Maya Banks - Colters’ Lady

She took a step away from the wall and nearly fell.

Michael lunged forward and caught her before her knees completely gave out. She felt light and infinitely fragile against his chest. She shuddered and quaked, and her breaths came in rapid bursts.

For a long moment he simply held her, enjoying the sensation of her curled into his arms. And he wanted her to feel safe, so he made no sudden movements. Just let her grow accustomed to having him so close.

“I’m okay,” she whispered. “You can let me go.”

Reluctantly he drew away, but he was careful to keep his hands on her shoulders. Her clothing was damp through, and he was more determined than ever to take her back to Seth’s so they could get her into dry clothes and warmed up. After that? Who the hell knew? What was he going to do? Move in on a woman his brother had clearly staked a claim on?

His lips drawn into a grim line, he drew her protectively into his side so he could shield her from as much of the weather as possible. They walked down the alley, and at the end, she stared apprehensively down the street.

“I’m not far,” Michael murmured. “Let’s get you inside where it’s warm and I’ll call Seth. He’s looking for you.”

She shivered and frowned as he ushered her forward. “He shouldn’t have.” Michael turned in surprise. “Shouldn’t have looked for you? Shouldn’t have cared?”

“Either.”

He wanted to argue but didn’t. Seth could fight his own battles. Michael had to figure out how the hell to get past Lily’s defenses himself.

When his Cherokee came into view, Michael quickened his pace and all but dragged Lily with him.

The interior was still warm when he opened the passenger door. He helped her in, shut the door behind her and hurried around to his side.

He got in, started the engine and turned the heat on full blast before pulling out his cell phone. Lily listed a little in the seat and leaned away from him so that her right shoulder rested against the window.

Her expression was wary, but now she seemed more tired than anything. And worried.

“Seth, I found her. We’re heading back to your house.”

“Thank God,” Seth breathed. “I’ll meet you there.”

Michael put the Jeep into gear and drove off, frowning as his wipers just made a bigger mess of his windshield. He had the girl. But now what did he do with her?

He glanced sideways when he stopped at a red light and studied her delicate features. Then he shook his head. Fucked-up Colter gene. There was no other explanation. He needed to dump her back at Seth’s and run like hell. But he knew he wouldn’t. That he was well and truly stuck in this bizarre situation and that he was going to ride it out.

Seth could just unstake his claim.

Halfway to Seth’s house, Lily’s eyes closed. They rumbled over a pothole in the road, and she never stirred. She looked exhausted.

When they pulled into Seth’s driveway, Seth hadn’t arrived yet. Michael parked and leaned over to gently shake Lily awake.

“Lily,” he said in a low voice. “Wake up, honey. We’re at Seth’s.” He slid his hand higher up her arm and curled his fingers into the damp material as he shook just a little harder.

A flash of red caught his attention as his hand moved upward. He turned his palm outward and stared in bewilderment at the coating of red, sticky blood on his skin.

His gaze jerked back to her face, and her pallor took on a more ominous meaning. He touched her sweater again, and pulled at the material. The red was well disguised against the black material, but once again, his fingers came away glistening with fresh blood.

His pulse ratcheted up and his chest squeezed until each breath stuttered painfully across his lips. This wasn’t good. Not good at all.

“Ah, Lily,” he whispered. “What the hell happened to you out there?”

Lily stirred, and for a moment she had no awareness of her surroundings. Where was she? She blinked and then heard a low voice to her left accompanied by a hand on her shoulder.

She tried to turn, but pain splintered down her arm.

“Easy, don’t move too fast.”

Michael. Seth’s brother. He’d come for her. She was in his truck. She looked through the windshield to see they were parked in front of Seth’s house.

Once again she tried to shift, but Michael prevented her with a gentle hand. When he pulled it away, she was stunned to see his palm red with blood. She stared in bewilderment at the concern in his eyes and then looked down at her arm.

“What happened?”

“I was hoping you could tell me,” Michael said in a grim voice.

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I didn’t realize… It was all such a blur.”

“I need to get you inside so I can take a look at your arm and see what’s going on, okay? We may need to take you to the hospital.”

