Banishing Shadows

by Lorna Jean Roberts

  “What happened? You’re bleeding,” she gasped. Kayla slipped her sleeve over her hand and held it up to the gash on his forehead.

  “Something hit me on the head. I woke up in the hallway. Someone must have dragged me up there. What the hell happened? I told you not to let go,” he growled.

  “I know. I got pulled away with the crowd. I couldn’t find you anywhere. I looked for you but this EMT insisted on checking me over— Wait, let me find him, he can look at your head.”

  She turned, but couldn’t see him or an ambulance.

  “That’s strange,” she murmured. “He was just here. Oh, here’s an ambulance,” she said as one came blasting into the parking lot. “Come on—”

  She tugged but he wouldn’t move. His gaze roamed the crowd as he pulled his cell from his jeans pocket.

  “Something’s off here. I don’t smell any smoke. I don’t like you being out in the open.” He pushed her over beside a dumpster, positioning his body so she was behind him, his back to her.

  “This is ridiculous. Cord, you’re injured.”

  He ignored her as he spoke into his phone. “Luke, get over here. We have a situation.” He hung up.

  “Cord—”

  “What did this EMT look like?” he asked.

  She explained as best she could. “Why do you want to know? You don’t think he set off the alarm, do you? He had a uniform on.”

  “Could have been stolen. Why’d he grab you when there are injured people around?”

  He fell silent and Kayla peered around his shoulder. Two firemen exited the building and held their hands up for quiet. “It’s okay, everyone, it was a smoke bomb. There’s no fire.”

  Kayla let her breath out on a rush. “A smoke bomb? So this was just a prank? Who would do that? Why?”

  “I don’t know, baby. But I don’t like it. You don’t go back into that building until I’ve checked this out.”

  “What? Where are we going to sleep tonight?”

  “You’re staying at Luke’s. I’m staying here.” She attempted to move around him but he held her behind his back. “Stay still,” he snapped.

  “No way. You’re going to the hospital. You were knocked out. You might need medical attention. And you can’t stay here by yourself, Cord.”

  “Kayla.”

  “Cord.”

  He sighed and she was startled as she realized he was going to cave. “All right, all right. I’ll go back to Luke’s with you. Happy?”

  “Ecstatic.”

  Cord took the beer Luke handed him. Kayla had finally calmed down enough to go to sleep. She’d been exhausted, her skin pale with large, dark circles surrounding her eyes.

  “Thanks, man.” Cord swallowed a large gulp, slouching back on the sofa. He had to fight to keep the raging fury restrained, not to let himself fall over the edge of sanity into blinding rage. The last thing he wanted was for Kayla to see him that way. He’d never win her love if she was terrified of him.

  “So do you think it was just a kid fooling around or do you really think it has something to do with Kayla?”

  “I don’t know,” Cord replied. “Kayla said there was an EMT trying to get her to go with him. Could be legit, but he frightened her and then he disappeared as soon as I was on the scene. I’ll need to check that out. In the meantime, we’ll stay here tonight then move into a motel.”

  “Of course,” Luke answered without hesitation. “You realize Quinn’s going to have a fit about this. I wouldn’t be surprised if he insisted on moving Kayla in with him. He’s a bit overprotective.”

  “And you aren’t?” Cord asked with a wry grin.

  Luke shrugged. “Perhaps I should try to get hold of Jed.”

  Cord shook his head. “Nah, don’t worry him yet. Besides it’ll probably take longer to get hold of him than it will to find these guys.”

  “What the hell is going on?” Luke ran his hand through his hair. “Why would anyone be after Kayla? Could this be related to the assault on her four months ago? But why would they wait this long before attacking her again? It makes no sense.”

  “I spoke to the policeman who handled the case. There had been a few attacks on women in the next neighborhood. He thinks the attack on her was done by the same person. They never caught him.”

  “But there were two people in that apartment with Kayla.”

  “Exactly. And I looked into those attacks. None of them were home invasions. These guys in Kayla’s apartment were more organized. They weren’t after an easy mark. Attacking her inside her apartment was risky and trickier. They had to bypass security to get inside.”

