I watched the door for a few moments after Brody slammed it. I couldn’t believe what happened. He never made a move to hurt me before. He could be gruff and a real asshole, but he never made me feel threatened until that night. I didn’t like it.

His phone rang again, and I looked at his door. It would be a major invasion of privacy, but I had to know who was under my roof. I ran to grab it before whoever it was hung up.

“Hello?” I was out of breath, but it wasn’t from the jog to the phone. My heart was beating so fast at the thought of who was on the other end of the phone.

“I’m sorry. Who is this? Where’s Brody?”

I pulled the phone back, and the name on the screen was Asshole. I put the phone back up to my ear. “Is this Tim?”

“Yes, now who are you, and where is Brody?”

“As if it’s any of your business, my name is Maggie, better known as the woman who helped a man whose own family turned their backs on him. He was one step up from digging through garbage cans when I met him.”

“I don’t need the lecture. You know nothing about it. Put his ass back on the phone.”

“I don’t think he wants to talk to you. He’s pretty angry. In fact, you sound pretty angry, too. Maybe it would be best to talk to him tomorrow.”

“Fuck.” He sighed.

“It sounds like you two have some stuff to work through, but he isn’t in a mood to listen tonight.”

He scoffed. “Is he ever?”

“You have a point there.” I hesitated, but I had to know. “What’s the deal? I’ve never been afraid of him until after your conversation. Do I need to be afraid?”

“How long have you known him?”

I looked up and hiked my towel up higher. “Uh, it’s been a few weeks.”

“And he’s never frightened you? Most people are afraid the day they meet him.”

“I’m not most people, but he never made me nervous until tonight.”

“I pushed him too far.”

“Yeah, no kidding. What’s he running from?”

“A broken heart.”

“What, did you marry his girl or something?”

“No, I didn’t, and she was never his girl. I can’t explain more than that, but will you take my number and call me if there are any more changes in Brody? I’ll leave him alone, but only if he has someone else there to watch him.”

“Oh, I’m no one to watch him. He doesn’t even like me. I’m just a roof and food for him right now.”

“If he’s accepting help from you, then he likes you. He’ll never admit it.”

“No, I’m paying him in room and board to help fix up the gym. There’s no charity here.”

“Even better. Keep giving him a purpose, but if you see any changes in mood or behavior, please, call me. Call me anytime. I’m worried about him.”

“You treat him the way you just treated him, but you’re worried about him?”

“How the fuck would you know how I treated him?”

“Judging from your attitude you didn’t treat him well. Besides, he was perfectly fine before he talked to you. Now, what the hell is going on?”

“Nothing that concerns you. Don’t fucking help him. I officially quit giving a fuck about him. The world doesn’t revolve around your new boy toy. It’s about time the world figured that out.”

* * *

It had been two hours since Brody stormed downstairs and I exchanged words with Tim. I’d given him enough space and had a beer to calm my own nerves. I needed to check on him. I was no closer to learning his story. In fact, in many ways I was further from it. The conversation with Tim only left me with more questions.

I figured it was a girl he was running from. That was easy to figure out. The reason most men ran was because of women or the law, but he respected the cops in our area and never acted as if he feared them. It had to be an ex.

I wasn’t sure why Tim said she was never his, though. Had she played him to get what she wanted, or was it something he had concocted in his head? I wasn’t sure why I was supposed to watch his mood or behavior changes. His mood changed at the drop of a hat on good days, but his behavior was always the same until that night.

I was as quiet as I could be when I walked down the old stairs, but the closer I got, the more I heard him grunting. He wasn’t going to hear anything anyway with the noise he was making. He was still working out. I probably should’ve worked off the ice cream, too. I looked down at my pajamas and rolled my eyes. I wasn’t working out without a bra on, and I wasn’t going back up just to get it.

I walked down the dark hallway but didn’t come all the way out. I wanted to watch him and gauge his mood. He was punching the heavy bag with all his force. I didn’t need to get between him and the bag.

I’d never seen him with his shirt off, but he was just as solid as I imagined him to be. I wondered why he kept his shirt on when we worked on the gym. Was it out of respect for me? Clearly, he preferred it off when he was sweating.

“Are you going to stand there and watch me all night?” He never looked my way and kept hitting the bag.

I shook my head at getting caught and stepped out into the light. “I was just wondering when you were coming to bed.”

He glanced my way. “Is that an invitation?”

“No.”

“I didn’t think so.” He hit the bag again. “You got dressed. You’d come down here naked if you really wanted my attention.”

“Is that what it would take?”

He stopped hitting the bag, placed his gloved hands on his hips, and was breathing hard. I saw the scars on his chest. He had three round but jagged circles. That must have been why he always wore a shirt. What happened to him?

He shook his head. “No, you don’t ever have to come down here naked to get my attention.”

I walked closer but kept my eyes up from his chest. I wanted a closer look, but I didn’t want him to see me staring at it. “What do you say we both get some sleep and we start over tomorrow?”

“Start over?”

“Yeah, a clean slate. We each have done some stupid things to each other. We’ll just wipe it all away and start over.”

He put one hand at a time under each arm and pulled the boxing gloves off before he took my hand and looked at it. “I never should’ve hit you. I don’t do that.”

“It’s okay. You were trying to get me to let you go. I didn’t take it as an assault.”

