Theirs to Keep - Maya Banks Page 0,16

bench and watched as Merrick sparred with Cade in the ring. Cade held a large punching bag, and Merrick ducked and feinted right and left before landing punches that pushed Cade back.

It had been three weeks since the night they’d found her. The bruises had faded. The gunshot wound was nearly healed. She looked and felt better, but her past was still a huge shadow in her mind, an impenetrable veil of darkness.

Part of her wondered if it was better that way. It made her a coward, but every time she tried to think, to focus her attention on the past, she broke into a cold sweat and dissolved into a panic attack.

If that wasn’t a huge sign that she was better off not knowing, she didn’t know what was.

After the first couple of days, the men had settled back into their routine and incorporated Elle into it. She went to Merrick’s workouts with him. Then she’d ride into the office when Merrick joined Cade.

They’d been adamant about making sure she was never alone and that she felt safe at all times while she was recovering. Dallas had become a regular visitor to the men’s home to check in on her progress.

Charlie stayed with her in the office if Cade and Merrick were out on a job. She was never without someone, and while some people would feel smothered by the constant company, it reassured her. She didn’t want to be alone. Maybe she’d never want to be alone again.

It baffled her that four strangers had essentially gone so far out of their way for her. For a nobody. A woman with no past, a woman who, for all they knew, could be a criminal.

The thought made her shiver because she didn’t feel like a criminal. Wouldn’t she know? If she had been involved in crime, would she find the idea so repugnant now?

Cade and Merrick had dismissed her concerns without so much as a moment’s consideration. They reminded her that she was the victim and that she’d done nothing wrong. Their faith gave her a much-needed boost in her own faltering beliefs.

They were simply too good to be true. And that worried her. If something seemed too good to be true, it usually was, and she was literally waiting to have the rug pulled from underneath her and for her to be cast adrift.

The thought scared her to death. Being alone frightened her. She had grown to depend on the two men way more than she’d like to admit.

And worse, she was developing feelings that weren’t clear to her. They were more than gratitude. Couldn’t be confused with psychological dependency. The whole falling for your savior thing. Besides, she had two rescuers. How could she explain her growing affection for both of them?

She winced as Merrick was taken down by one of his sparring partners. He trained with two younger fighters who were up-and-coming. She’d been around enough in the past weeks to know that Merrick was older. Not quite past his prime, but he’d started later than other fighters had. He was approaching an age where it was do-or-die time, and from what she’d gleaned from his conversations with Cade and Charlie, this was his last opportunity—or at least he perceived it was. If he didn’t make a run for the title now, he’d never get another shot.

It took effort not to cheer when Merrick executed a triangle choke, and his partner quickly tapped. Merrick rolled away and then jumped to his feet. Cade tossed him a towel and a bottle of water, and Merrick sucked the water down as he scrubbed the sweat from his face.

The sparring session was early today so Cade could make it before going into the office. Twice a week, they got up before dawn and met at the gym before going into work. The other days, Merrick worked out with the other members of his training team, and Cade took care of the business.

Elle admired Cade’s and Merrick’s loyalty to each other. It was obvious they’d been friends for a long time and that their friendship was very important to them.

“How’s he looking?” Dallas asked as he slid onto the bench next to Elle.

She turned and smiled. “He looks strong, but then I wouldn’t even know if he didn’t.”

Dallas chuckled, and his gaze sought Merrick out. Merrick was talking to Dakota, his trainer, and Charlie and Cade in the corner of the ring.

Dallas was as common an observer at Merrick’s training sessions