Code Name: Kayla's Fire Read Online Free PDF Page B

and blaming it
on PTSD?”
    She ignored his obvious doubt. “As the years progressed and he didn’t
get help, the episodes got worse and came more often. That night,” She took a
breath to center herself. “Daniel had just returned from a deployment. We were
going to have a wonderful Christmas. Daniel had been standing at the fireplace
reading the Christmas cards. His brother, Greg, had sent one. When he read the
card he got angry, unreasonably so, but in that same instant a truck or car
backfired on the street. Daniel wasn’t Daniel anymore. He attacked me. He was
back in the theater fighting the enemy.”
    Mace reached across the table and squeezed her hands tightly, trying
to stop them from shaking. “I don’t want you to talk about this if it bothers
you, but, Kayla, I want you to be honest with me.”
    She nodded.
    “Was Daniel only abusive when he had PT episodes?”
    Her gaze veered to the couple sitting next to them. They were laughing,
and had their heads together looking at something on her phone.
    “Kayla—”
    She gnawed on her lip. “Daniel hated it when men talked to me, and
working on the base I was surrounded by them. I knew it was just his past
haunting him, and I tried to reassure him, but I could never convince him, and
once his anger took hold….” Trying to explain this to Mace was near impossible.
“We were both too young to be married, and with our backgrounds and
inexperience…we’d fight.” She bowed her head.
    “You can’t blame all those years of abuse on PTSD. He had problems,
deep ones, and you were right to leave. He needed help desperately, and
hopefully got some, but using you as a punching bag is not acceptable therapy,”
Mace growled.
    She nodded knowing Mace was right on some levels. “Regardless, I’m
just shrapnel in a minefield of women in Captain Austen’s life. There is no
reason for him to become tangled up in my past.” Thane was stronger in mind and
body than any man she’d ever known, except maybe Daniel. She wouldn’t want them
to come face to face. The thought of those two titans squaring off, scared her
more than the thought of standing like a morsel of meat between two T-rexes.
    Mace reached across the table and stroked her necklace. “Do you really
believe that after he gave you his Budweiser?”
    It hung around an undeserving neck as far as she was concerned. Thane
had earned it long ago, passing the BUD/S training, his qualification training,
and then designated as a Navy SEAL. “He must have had a thousand opportunities,
and he’s never settled down. There’s a reason for that.” Twisting the napkin
around her finger, she watched the blood flood to the surface, reddening the
tip. “The woman Thane’s meant for will be someone important. Someone strong,
like him.”
    Greg Lapierre slid into her thoughts. Her brother-in-law had called
every day since she’d told him she wouldn’t be home for a while. He kept
prodding and asking questions until she finally broke down and told him about
the Shark.
    Greg was an extremely stable, sexy, understanding man. The brothers
were the same except for one thing: anger. Daniel had been possessive to the
point of violence. She’d chosen the wrong one to marry. Greg had taken a lot of
responsibility that didn’t belong to him after Daniel had his breakdown. Since
those days, Greg had been someone she could always count on. “Greg wants me to
marry him.”
    Mace shook his head slowly.
    “He wants me to go home. He calls every day, asking me to leave San
Diego.”
    “I know. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.” He gave her a crooked look. “I
haven’t told the Captain because I know how he’d react.”
    She drew the basket toward her with an enormous compunction to eat
everything and anything in sight. God, she was hungry. She turned, looking for
the waiter.
    “What d’ya need, beautiful?” Bruce asked, seeing her wave.
    The wind tried to whisk the menu from the table and she snagged it,
handing it to him