Nothing lasts forever sir,’ said Joshua.

‘I agree, but how long must one hold on for an end that seems so far away?’

‘By living from day to day. The more time I spend on the street, the more I realise that tomorrow is out of my hands.’

‘I wish you’d tell me your story.’

‘Maybe one day I will, and maybe one day you’ll tell me yours.’ Joshua took a sip of the coffee. ‘Ah, fresh coffee, nice!’

Liam patted the man’s back then said his goodbyes.

‘You have a good day at work, don’t waste it on being miserable!’ shouted Joshua.

Liam turned around and pointed at him, nodding his head at the same time. There was something very special about that man, and he knew it. Liam always knew never to cast someone away, regardless of their economic status!

‘Good morning, Mister Carter,’ said his secretary as he walked in.

‘Morning Kate, any messages?’

‘Yes, three from your wife.’

‘I see.’ He didn’t ask anything further.

‘She asked that I tell you not to be late tonight, you’re all out for dinner with her father.’

‘Any important messages?’ he asked instead.

‘No, sir, but you do have a client waiting for you in the conference room.’

‘I do?’

‘Yes, it’s about the building in York.’

‘Oh yes! The renovation quote, I’d totally let that slip.’ Liam knew exactly why, but there was no point dwelling on it. ‘I’ll go in and see him shall I?’

The renovation firm was small but successful. It consisted of a secretary, two consultants, Liam, who was the owner and Lloyd his colleague. The office was nice and trendy, and suited his style. Liam was the man behind the ideas. When a big project for a place needed renovation, or needed to be restored to its former glory, Liam was the man to talk to. He would re-create the place using modern technology, but the actual renovation