Banishing Shadows Read Free

the stupidest shoes ever made. What the hell possessed you to dress like this, Kayla? Never mind.” He cut her off before she could answer. Placing her on the hood of her car, he held out his hand imperiously.
    “Keys.”
    “You know, you’re not the boss of me. Go away and leave me alone.” Tears welled. What a disaster tonight had ended up being. All she wanted to do was slink away and bury her sorrows in as much full-fat, sickly, eat-only-in-moderation food as she could swallow.
    Cord grabbed her when she attempted to slide off the car. He leaned down until they were face to face and she found herself swallowing heavily as his cold, stern gaze met hers.
    “Give. Me. Your. Keys.”
    This time she obeyed instantly.
     
    Cord had never been so furious in his lie. He needed every bit of discipline he possessed to hold in his rage.
    How dare she put herself in harm’s way?
    When he’d seen her walk into the most dangerous bar in the city dressed like every man’s wet dream, he’d almost had a heart attack. Not to mention he’d achieved an instant hard-on, one that had yet to ease down.
    Silence reigned during the ride to her place. Cord concentrated on his driving so he wouldn’t stare at her silky legs, her creamy breasts or the way she nervously licked those luscious lips. She damned well should be anxious, because this little stunt had pushed him over the edge.
    The time for playing games was over. It was more than obvious that she needed a firm hand.
    His hand.
    Cord almost smiled at the concerned glances she sent his way. He knew the exact moment he’d realized she was a woman. She’d been eighteen, home from college and washing her brother’s car in tiny cutoff denim shorts and a tight tank top. It was no different than anything another girl her age would wear. But other girls didn’t catch his attention the way this one did.
    Her laugh. The hot little looks she sent his way when she thought he wasn’t looking. The way she bit her thumbnail when she was nervous.
    Damn, he had it bad.
    Worse—he couldn’t have her.
    She was young, sweet, innocent and his best friend’s sister. Her brothers would kill him if he hurt her. And he would. Cord wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship, didn’t deserve someone soft and sweet like Kayla.
    He’d done his best to stay away from her. It helped that he spent so much time overseas or on base. He was due to ship out again soon. He would have been fine, could have kept his distance.
    If she hadn’t put herself in danger.
    Her brothers had been too lenient with her, spoiling her after a car accident killed their parents. Kayla had been seven at the time. At twenty-one, Luke had been granted guardianship of her and fourteen-year-old Jed, Cord’s best friend. The twins had been eighteen, old enough to leave home, but they’d stayed to help Luke raise the younger kids. As far as Cord was concerned they should’ve locked Kayla away as a teenager and left her there until she was at least thirty.
    Letting her direct him, he pulled into a parking spot outside a large apartment building.
    “Wait there,” he demanded when Kayla grasped the door handle. He ignored her frown, striding around to open her door. Reaching in to pick her up, he was startled when she slapped his hands away.
    “Don’t touch me!” she snapped. Cord matched her scowl. Her eyes widened.
    “You have two choices, angel. I can carry you upstairs in my arms, or I can throw you over my shoulder and haul you inside like a sack of potatoes. Either way, you are not walking on that ankle.”
    “It doesn’t even hurt anymore,” she muttered, folding her arms beneath her breasts. He wondered if she’d done that on purpose—the move plumped them, making the already generous mounds overflow. He growled as he remembered how every lecher in the bar had drooled over her lush body.
    “Hard way it is then,” he announced when she didn’t answer him. He quickly grabbed her, depositing her over his