Chapter Twelve #2
He wanted to take her in his arms and promise her that Holden would never get the chance to do any of the vile things he’d bragged about to Ridge.
Eli feared she might never want any man to touch her ever again.
His wolf gave a lonely howl, not willing to accept that outcome.
He might not have a choice. Not in a million years would he ever force his attention on a woman.
The tension in the room was palpable. Eli edged close enough to read over Kinley’s shoulder. She glanced up but didn’t tell him to back off. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to give her the opportunity to process everything, there simply wasn’t time.
“Wait.” He reached around her and tapped the screen. “Here.” She held the phone while he continued to scroll. “Holden made a vague reference to taking the fight to Kentucky.” He glanced at his brother. “He’s not too complimentary about you.”
“Fuck him.” Cyrus pointed at the phone. “We need up-to-date info.”
“Right. May I?” he asked, rather than taking the phone from her.
“What are you going to do?” She gripped the device.
“Pretend I’m Ridge.”
“I can do it.” In a motion that was becoming familiar, her chin tilted up, daring him to object. “You can tell me what to say.”
Eli scrubbed his hand over his jaw and gave it some thought. “In place in Kentucky. Not much happening. When are you getting here?”
She shook her head. “That doesn’t sound like Ridge.
” She started to type: I’m here. What do you want me to do now?
She sent it before he could stop her. “Duke might have sent him ahead to scout, but according to their texts, Holden knew he was coming, just not the whole of it. Ridge kept the alpha’s side offer to himself. ”
Eli ground his teeth together and swallowed a growl. Ridge had come to steal Kinley for himself. That’s the kind of backstabbing friends these men were to each other. There was no honor among them. Almost immediately dots appeared on the screen to show someone was typing. “He’s responding.”
“I can guarantee he’ll chew Ridge out for taking so long.”
“You hit it right on the money.” He read aloud, “What the fuck took you so long? Duke is crawling up my ass demanding answers.” Eli chuckled.
“Looks like Holden isn’t enjoying the job as senior enforcer as much as he thought he would.
” When she flinched, he could have kicked himself.
The only reason Holden had the job was because her daddy was dead.
He wasn’t used to having to watch his words.
“Holden likes power but doesn’t want to do any of the actual work or take any responsibility. He gets his friends into trouble and then pushes the blame on them.” She began to type: Had to find a place to hunker down. Security is lax. No trouble infiltrating.
Eli raised a brow. “That’s clever.” Whether she realized it or not, she had a tactical mind. The way she’d dealt with him from the beginning to handling this now showed it. If something didn’t work, she came up with another option. What she didn’t do was quit.
She shrugged. “I’m not sure it’s necessary. He’ll underestimate you. Duke won’t, but he’s used to my daddy following orders and being smart. Holden will do whatever he damn well pleases. He lacks restraint.”
Once again dots appeared on the screen and Eli began to read. “Duke wanted to leave immediately. Talked him out of it. Convinced him to give you time to scout. Be there tomorrow night. How many men do they have? Have you seen the—” He broke off, refusing the speak the words aloud.
“Have you seen the traitorous bitch,” she finished. “Not the worst thing he’s called me.” She brushed off the insult, but nothing could hide the pain reflected in her lovely eyes. Eli wanted to personally end Holden for all he’d put her through. “What should I say?”
“Let me do it.” There wasn’t anything he could do about the other man at this time, but he could spare her further emotional hurt.
Her fingers clamped down on the hard plastic cover. “They’re my pack, my problem.”
“They were your problem, now they’re our problem,” he reminded her.
Zach held out his hand. “One of us has to monitor it. I’m the tech guy. This is my job.”
“Kinley?” Eli didn’t want her to feel as though she didn’t have a say.
“He’s right. Holden will want updates.” When she didn’t hand over the phone, Eli carefully pried the device from her hand and handed it over to Zach, who began typing: Traitorous bitch is here.
He gave an apologetic shrug. “Has to be done.” While Eli knew he was right, it didn’t make it any easier to hear. Seen three men so far. What time should I expect you tomorrow? After it was sent, they waited. “He says he has to go but he’ll talk later.”
Eli pointed at his brother. “Text him back. Tell him no calls. Text only. Too risky with wolf ears around.”
Zach nodded. “Smart.” His fingers flew. “And done. I’ll change the password and comb through the rest of the messages to see what I can find.”
“I want to read them.” Kinley seemed determined to face every hard thing on her own. It was time she understood she was no longer alone. She had him.
“Let me go through them.” Zach’s voice was gentler than Eli had ever heard it. Kinley’s innate pride and determination was having on affect on more than just him. “I’ll tell you everything I find.”
