Sheltered Hearts

By Samara Reed

Bodie Davis has been unsure of love for a long time. Being a local legend will do that to a man. But when he steps into the middle of a domestic dispute and his neighbor needs somewhere to go, he finds himself falling for both her, and the daughter he never knew he wanted.

 

Trix Harper doesn't have the best track record with men. So when her neighbor Bodie swoops in to stop her boyfriend's rage, yet again, she is reluctant to believe his motive is simply to help. What she doesn't expect is the way his eyes sparkle when he interacts with her daughter, or the way his gentle touch soothes the ache deep inside her.

 

When Bodie and Trix finally admit to the fire burning between them, will it be enough to allow them each to find the love they've thought they were destined to live without?

 

Sheltered Hearts is a story about the way love blossoms from broken things, and the beautiful family that grows in its wake.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Samara Reed
• Release date: Jan 20, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224156085

Samara Reed

Samara is a mom of two beautiful children, two big dogs, one little dog who thinks he's a big dog, and the wife of the husband she always dreamed she'd have. When she's not writing she has a camera or a book in her hands and loves to create anything she can in any medium she can. Ultimately, she's always dreamed she would be a writer, or a photographer, and is thrilled to be where she is, doing both. Quick facts: She loves chai tea lattes both hot and iced, she'll eat just about anything if it's covered in chocolate, she's infatuated with bees, owls, small dogs with pushed in snouts and grumpy faces and she doesn't like snow.

Book preview

Sheltered Hearts

Samara Reed

Copyright 2024 by Samara Reed

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. Short quotes and summaries are permitted for use in reviews. For permission requests, contact Samara Reed.

The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in the production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred unless noted.

Also by Samara Reed

Crossed

Crossed

Ardent

Replete

Fitzpatrick's

Surrender

Standalone

Sheltered Hearts

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Also By Samara Reed

Sheltered Hearts

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

EPILOGUE

Sign up for Samara Reed's Mailing List

Also By Samara Reed

This book is dedicated to all the brave women I know and the ones I haven’t yet met; living their dreams, loving their children, and knowing when to stand up for themselves.

I see you, I’m proud of you.

It’s also dedicated to all the women who are afraid of what comes next and haven’t yet found the strength to find out.

I see you, I believe in you.

❤️

CHAPTER ONE

Bodie

What’re you gonna do?

That’s been the question of the hour, hasn’t it? What am I going to do? Being thrust into the middle of a conflict isn’t where I want to be, but here I am.

I don’t know what I’m gonna do, Bubba. Shit ain’t right but what am I supposed to do? If I stay, there’s an issue, if I leave, there’s an issue, if I— I stop mid-sentence, catching sight of the woman across the street in my rear-view mirror, storming out of her front door. I can hear yelling headed out behind her as the man comes pounding down the stairs. This couple moved in two weeks ago and I’ve never seen them not yelling at each other. I saw a kid move in with them, carrying boxes proudly in her little arms, but I haven’t seen hide nor hair of her since the woman packed her up into the car two days ago.

I gotta call you back, Bubba. I click off the call and throw my truck in park, pulling the keys from the ignition as quick as I can and hopping out, closing the door soundlessly. Something about his face doesn’t sit right today. He’s pushed far past angry.

I lean on the back of my truck, humming quietly to myself while trying to observe without listening. What they’re arguing about isn’t any of my business. Hell, the fact that they’re arguing isn’t any of my business. But if he’s as angry of a man as he looks, a man putting his hands on a woman is everybody’s business.

They’re engrossed enough in their argument they still haven’t seen me out here in plain view. The streets in our town are narrow and old, I’m not very far away, but they’re oblivious enough that old lady Marlene pokes her head out her front door to stare at the commotion, and I tip my hat in her direction. She sees me and waves back with a smile, closing her door again, no one else any the wiser.