We stood there as he held my hand in both of his and rubbed his thumb over the back of it where he hit me. It was sore, and a shadow of a bruise had started to darken, but I didn’t think it would get much worse.

“I’m so sorry.”

I reached up with my other hand and placed it on his chest. “What happened to you?”

He closed his eyes and bent his head down. “I’m not a great guy. I don’t deserve the concern I hear in your voice.”

“As far as I’m concerned, you’re one of the best guys I know. You’ve helped me so much with this place, defended me to Pencil Dick, and you genuinely feel bad when you do something you regret.” I moved my hand from his chest to his face, causing his eyes to open and look at me. “I wish you could see the man I’m looking at right now. He’s one hell of a guy.”

We stood like that longer than I expected us to, but I didn’t want to break the connection. I could feel the pain pouring out of him and the need to feel accepted for who he was. I needed him to know I accepted him, hot temper and all.

He leaned down as if to kiss me and stopped as he glanced from my lips to my eyes. “I need a shower.” The spell was broken as he let go of my hand and walked away. I would’ve joined him if I thought he would’ve let me.

* * *

I walked into Bev’s a little later than normal, but I had to go make a few requests at the bank for the next payment. Brody was already at the counter, and by the way he was hunched over, I figured he was shoveling his breakfast in.

“You didn’t even wait for me.” I sat down and placed my hand on his back. “Sure, I see how it is.” I looked at his plate and raised my eyebrows. “Wow. Diner food.”

“I know. It’s fucking awesome.”

I smiled and rubbed his back before putting my hand on the counter. “You eat up. You worked it off last night.”

Bev raised an eyebrow at that statement as she filled my coffee cup. “Care to explain?”

“Nope.” I smiled and took a drink of coffee. “I think I’ll have what he’s having this morning.”

“Really? That’s his second breakfast, so do you want the first one or the second one?”

“Oh, uh, this one looks good. I’ll take this one.”

She topped my cup off and looked at me. “Did you work off calories last night, too?” She watched my hand as I took the coffee cup but didn’t let me lift it before she touched me. “What happened?”

Brody stopped eating and looked at my hand. I had a darker bruise than I had the night before, and it was in the shape of his fingers. Brody put his fork down and drained his milk.

Bev looked between the two of us and placed her hands on her hips. “If one of you doesn’t start talking now, I will get someone to make you talk.”

“It’s fine. It was an accident, and nothing was intended. You didn’t freak out this much when you saw the bruise Brody had on his hand when he hammered himself.”

She looked at him and raised her voice. “You have nothing to add?”

“I think Maggie is perfectly capable of speaking up for herself. If I had done anything to intentionally hurt her, I don’t think it would’ve waited until this moment to come out.”

“Look, nothing happened.” I snapped to get her to look back at me. “Nothing happened. I swear.”

“Fine. Come talk to me in the kitchen.” Bev didn’t wait for my response.

I looked at Brody. “Wish me luck.”

“You don’t need luck. She’s worried about you, and she should be.”

“Maggie,” Bev called out for me. She was a little impatient.

“Coming.” I rolled my eyes at Brody when I walked toward the kitchen.

She didn’t let me get through the swing door before she berated me with questions. “Did he hurt you? I want to know everything. And why the hell were you rubbing his back? Is he still sleeping in his truck?”

“No. No. It was a gesture meant to comfort. No.”

She narrowed her eyes at me for a moment before throwing her hands up and letting out a groan. “You frustrate me so much.”

“Ditto.” I sighed and closed my eyes. She didn’t deserve the attitude I gave her most of the time. Not really. “Bev, he had a rough night. I’m not exactly sure what happened in his, I don’t know, former life, I guess. Whatever it was has to be bad.

“He fought with his brother, and when I tried to get him to stay upstairs and talk to me, he slapped my hand off the back of his pants. That’s it.” I shrugged. “He didn’t mean to hit me as hard as he did, but my hands were on him first. I wanted to help. He just needed to blow off steam. Next time—”

“There better not be a next time. I don’t care if you’re hitting him with a hammer. He had better never lay another finger on you.”

I placed my hands on her arms and squeezed. “He’s a decent guy. He’s just lost. We both know what that feels like. I want him to know he doesn’t have to run anymore.”

“Oh, you want him to stay with you?”

“If he wants. He’s staying in the room across from me. He isn’t staying with me. Nothing has happened.” I dropped my arms and turned to walk out. “Besides, he had his chance a couple of times and turned me down.”

“Wait.” She grabbed my sleeve. “What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. One time I practically threw myself at him and he didn’t jump. Last night, I thought he was going to kiss me, but he didn’t. He isn’t interested in me that way.”

Her voice was the softest I’d heard since he showed up. “But you are into him? That way?”

“I mean, look at him.” I laughed. “He’s hot. Who wouldn’t be interested in that?” I shrugged. “But, he’s made it clear he isn’t interested in me, so I’ll take the help for the gym and call it good. No, I’ll call it great.” I nodded once to drive my point.

“Any man who passed up the opportunity to be with you is crazy. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad nothing has happened between the two of you, but it’s all on him, baby.” She moved my hair out of my eyes. “Whoever snags you is going to be the luckiest man in the world.”

I smiled, even though I didn’t feel the same as she did. I’d been thrown away and given up by people who should’ve wanted me more than anyone on the planet. Why should it surprise me that another person didn’t want me? “Thanks. I’ve got to get back out there before he starts working without me.”