“You won’t hold back?”
Zach glanced his way and Eli nodded. “I promise.”
“Call the others in,” Cyrus told Zach. “The perimeter alarms are in place and we’ll set up a rotation for tonight, but I think we’re good for now.” He glanced at the microwave clock. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starving.”
They’d missed lunch and the afternoon was waning. A lot had happened since he’d awoken with Kinley in his arms this morning.
“I don’t know what to do.” She sounded lost, totally unlike the take-charge attitude she wore like a shield. It was the first crack in the facade of her control, exposing a hint of fragility that struck him like a blow.
God, he wanted to take her away somewhere safe until this was over, but she’d never agree. It wasn’t what she needed either. As much as he might not like it, the fight was as much hers as it was his. More so.
“You’re still recovering from your week on the run.” The reminder was more for his brothers than her. Kinley had been rundown when they’d met and wasn’t anywhere near full strength. There’d been no time. Events were unfolding fast. “You could take a nap.”
The scathing glare she sent him had him hiding a smile. The warrior was back. “Or I could help in the kitchen.” She narrowed her gaze. “Listen in and have input on any plans being made.”
Eli chuckled. Zach grinned. Hell, even the corners of Cyrus’s mouth twitched. No way was she going to allow him, or any of them, to keep her out of the thick of things. Kinley Wright was one hell of a woman. The more he got to know her the more he was attracted to her. “You cook?”
She caught the hopeful note in his voice and smiled. “Yes, I can cook. I worked in the pack kitchen, helping prepare enough food to feed dozens at a time.”
“Dozens.” Eli patted his stomach. “Maybe you might be able to make enough to feed us.”
Her laugh went through him like a caress. He wanted to rub against her, mark her with his scent to warn away other males. Talk about primitive. From the start, she’d aroused both sides of him—human and wolf—in a way no other woman ever had.
She tossed her tangle of auburn hair over her shoulder and shot him a sassy smile. “If you’re lucky maybe I will.”
Every muscle in his body clenched at the teasing comeback.
Getting lucky with her was foremost on his mind.
His control had never been this close to snapping.
Don’t push her. The reminder shouldn’t have been necessary, but it was easy to forget what she’d been through and what was left to deal with when her eyes glittered with a mischief that invited him to play.
His life had been all work and discipline for as far back as he could remember, but there’d been a time when he and his brothers had romped and played in the mountains while their daddy laughed and Mama had urged them to be careful.
Kinley reminded him of those times, made him want them again.
First, they had to get rid of the menace that threatened their peace and her safety.
Her smile slowly faded. Her throat rippled when she swallowed. The neckline of the oversized shirt she wore dipped in the front, exposing a semicircle of smooth skin that begged to be tasted.
Josiah walked in with Levi behind him and announced, “Silas just pulled in.” He scanned them for injuries, subtly relaxing when he didn’t find any, but he did frown at the dark stains on Eli’s clothing.
Where the heck had Silas been? He’d assumed his younger brother was somewhere out on the mountain. Noah silently slipped in the back door.
Seconds later, the front door slammed open. Carrying two large bags, Silas joined them. “I got the alert, but was in Jackson. What happened while I was gone?”
Cyrus sat back and cocked his brows, waiting for Eli to take the lead.
It was yet another reminder to keep his attention on the task at hand.
“We had an uninvited visitor,” he told him before addressing the rest. “There’ve been a few developments.
” They needed to know about the execution and impending attack.
“While you’re filling us in, Kinley can check out the stuff I got.” She looked to him for clarification, but he shrugged. He had no idea what Silas was talking about. “I ran to the Walmart in Jackson. Left right after breakfast. Had to guess the sizes, but Levi helped with that.”
Levi grinned and gave a mock salute. “Glad to use my expertise to help.”
Silas brought the bags over to her when she didn’t go to him. “It’s some basics—underwear, leggings, tops, socks. It will hold you over until you can shop for yourself. And Levi insisted you needed your own brush and soap that doesn’t, and I quote, ‘smell like a guy.’”
When she didn’t take the bags, Eli did. “Thanks.” He hadn’t even had to ask them. As always, his brothers rallied to do what was necessary, but this went above and beyond.
“Kinley?” Her silence was worrying him.
Her bottom lip quivered. “I’m sorry.” She fled up the stairs. A door slammed shut.
Silas looked stricken. “I didn’t mean to upset her.”
“It’s nothing you did. It’s everything else that’s happened. Cyrus will fill you all in.” Bags in hand, he headed up the stairs.