Chapter Fifteen
If she’d been stark naked, she wouldn’t have felt more exposed. All her family’s secrets had been laid bare. She kept her eyes downcast, not wanting to see the judgement in Eli’s eyes.
“You tried to hire Eli. How’d you plan on paying him if you’re broke?” Cyrus sounded more curious than angry.
“I can access my daddy’s account. I couldn’t do it while he was alive.” She bit her bottom lip. “It would have been stealing. It wasn’t my money.”
“You didn’t mind skimming from the household account,” Cyrus pointed out.
She refused to be cowed by him and raised her chin. “I was given money to run the household. I did just that. My daddy never had any complaints. He never did without anything.”
Her wolf whimpered inside her, not sure what was wrong but not liking it.
No emotional connection outside the bedroom, she reminded herself.
It wasn’t easy when she wanted to lean on Eli, if only for a short respite.
The mental beating she was taking was wearing her down.
While she recognized the necessity, it didn’t lessen the impact.
“But you did.” Before she could gather her courage to face Eli, he got up from his chair and hunkered down beside her. “You went without more than new clothes and small luxuries.”
Knowing if she tried to speak she’d start crying, she gave a curt nod.
“Steaks are done. Let’s eat.” Noah’s announcement broke the uncomfortable silence. Kinley could have kissed him. Taking his cue, the others got busy helping Noah ferry platters from the kitchen.
Eli was still crouched beside her. It was making her uncomfortable. “You should grab some food before it’s all gone.” When he didn’t move, she forced herself to look at him. There was no judgement, no pity on his face, only something akin to pride.
“You’re one hell of a woman, Kinley Wright.” He lifted her hand and brought it to his lips. Stunned by his words as much as his actions, she was left speechless.
“Leave the girl alone and let her eat.” Cyrus dumped one of the steaks onto her plate.
Eli sighed and retook his seat. “You heard the man. You need to eat.” Without asking, he put a baked potato on her plate. Noah added a generous scoop of the mushrooms and onions. Levi added a piece of garlic bread.
“Here’s butter and sour cream for your potato.” Zach shoved the two bowls down the table.
“Salt and pepper are here,” Silas chimed in.
Josiah silently handed her a napkin.
They were taking care of her. These dangerous men, these rough and ready male wolves were treating her with a kindness she’d never experienced. A weight dropped off her shoulders. Whatever happened, she’d never regret meeting them. They were showing her the way a pack was supposed to be.
When they all continued to hover and watch her expectantly, she offered a tentative smile. “It smells wonderful. Thank you.” They were all suddenly busy filling their own plates.
Aware of Eli beside her, she cut a piece of steak and had her first bite. She closed her eyes as spices exploded on her tongue. A low moan escaped her. Eli chuckled. “I think she likes it.”
“It’s amazing, Noah.” He might be a bounty hunter, but the man had serious skills in the kitchen.
“Glad you like it.”
The onions and mushrooms were flavorful, the potatoes perfectly cooked, the garlic bread delicious, but the steak was the star of the meal.
The others were all eating, but it hadn’t escaped notice that Eli had waited for her to start before taking his first mouthful.
It wouldn’t be smart to read too much into that.
He felt a responsibility toward her. He kissed your hand in front of his brothers.
The back of her hand tingled. She surreptitiously rubbed it against her leg as she studied the men around the table.
The family resemblance was uncanny. They were all big men with various shades of brown hair and those distinctive black eyes.
What must their parents have been like to have raised the kind of men who’d take a stranger into their midst and protect her for no other reason than they thought it was the right thing to do?
Her daddy’s weaknesses were more apparent the longer she spent around the Sin brothers.
It didn’t make her love him less. It made her wish he could have been a bit stronger.
Maybe then she’d have found the strength and courage to leave before things had blown up in her face. If she had, he might still be alive.
“Everything okay?” Eli asked.
She’s stopped eating, her fork halfway to her mouth. “Everything is delicious. My mind wandered.” She took a bite and chewed, conscious of his attention on her. He must have been satisfied, because he returned to his own meal.
“Two of our clients are unhappy about the last-minute cancellation, but there’s not much they can do about it.” Josiah helped himself to another potato. “I cited a family emergency.”
