Colters' Lady: Colters’ Legacy, Book 2 by Maya Banks Read Free Book Online

“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?” 30
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    Chapter Five
    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.

    Maya Banks
    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