  “So what do you think?” Luke asked.

  “Nothing about the attack four months ago appears to be random. I think they were after someone in particular. The question in my mind is whether it was Kayla they were after. I’ve tried to figure out who would want to harm her. Nothing. There were two of them, which rules out a stalker. They didn’t take anything, so it doesn’t seem like a robbery gone bad. So what if it wasn’t Kayla they were after?”

  “But then who were they after? Did they get the wrong apartment?”

  “Maybe. Or maybe the right apartment but the wrong person. Quinn mentioned that Kayla moved into the apartment you’d leased for Lily?”

  “Yeah, Kayla moved in when Lily disappeared. But there was no way anyone could know I’d leased that place for Lily. Well, my family knew and the landlord, but that was it. It was never in her name or Kayla’s, for that matter, I just never had time to change it. And who would want to hurt Lily anyway?”

  “What about Jon’s brothers? Lily’s brother-in-laws?”

  Luke stared at him, surprise clear on his face. “Jon had brothers? Lily never mentioned them.”

  “Well, he did, and they’re not good guys. Two have previous convictions for assault.”

  “Jesus, Jesus.”

  “What if they blamed you or Lily for their brother’s death? Kayla hadn’t been living there long. Maybe they thought Lily was living there. I talked to the landlord today. Not the most circumspect guy. As soon as I offered some cash, he was willing to tell me whatever I wanted to know about who lived where. He admitted talking to some guy about the apartment you leased. Unfortunately, he couldn’t remember what the guy looked like.”

  Luke stood, his face thunderous. “I’ll kill him. That information is supposed to be confidential.”

  “He’s been taken care of.” Cord had made damn sure he’d never sell anyone else out. “It’s guesswork at the moment, but I’m trying to find out whether Jon’s brothers were in town during the time Kayla was attacked.”

  “You don’t know this for sure though,” Luke said. “This could be unrelated to Lily.”

  “I could well be wrong.” But his gut told him he was right and he’d long ago learned to trust in his hunches.

  “Shit, this is my fault. I practically pushed Kayla into that apartment. The end of her lease was coming up and it was in a safer neighborhood. If she’d just stayed where she was…”

  “This is no one’s fault but the bastards’ who attacked her.”

  Luke nodded, looking pale. “But what’s happening now can’t be related to what happened then, especially if it was aimed at Lily. I mean, there’s been four months of nothing.”

  “I can’t find any connecting factor,” Cord agreed. “Except for Kayla, that is. And if the first attack on her was a case of mistaken identity then that would mean this latest attack is unrelated. I have no lead on who is doing this and why.” Cord rubbed the back of his neck.

  “I wish I could find Lily.” Luke groaned. “What if these guys find her before Sam does?”

  “Has Sam got any leads yet?”

  Luke shook his head. “No, not yet.” He took a gulp of beer. “God, I should have changed the lease. Got rid of the apartment. If Kayla hadn’t moved in there…”

  “No use thinking of what-ifs. That helps no one.” Cord stared Luke in the eyes. “I could be wrong. It could al
l be unrelated to Lily. They could have been watching Kayla for ages. It could have been someone she worked with. And none of this is your fault. It’s those bastards who touched her. And they won’t get away with it. I am going to find them.”

  Chapter Four

  Cord woke when the bedroom door opened. Alert, he tensed as the intruder tiptoed into his room. Lying still, waiting, he heard them take a shaky breath half a second before he sprang from the bed.

  A familiar scream.

  Shit.

  “Kayla, wait.” He cursed himself silently. Reaching for the bedside lamp, he switched it on, blinking frantically to adjust his eyesight.

  Kayla stood by the door, her arms crossed protectively in front of her. Her face was pale, her lips trembling and he knew she was holding on to control by a slim thread.

  He held out a hand. “God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Come here, baby.”

  She stared at him from haunted eyes, her body shaking. She was going to bolt.

  “Please, angel, I need to make sure you’re all right.”

  She took a small step forward then another. When she slipped her too-cold hand into his, he slowly pulled her to sit on the bed.