What she’d eaten settled heavy in her stomach. “I can cover it.” Or she prayed she could. She had no idea what the jobs were or what the brothers charged for their services.
“No.” Eli didn’t mince words. “We’re not taking your money.”
She set her fork down. “My being here is a burden on you and your family. It’s the least I can do.” It would ease some of her guilt about the situation. “Nothing can compensate for the danger I’ve brought on all of you, but it’s something.”
Eli pointed his fork at Cyrus. “Tell her.”
Cyrus’s eyes narrowed at the order, and his brows lowered, but he nodded. “Keep your money.”
“About that money,” Zach began.
Eli pinned his brother with a glare. “I just said we weren’t taking it.”
“It occurred to me that she might not be the only one with access to it.”
Kinley’s stomach roiled and she broke out in a cold sweat. “Duke.” She stared at Eli, her hopes for a future plummeting. “I don’t know if he has access, but he’s the alpha.” And her daddy had always done what his brother wanted.
“Where’s your bank card?”
Driven by Eli’s urgency, she jumped up from her chair. “It’s upstairs.” It was the first time she hadn’t had it on her since she’d run. Wearing leggings meant there was no pocket for her wallet.
“I’ll get it.” He gently pushed her back down on her chair and hurried up the stairs.
“I need all your banking information.” Zach shoved his plate aside and grabbed his laptop—which never seemed to be far from reach—off the kitchen counter. By the time Eli returned, she’d given Zach everything he’d asked for.
Rather than give her wallet directly to his brother, Eli gave it to her. That small gesture showed an immense amount of respect, the likes of which had been missing in her life.
She opened the wallet and pulled out the lone bank card and handed it to Zach. “It’s for Daddy’s personal account. I always assumed it wasn’t connected to the pack one.” A huge mistake on her part.
It was a measure of her trust that not for a single second did she even consider she was giving them the means to leave her financially destitute.
They wouldn’t steal from her. They were too proud.
Besides which, she owed them more than she could ever repay.
If she gave them every penny, it wouldn’t be enough.
“What about your bank account?” Zach asked as he continued to type.
“I’ve never had one.” It was embarrassing for a grown woman to admit, but it was her reality. “I always paid cash.” It had been a godsend, as she’d been living off the money since she ran.
A low menacing growl made the fine hairs on her arms stand on end. All his brothers, except Zach who kept typing, warily watched Eli. A muscle in his jaw flexed, as if he was grinding his teeth. “I’m not feeling very kindly to your daddy or your pack right about now.”
Zach stopped typing. “Then you’re really not going to like this. The account was emptied a week ago.”
Black spots appeared in front of her eyes. Everything around her began to fade. All this time, she thought she’d had a financial cushion. “He must have taken it before the body was even cold.” Only one person could have done that—Duke Wright. The world began to tilt.
“She’s going down,” someone said.
Strong arms caught and held her. “I’ve got you.”
Things were fuzzy, but she’d recognize Eli’s scent anywhere. What was she doing in his lap? “You said no emotional connection outside the bedroom.” One brother snickered, another groaned, while one laughed outright.
“I was an idiot.” He pressed his forehead against hers.
****
Eli took the opened bottle of water Noah handed him and pressed the edge against Kinley’s lips. “Sip this.” The hits just kept coming.
That she didn’t try to take the bottle from him, allowed him to hold it, was an indication of how deep her shock went. She’d been fiercely independent from the start. Now he knew why. She hadn’t had a choice. No one, not even the daddy she loved, had put her first.
Detached and dispassionate—what a fucking joke. His emotions crashed over and through him in waves, churning like a stormy sea. Surprisingly, his wolf was calm, an apex predator waiting for the signal to hunt.
She blinked several times, some of her color returning. She scrubbed her hands over her face. Then she stilled. “Please tell me I didn’t say that last thing out loud.”
“About no emotional connection outside the bedroom?” Levi quipped. “Yes, yes, you did.” He pointed at Eli. “And I have to say, I’m seriously disappointed in you, bro.”
She groaned and buried her face in her hands.
“Put a lid on it,” Eli ordered. It was their way to tease one another, so it was no surprise at least one of his brothers had something to say. If it was only him, he wouldn’t care.
Levi rested his elbows on the table, propped his chin on his folded hands, and grinned. “Why? I’m only agreeing with you. You’re definitely an idiot.”