Instant nausea rolled in her stomach. The smell of the hospital was vibrant in her nose. The sights.

The sounds. She couldn’t go back there. She could never go back there.

Distant weeping. Shouted denials. Shock. Her world crashing around her.

She shuddered and purposely blanked her mind, refusing to go back to that place.

“No hospital.”

The words sounded harsh on her lips. Michael’s eyes flared in surprise, and he studied her thoughtfully.

“We may not have a choice, Lily.”

She shook her head again, ignoring the pain the vehement action caused her.

Michael sighed and opened his door. He walked around to her side and opened her door. For a moment he stood there as if studying the best way to handle her. She was struck by the differences between him and Seth. Even though Seth was the cop, Michael…he seemed more intense. Subtle power emanated from him in waves. There was confidence to his movements, and his attitude suggested he was used to taking charge and used to people following his directions.

His hair was longer. It clipped the tops of his shoulders but was shoved behind both ears as if he impatiently tucked it there often. The only resemblance she could find to Seth was the color of his hair and eyes. They both had beautiful blue eyes, though Seth’s were lighter. And their hair was a darker shade of brown.

“Tell you what,” he finally said as if coming to a decision. “For now, let’s go inside so I can take a look. Until I know what we’re dealing with, it’s senseless to have this argument.” He reached for her, to help her, but she pushed at his hand.

“I can walk. I’m okay.”

His mouth turned down into an expression of disapproval, but he didn’t press. He simply took a step back and waited for her to get out.

She swung her legs out and tried to get down too fast. Her feet hit the ground, and a moan escaped as the action jarred her upper body. Michael cursed, and before she could protest, he pulled her into his side, supporting her weight as they started for the house.

Once inside, the heat washed over her, thawing some of the numbness in her limbs. What should have felt like heaven quickly became hell as more feeling washed into her arm.

Michael sat her on the couch and knelt in front of her, his intense gaze finding hers. “I’m going out to my truck to get my bag. I don’t want you to move.”

She tried to smile but her lips quivered with the effort. “I thought you were a vet.” His eyes lightened and he smiled. “I am. But people…animals…what’s the difference?” She laughed at his joke but promptly shut up when the movement proved too much.

He got up and hurried out and once again she found herself staring around Seth’s house, taking in the smells and atmosphere of a home.

It lacked a woman’s touch, but then she’d seen no evidence that Seth was involved with someone.

He’d kissed her. Acted like he cared, though she couldn’t wrap her brain around that. She hadn’t done anything to encourage his attention—she wouldn’t have. She’d spent too much time trying to make herself invisible.

Life was for others to live. It was for her to survive.

Michael returned a moment later carrying a large duffel bag that he set on the floor in front of the couch. He knelt back down in front of her and took her hand in his, his fingers moving carefully over hers in a soothing manner.

“We need to get your sweater off, but I don’t want to pull it over your head so I’m going to cut it away from your arm so I can see where the bleeding is coming from.” She glanced between her arm and him and then nodded. He seemed relieved by her acceptance and opened his bag to take out scissors.

He started at her wrist where the tattered cuff of her sweater all but swallowed her hand. He worked methodically upward until the sleeve fell apart in two distinct pieces. She sucked in her breath when she saw the blood seeping down the inside of her arm.

“Do you have anything on underneath the sweater?” he asked gently.

“A T-shirt,” she said huskily.

“Okay, good. I’m going to cut away the sweater. It’s not salvageable anyway.” In a few more seconds, he had the sweater completely peeled away and she chanced another look at her arm. Blood was smeared over the entire upper portion. She blinked, trying to see what was wrong, what had happened, but the world seemed woozier than it had a moment ago.

“Take deep breaths,” Michael said. “And look away. Focus on something else.” Something else. What? He touched her arm, and she flinched even though it didn’t hurt.

“Sorry,” he murmured “I need to get this cleaned up. What happened out there, Lily? Can you tell me?”

“I don’t know. It was all so crazy. Everyone was shouting and running. There was so much gunfire. I didn’t know where to go so I just ran.”