  “Shit, you’re freezing. Luke needs to turn the heating up in this place.” He tucked her under the covers before he sat, facing her.

  “Did you have a nightmare?”

  “N-no, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You know, in case you had a c-concussion.”

  Her fingers clasped and unclasped the bed cover. She was still frightened, her eyes large in her drawn face.

  “Calm down, angel.” He grabbed her hand and placed it over his chest. “I’m fine. You shouldn’t be worrying about me, you should be sleeping.”

  She nodded, chewing her lip.

  “You did have a nightmare, didn’t you?”

  She nodded again, tears glazing her eyes.

  “Scoot over, love.” She shifted over in the bed, lying down and rolling onto her side to stare at him. He rested on his back and tugged her close until her head lay against his shoulder.

  Kayla took in a deep breath, her heartbeat quickening, and not because she was afraid. Heat radiated from Cord, stirring her insides. She pressed herself firmly against him and kissed his chest. In her dream she’d been searching for him, crying, unable to find him. Then she had.

  He’d been dead, a bullet wound in his head.

  She trailed her hand over his chest, stroking. Growing bolder when he didn’t protest, she brought her hand up to his nipple and flicked.

  Leaning up on one elbow, she ran her hand over his stomach, delighting in the hard feel of him. Moving lower still, she brushed the back of her hand against his cock. He took a sharp breath. Kayla hesitated then took the plunge, circling his shaft with her hand, moving slowly, savoring the feel of him. His cock throbbed and twitched, seeming to have a life of its own. She ran her hand up and down his shaft, learning the feel of him, loving the velvety warmth.

  “Kayla, you don’t have to—”

  “I want to.”

  Tonight she’d lain in bed for ages before falling asleep, her mind replaying that terrifying moment where she’d been unable to find him.

  When she’d awoken from the midst of her nightmare, she’d wanted only him. To be held safely in his arms. To reassure herself that he was alive.

  The thought of sleeping with any other man made her nauseous. The thought of sleeping with Cord? Hot, nervous, needy. Sex was so intimate. She needed to trust the man she slept with, to be so attracted to him that desire for him would push her past any fear.

  Cord ticked all the boxes.

  God, she craved him.

  “Hey.” He grabbed her hands, stilling them as she started to pull off her t-shirt. She was dressed in her usual night attire, an oversized t-shirt and panties. “There’s no rush.”

  “I’m in a rush,” she snapped, disgruntled. “I’m antsy. My skin feels tight and itchy. I have this constant need rolling through me. I need…I need…”

  “Okay, it’s okay. Here, lie on the bed.” She fell back, expecting him to touch her. Instead he leaned up on one elbow and stared down at her.

  “Do you know how gorgeous you are?”

  She blushed, feeling self-conscious. Cord kissed her neck, his mouth hot and wet against her skin as she trembled, flooded with desire.

  “We go as far as you want. You know if you need to stop, just say the word and I’ll stop.” His gaze was fierce, his touch gentle.

  He slowly pulled off her t-shirt.

  Cord brushed his lips over the skin behind her ear, a spot she hadn’t realized could feel so erotic. Her pussy flooded as he continued down her neck to her breast. Reaching a stiff nipple, he sucked firmly. Cupping her mound, he simply held her.

  “Please, don’t tease me,” she cried.

  Moving toward the bottom of the bed, Cord slowly removed her panties and knelt between her spread legs, his gaze devouring her.

  “Aren’t you going to get undressed?”

  “No, baby.”

  Wild lashings of pleasure seared her as he ran his tongue up her thigh.

  “Oh lord,” she groaned, widening her legs.

  “We’re going to take this nice and slow.”

  Slow? Was he mad?

  “What if I don’t want nice and slow? What if I want hard, fast and furious?”

  He chuckled. “Oh, there’s plenty of time for that. Right now, this is all about you. What you want, what you need, all you.”

  He licked her, teasing her, driving her insane.

  “Please, more,” she begged.

  “Hmm.”