I turn back to the couple now moved further down the driveway. She looks like she was trying to get into the car, but he’s got a hand wrapped around her arm. She doesn’t seem to be struggling so I stay put. Her anger intensifies and I hear her call him a dickwad. He doesn’t seem to like that, and his voice goes low enough as he leans into her that I can’t hear his response. She slaps him and my heart kicks up a notch. He shakes her a bit and shoves her and she falls on her ass. I’m off the truck in an instant, checking the road both ways when he stalks to her, pointing at her while he yells. This is where I know it’ll get ugly. It always does with this type.

Whoa! I holler as I step in front of his now balled up fist, putting myself in his line of vision, effectively concealing what turns out to be a rather small but curvaceous woman sprawled out on the ground shaking. How about we just all take a breather for a minute, I say, hands out in front of me.

The man looks at me, completely bewildered. His gaze flicks to the t-shirt stretched tightly over my torso and he swallows before his face contorts back into rage.

Who the fuck are you? he shouts, looking past me. Trix, who the fuck is this guy?

I follow his movements, keeping her out of sight. It seems to only enrage him more and he narrows his eyes at me.

Just a friendly neighbor, neighbor. Seems there’s a problem and I’m a problem solver kinda guy. Got a fix it certificate and everything. Thought I’d come lend a hand.

He screws his face up in confusion, my talking is taking some of the anger out of him as he tries to figure out what I mean. I’ve met enough mean assholes to know how to take the steam out of their one-track train before it causes a collision.

Get up off your ass and get inside. He tries to point around me, but I block him again. His eyes snap up at me at the same time I turn to look back at Trix, trying to make sure she doesn’t bother following his directions. She’s best off right where she is. But I turn back around too late and get a fist in the side of my jaw. It stings like hell, but I stand my ground.

Really, asshole? You’re gonna hit me when I ain’t even lookin’ at you? I shove him back a step. It takes a special kind of coward to push a woman and hit a man when he isn’t looking. He stumbles two more steps when I put my hands back up to shove him again. You wanna raise your hand at a woman, but you’re too cowardly to punch me twice? Well, come on. Swing again.

Standing completely still, I cross my arms over my chest and fix him with a stare. He seems to be mulling it over in his mind, looking between me and the brunette still sprawled on the ground, last I saw her, anyway. I’m not taking my eyes off this guy again until he’s gone.

Before he gets a chance to respond, I say, "How about you take your sorry ass back into the house, pack a bag, and get the fuck out of here before I call the cops to let them know what I saw. And then I’ll let them know you punched me one in the face. Don’t think they’ll like that much. The police here don’t take kindly to men who think it’s okay to push women around. I know you’re new, so go on ahead and consider that my welcome gift."

His eyes narrow at me before he takes a step forward, catching Trix in his line of sight again. I follow his movement, letting him play out unless he gets too close. I said in the house, Trix. He glances at me for just a fraction of a second. Now!

Trix cringes back and he stalks forward. Her back hits the ground as she puts her hands in front of her face for protection. That’s my cue. An arm over the waist and another across the throat, I rush him backward until his back hits the car. A door opens behind me. You can go ahead and call the Sheriff, Miss Marlene, I call out over my shoulder. I’d know that creaky screen door anywhere.

You sure, Bodie? From over here, looks to me like you’re winning.

Yes, ma’am. You’d be doing me an awful big favor since my hands are busy. I grin at the poor excuse for a man in front of me. His nostrils are flaring but I can see the fear in his eyes, like he’s starting to understand I’m running this show.

Well, okay then. Sheriff’ll be around shortly I reckon. He hit her? Should I have him bring that domestic lady?

I didn’t see no hit, Miss Marlene, but couldn’t hurt I suppose.

Don’t you give Sheriff no reason to take you too, Bodie. I’ll be right back. Marlene’s door creaks shut again, and I count to five in my head.

Here’s what’s gonna happen. What’s your name?

Ben.

