your safety.”
Her stomach churned. Maybe he was right. Was there any chance the two attacks were related? That someone was out to hurt her? But why?
“How long had you been living there?”
“Umm, only three days,” she replied.
He reached over and took her hand in his. “Is there anyone who might hold a grudge against you? Any reason someone might wish you harm? An ex-boyfriend?” A pained grimace crossed his face.
“No.” She shook her head. “No one.”
“Give me the names of your exes.”
She snatched her hand away, irritated as the heat of his touch lingered on her skin.
“What? All of them?”
“Yep.”
“Cord,” she protested. He stared at her.
With a light scowl, she told him.
He glowered at her. “All of these? You dated all of these men?”
She shrugged. “I like dating. I like meeting new people. I like men, no law against that.”
His glare would have melted iron. “Right, I’ll look into each of them.”
“I wouldn’t bother.”
“Any of these relationships end bad?” he asked her.
“No.” Kayla didn’t correct his assumption that she’d been in a relationship with these men. In truth, she had dated a lot of men, but she’d slept with none of them. She’d been searching for something—attraction, desire, a spark.
Nothing. And she knew who to blame.
“Right, what about work colleagues? Any run-ins?”
“What?” she asked sarcastically. “You think my brothers attempted to have me kidnapped?”
“Don’t be funny, angel. What about your brothers’ employees, any problems with them? And what about at your old job? Any problems there?”
Kayla had loved her old job as a human resource advisor. But she hadn’t been able to face going back there after she was attacked. Instead she’d hidden herself away behind her brothers’ protection.
“No, I don’t know. I get on fine with Evan and Pete, and Reed has only just started. I never really had problems at my old job. I mean, there were a couple of people who I didn’t particularly get on with, but nothing serious.”
“Names,” he ordered.
She gave them to him. “Cord, do you think someone’s really after me?” She hated being constantly afraid. She shouldn’t have to live this way.
He placed his hands on her knees, immediately infusing her cool body with warmth as he leaned forward and stared at her intensely.
“No one will hurt you again. I promise. No one.” She took a deep breath, the surety in his voice soothing her ragged nerves.
“Now tell me about what happened four months ago.”
She stood. “I thought you said Luke told you.” She swallowed nervously.
“He did. But I’d like you to tell me.”
“Why?” she asked, working hard not to wring her hands.
“Because there may be things he forgot, things that I need clarification on.”
“I’m sure he told you everything. I don’t like to talk about it.”
He growled. “Maybe you need to talk about it. You have nightmares, don’t you? There are dark bags under your eyes from lack of sleep. You’re practically skin and bones and you barely smile anymore.”
Okay, she got it. She was a mess. “Why do you care? You’re here because of Jed.”
“To protect you properly I need to know everything. Tell me.”
She couldn’t tell him. She simply wasn’t able to. Tears welled in her eyes. Kayla’s pulse raced as panic unfurled. She tried desperately to push it back, to keep the memories at bay, but they rushed forward. Her heart was pounding so hard and fast she felt physically ill.
“Kayla, listen to me. Listen to me. Breathe. Come on. Breathe, damn it.” Cord’s command penetrated the terror swirling through her mind. She forced her gaze to his as he knelt before her, holding her hands.
She drew in a deep, shuddering breath as the tightness eased. Air flowed more smoothly into her lungs.
“Good girl. Look at me. Look at who’s in front of you. You’re safe, Kayla, safe. I’m sorry, angel, I shouldn’t have
Her stomach churned. Maybe he was right. Was there any chance the two attacks were related? That someone was out to hurt her? But why?
“How long had you been living there?”
“Umm, only three days,” she replied.
He reached over and took her hand in his. “Is there anyone who might hold a grudge against you? Any reason someone might wish you harm? An ex-boyfriend?” A pained grimace crossed his face.
“No.” She shook her head. “No one.”
“Give me the names of your exes.”
She snatched her hand away, irritated as the heat of his touch lingered on her skin.
“What? All of them?”
“Yep.”
“Cord,” she protested. He stared at her.
With a light scowl, she told him.
He glowered at her. “All of these? You dated all of these men?”
She shrugged. “I like dating. I like meeting new people. I like men, no law against that.”
His glare would have melted iron. “Right, I’ll look into each of them.”
“I wouldn’t bother.”
“Any of these relationships end bad?” he asked her.
“No.” Kayla didn’t correct his assumption that she’d been in a relationship with these men. In truth, she had dated a lot of men, but she’d slept with none of them. She’d been searching for something—attraction, desire, a spark.
Nothing. And she knew who to blame.
“Right, what about work colleagues? Any run-ins?”
“What?” she asked sarcastically. “You think my brothers attempted to have me kidnapped?”
“Don’t be funny, angel. What about your brothers’ employees, any problems with them? And what about at your old job? Any problems there?”
Kayla had loved her old job as a human resource advisor. But she hadn’t been able to face going back there after she was attacked. Instead she’d hidden herself away behind her brothers’ protection.
“No, I don’t know. I get on fine with Evan and Pete, and Reed has only just started. I never really had problems at my old job. I mean, there were a couple of people who I didn’t particularly get on with, but nothing serious.”
“Names,” he ordered.
She gave them to him. “Cord, do you think someone’s really after me?” She hated being constantly afraid. She shouldn’t have to live this way.
He placed his hands on her knees, immediately infusing her cool body with warmth as he leaned forward and stared at her intensely.
“No one will hurt you again. I promise. No one.” She took a deep breath, the surety in his voice soothing her ragged nerves.
“Now tell me about what happened four months ago.”
She stood. “I thought you said Luke told you.” She swallowed nervously.
“He did. But I’d like you to tell me.”
“Why?” she asked, working hard not to wring her hands.
“Because there may be things he forgot, things that I need clarification on.”
“I’m sure he told you everything. I don’t like to talk about it.”
He growled. “Maybe you need to talk about it. You have nightmares, don’t you? There are dark bags under your eyes from lack of sleep. You’re practically skin and bones and you barely smile anymore.”
Okay, she got it. She was a mess. “Why do you care? You’re here because of Jed.”
“To protect you properly I need to know everything. Tell me.”
She couldn’t tell him. She simply wasn’t able to. Tears welled in her eyes. Kayla’s pulse raced as panic unfurled. She tried desperately to push it back, to keep the memories at bay, but they rushed forward. Her heart was pounding so hard and fast she felt physically ill.
“Kayla, listen to me. Listen to me. Breathe. Come on. Breathe, damn it.” Cord’s command penetrated the terror swirling through her mind. She forced her gaze to his as he knelt before her, holding her hands.
She drew in a deep, shuddering breath as the tightness eased. Air flowed more smoothly into her lungs.
“Good girl. Look at me. Look at who’s in front of you. You’re safe, Kayla, safe. I’m sorry, angel, I shouldn’t have
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