Promises (Blood Brothers #1) by BJ Brandon Read Free Book Online Page A

occurred to him how it could affect someone else. Now he had Chayle to worry about, and she was still healing, barely out of the hospital a day.
    The humidity of east Texas could be stifling at times to those not use to it and Chayle had live the last few years in Colorado. He loved the green hill country around his home but he wondered how she would compare it to the mountains. Kayne could not wait to show her the compound but it would have to be delayed. The many horse and cattle properties surrounding the huge compound had been his and Rafe’s home long before entering the service. It had been under the name of their adopted parents and hidden by the best in the business so no one could find out where they were.
    A soft moan and quick eye movements reminded Kayne why he stood silent guard, unable and unwilling to risk her waking up in a strange place yet again, alone. Too many changes in too short of time, still she retained such spunk and temper that it drew him like a dark flame. She had even dared to slap at him, causing a rare grin to lift full lips in the darkness of the room as he remembered her temper. No one had ever slapped him. Just the thought of it had him growing hard and restless all over again. No other female had ever stood up to him like that and Kayne could only be further amazed as to why he allowed her to continue to do so. It could endanger Chayle's safety if she thought she could sway him, much less that he might actually allow her to think it could work.
    "NO!" The scream was high and shrill as Chayle came off the bed in a rush, her eyes wild and blind, mouth open for another shriek. Kayne was there before she could utter another sound, he mouth covering hers in a soft, soothing kiss.
    "Easy," he crooned. "No one is here but us, rest easy." Kayne held both hands in one of his large ones, the other gently smoothing back the mop of chestnut curls cascading around Chayle's forehead and shoulders. The mass of dark silk filled his hand as he tried to soothe, slowly pulling her from the realm of sleep where the monsters chased and demons lurked. She shook so hard it was a wonder the entire bed did not tremble under them. Finally he pulled her onto his lap and gently rocked her against his chest, feeling the silent sobs shake her chest as she tried to hold them back. He felt them all the way to his soul.
    "There is no one here but the two of us," he whispered.
    "They were there," she wheezed painfully between clenched teeth. "I couldn't stop them, couldn't make them stop hurting the other girl!" Her body shook, the sobs soft and yet crippling as he cuddled her close, letting the terror loose rather than remain hidden in the shadows of her mind where it could fester and grow.
    "What other girl?" he whispered, already knowing the answer.
    "There was another girl at the compound where you found me. She was so much younger, so tiny. I could not let them hurt her. I couldn't," she sobbed. "I tried to keep their attention on me."
    Chayle's hiccups tore at his resolve as he rubbed her back with rough hands that were used to weapons and hand-to-hand combat rather than easing a woman's fears. He did not realize how he clenched her closer, listening quietly as she voiced her terror. "They finally took her away once they started torturing me."
    "Chayle, are saying you deliberately made yourself a target to protect the other girl?" Kayne tried to keep the anger out of his voice, but he knew it bled through. She had purposely made them angry to save the other girl. This small woman had fought the only way she could at the time, allowing men to hurt her more than they probably would have in order to buy time and protect the younger girl held captive. Not only was she brave but stupid. With no way of protecting herself from whatever torture those monsters were planning, Chayle had endured horrendous acts, more so than any he had seen in many years and it sickened him.
    "I didn't know what else to do, Kayne!" she