Alright, Ben. I’m gonna let you go. You are not going to look at the woman sprawled out on this here lawn from your hand. What you are gonna do, is walk straight past her and into your house. You’re gonna take what you need. I reach into my pocket and grab my money clip, smacking it on his chest. You’re gonna drive out of here and find a hotel, don’t care where, and you’re not comin’ back, understand? I have listened to you degrade her enough the last two weeks and I won’t stand for it anymore. Your other option is to wait for Sheriff Rogers, but he ain’t gon’ be as nice as me, though he will give you somewhere to sleep. Got it?

His gaze drops back to Trix behind me and his jaw squares as he swallows.

No lookin at her, I asked you a question.

His eyes make it back to mine and turn cold before he takes the money clip and shoves me off him, stomping across the yard and into the house. As soon as the door closes it’s like everything else jumps back into the present time and Trix starts hyperventilating as sobs wrack her body.

I crouch in front of her, ducking my head to look in her face. You alright, sugar?

Why’d you do that? she gasps out. He’s gonna be so mad.

She scrambles to her feet and tries to run to the house, but I grab her shoulders and spin her back to look at me.

Don’t. Ain’t nothin’ good for you in there. He put his hands on you, won’t be long before he does it again. I put a finger under her chin and lift her gaze to mine. Her eyes are a surreal mix of gold on the inside and blue around them. The effect is a piercing shock of brightness that should be lit up and radiating from her stare, but instead they form an eerie picture with the turmoil pouring out of her.

I don’t have a choice, you don’t understand.

You always have a choice, sugar.

The door opens behind her, and she spins around again. Ben has a bag slung over his shoulder and keys in his hand, and she starts screeching at him as he jogs down the steps, pinning me with his stare.

You can’t, Ben, you can’t! Please don’t take the car. How will I get Savannah?

Should’ve thought ‘bout that when you were busy stayin’ quiet. Never were too bright. he sneers, clicking the unlock button.

At least leave me the seat. Ben, please!

Nah. I paid for it. Just like the car. You want it? He looks over her shoulder at me, guess you’ll have to figure out how to earn it back, won’t you?

With that last worrisome note and a kiss in the air, Ben climbs into the car and starts it almost immediately, peeling out of the driveway and flipping the bird over the roof. Trix starts sobbing and I hear a siren in the distance. Undoubtedly Sheriff Rogers a few blocks down and headed this way.

Come on, darlin’. Let’s grab you something to drink. The Sheriff’ll be here real short like. I steer her to her house, and she climbs up the stairs slowly, numb. She walks slowly through the living room and hops up on a stool at the counter.

Where’s the glasses, darlin’? I follow her line of sight to the cabinet next to the fridge, her small nod nearly imperceptible. Thanks.

Opening the fridge, I find a jug of tea and pour her out a glass. I walk around the counter again with it in my hand and set the glass down in front of her, scooping up her right hand to turn it over. Her palm is skinned and slightly bloody, having taken the impact of her previous fall.

Bathroom? Another nod behind her this time.

Wandering through the living room to the hall on the other side, I spot photos hanging on the wall of the tiny little girl with the bright blonde curls I saw earlier this week. I watch her grow as I move down the hallway, her smile as infectious as her mama’s. I press open doors as I go until I find the bathroom and hit the switch, lighting up a mostly bare space with a few boxes still on the counter.

Cracking open the medicine cabinet yields me very few results. They’re just as bare as the rest of the bathroom so I switch to the boxes, trying not to look at anything while I search for some sort of antiseptic and bandages. Halfway through the box, I’ve come up with soap towelettes, some gauze and athletic tape, that’ll have to be good enough I suppose.

Trix is still at the counter when I emerge from the hallway. The glass of tea is in her hand but it’s almost empty now. A car door closes, and I look to my right to find Sheriff Rogers walking up the sidewalk to the door. My mind is caught between welcoming him inside and tending to Trix. In the end, my damn manners win, and I pause at the door to wait for him.

Evenin’, Sheriff, I say, holding the screen door