  “More, more, more,” she demanded, twirling her fingers in his hair, trying to force him closer.

  “Easy, angel, easy.”

  He used his tongue to play with her clit, skimming over it. Her hips rose, a low sigh of satisfaction escaping as he skilfully manipulated the bundle of nerves.

  When her release washed over her, long and deep, she closed her eyes, savoring the rush, letting herself slip away.

  Reluctantly, she drifted back down to reality. Cord rolled her, spooning her from behind.

  “What about you?” she asked, her voice drugged with satisfaction.

  He kissed the back of her head. “I have everything I need right here.”

  * * * * *

  Kayla stirred, opening her eyes as Cord slowed his truck and pulled into the motel parking lot. It had been a long day. She’d insisted on going to work even though she’d had little sleep. She was really regretting that stubborn decision now. She’d spent all day thinking about Cord, about what they’d done last night. When she’d thought about the possibility of losing him, of him dying…she’d wanted to die herself.

  Because she loved him. Always had.

  Damn. If only she could keep her feelings out of it. Yeah, right. And yet, she didn’t want to pull away.

  “Wait there,” Cord ordered. He left the truck and strode around to her door, opening it and lifting her into his arms. Locking the truck, he turned toward the motel. They’d only stayed one night with Luke before moving in here. Cord had gone back to the apartment today to get some of their personal belongings.

  “I can walk, Cord.”

  “Hush, you’re tired. Besides, I want to carry you. Just rest.”

  She laid her head against his chest, her eyes closing. She was exhausted and being held in his arms gave her a sense of safety she was sorely in need of.

  As Cord put her down, she stirred, forcing her eyes open. The room spun, light blue walls swirling around her in a sickening whoosh. Everything crashed down on her at once. If he hadn’t grabbed her, she’d have fallen to a heap upon the floor.

  “Whoa there, baby. Here, let me lay you down on the bed.” Concern lined his face. “Are you feeling sick?”

  “Just tired.”

  “Why don’t you have a sleep? I’ll wake you for dinner. Okay?”

  “All right.”

/>   He placed her on the bed. Kayla shoved off her shoes and settled back with a sigh. Her eyes were already closing when his lips brushed against her forehead.

  Cord sat on the bed, watching Kayla until he was certain she was in a deep sleep. He ran his hand through her silky hair, needing to touch her, to reassure himself of her well-being. Just the idea of someone trying to take her from him was enough to have him growling—harsh rumbles he had to swallow when she shifted restlessly.

  He was worried about her health. This was taking a hard toll and he didn’t like seeing her so worn down. It had to end.

  Moving into the living room, Cord picked up his cell phone. He continued to watch Kayla through the open door as he waited for the call to be answered.

  “Cord, what can I do for you?” Cord nearly grinned when he heard Nash answer in his familiar Southern drawl.

  “I need you for a job. Someone’s threatening Jed’s sister.” Concisely, he gave Nash the details.

  Nash swore. “You have her secured?”

  “Yes. But I’ll need some help.” It chafed him to ask, but her safety outweighed his pride and they both knew it.

  “Of course. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “Thanks, man.”

  Kayla awoke as something brushed down her cheek. She opened her eyes, panicking when she saw a man looming over her.

  “Shh, angel. It’s me. You’re safe.”

  She breathed in, letting his scent, his husky voice soothe her. The fractured pieces of her soul settled when he was around, coming together, making her feel whole.

  “Cord,” she whispered.

  “Yeah, baby. It’s me. Time for dinner.”

  “Be with me. Please.” She wanted him more than anything.

  “Angel—” She heard the need in his voice.

  “Properly. Fuck me, Cord. Now, I don’t want to wait anymore.”

  With a groan he leaned down and kissed her, his lips gentle, searching. She opened her mouth and let him in, wanting to be consumed by him. Pent-up want spilled from her in a large wave of passion.

  “God, how I want you. But are you sure you’re ready?”

  She reached up with one hand to rub him through his jeans, wishing she could feel bare skin. Oh yeah, she wanted him. Badly. Right at that moment she didn’t care about anything else but having him.