Free Broken by Janet Taylor-Perry Page A

Steve Journey was going to see when he was shot?"
    "You knew Agent Journey?"
    Raif nodded. "Yes. He was Stanley in the book. He's one of the friends I mentioned. How bad was it, Neely? Have you ever talked about it?"
    "No. I don't want to."
    "It'll help you heal."
    Her voice hitched. "You don't know what they did to me."
    "Tell me," Raif gently coaxed.
    She stared at the man she had fantasized about. What's the worst that can happen if I tell him? He'll bolt. I'll be no worse off. She took a deep breath. "You've already figured out that they raped me—all five of them. They hit and kicked me." She tensed all over. "Then, they used something—a glass shard."
    Tears dripped down Neely's cheeks. Raif leaned forward and took her hand.
    She said softly, "They did so much damage that the doctors say I will never be able to have children; it would be too risky to try and carry one to term, if the fertilized egg could even implant. You have no idea how much that hurts. A year ago, I joked with my friend, Esther, about her biological time clock ticking faster than mine because she's two years older and had just gotten married a little before that. Now mine has stopped. It's broken."
    "I'm so sorry, Neely. Aren't we a pair?"
    Neely sighed. "We've both survived some pretty bad things."
    Raif closed his eyes. "Sometimes I think surviving is the hardest part. Lord! I just feel lost and broken—rambling—completely lost. I simply exist and go about the motions of life."
    Impulsively, Neely stood in front of Raif. She ran her fingers through his hair. He opened his eyes and looked up at her. She whispered, "You're not lost any more. I found you." She leaned forward and kissed him. He reflexively returned her kiss. Then, he put his arms around her waist and laid his cheek against her abdomen. She stroked his hair before she took his hand and bade, "Come on."
    He followed her to her bedroom. She kissed him again. His response was no longer reflexive, but intentional. Neely unbuttoned Raif's shirt and slid it off his arms. He tentatively laid her back on her bed. They made love gently and tenderly. Each felt they might be able to live again.
     

    Sometime later as Raif and Neely lay in each other's arms, the old song by Meatloaf, "Two out of Three Ain't Bad," played softly on the radio. Neely looked up at Raif as he looked down at her. Their eyes locked. The words cut like a knife. She reached up and touched his cheek. "It's enough to be wanted and needed," she breathed. "I was afraid nobody would ever want me again."
    Raif shook his head. "No, it's not enough. God help me, I did need you tonight. You are very desirable, but you deserve so much more. You deserve to be loved." He kissed her passionately. He pulled her closer and made love to her once more.
     

10
    To Live Again
    M id-mornin g found Raif and Neely still sleeping and someone pounding on the back entrance to Neely's apartment.
    Raif squeezed her hand as she got out of bed.
    "Company?" he asked.
    She rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. That will be either Amile or Colleen," she assured.
    "Who are they?"
    "Colleen is the elderly voodoo priestess next door on that side." She pointed left. "Amile owns the café on the other side. They worry about me."
    Neely slipped into her bathrobe and answered her door. Colleen DuPin burst in. "Neely, chile, you all right? You ain't opened up yet." Colleen scrutinized the younger woman, crinkling the burnt-parchment-colored skin of her face even more than her aged wrinkles already did. "You got company?" she asked with a tilt of her head.
    "Come back a little later. I'll be open soon." She made her way to stand in front of the bedroom door.
    "Is that fine looking man I seen entering after you normally close still here?" Colleen stormed to the bedroom, pushing past Neely.
    Neely shouted, "Colleen!"
    Raif sat up in bed. "What the?"
    "You trifling with this girl?" demanded Colleen, slapping a hand to her ample hip. "I'll put a curse on you so