Chapter Fifteen #2
“That’s enough.” Cyrus brought an end to the banter, but Eli knew it wasn’t on his account.
The brothers had been bickering their entire lives.
This wasn’t anything new. It was usually good-natured.
Occasionally it turned into a fistfight, but that was rare, especially once they’d all left their teens behind.
“You’re embarrassing Kinley,” Cyrus continued.
Then the corners of his mouth twitched. “But for the record, I agree with Levi.”
Eli swallowed a groan. Bad enough his brothers were giving him a hard time, as brothers do, but to do it in front of Kinley went too far. He set the water bottle aside and gave Kinley his full attention. “How are you feeling?”
“I can’t believe I said that out loud.” Blue eyes peeked at him from between her fingers. “I’m sorry. I keep saying that.” She lowered her hands and sighed. “I should get the words printed on a t-shirt and be done with it.”
The spark of humor settled some of the darker emotions swirling inside him.
“Ignore them. They’re jealous.” The fleeting flash of emotion in several of his brothers’ eyes gave truth to his words.
They were as lonely as he was, or as he’d been before he’d met Kinley.
Despite everything, she filled a void he hadn’t known existed.
She gave a derisive laugh. “Yeah, I’m sure they’re jealous of your sparkling good fortune. I’ve brought nothing but mayhem and death.”
“It was getting boring around here,” Levi quipped. Eli could have kissed his brother. He hadn’t meant to embarrass Kinley. This was his way of making up for it.
Her laugh came more easily. “I’ve certainly livened things up.”
Eli smoothed her hair out of her face. “Feeling better?”
“Yes.” She scooted off his lap, leaving his arms empty.
He let her go because it would make her uncomfortable to stay there now that the shock had passed.
“I can’t believe I almost blacked out,” she muttered under her breath.
“You’ve been under extreme stress.” He nudged the plate of garlic bread toward her. She’d seemed to enjoy it. “Here, have some more.” If he couldn’t hold her, he could at least feed her.
Warmth filled her sky-blue eyes. “I can’t eat another bite.” She pressed her hand against her stomach. “I’m full. It was all delicious.”
Eli wasn’t used to feeling helpless, and he damn well didn’t like it. He’d destroy her enemies when they arrived or die trying. Until then, there had to be something he could do for her.
“Gotcha.” Zach had been busy on his laptop the entire time. Now he lifted his head and grinned. “Damn, I’m good.”
The satisfaction in his voice gave Eli a good idea of what his brother had done. “Let’s hear it.”
“All the money Duke Wright siphoned out of the account is now in a brand new one in Kinley’s name.” He gave a seated bow. “You’re welcome. No need to hold the applause.” Several of the brothers rolled their eyes and politely clapped.
All joking aside, Eli understood what Zach had just done wasn’t easy. It was a good thing he used his skills for good or they’d be in a world of trouble. But his brother had a code of ethics, same as the rest of them. They might skate the line sometimes, but they never crossed it.
Kinley’s jaw dropped before she snapped her mouth closed. She shook her head in seeming disbelief. “You’ve just given Duke another reason to come after you. Why would you do that?”
“Because it was the right thing to do,” Eli told her.
It was time she understood who and what they were.
“I am wrath, the third deadly sin. In this family, that means I stand for justice, and when necessary, punishment.” The room grew silent, all bantering ceased.
“This time, it’s about vengeance.” His wolf gave a howl of agreement.
He brushed his fingers over her cheek. “They should have let you go. This is on them, not you.” He refused to allow her to blame herself.
“You’re too good to be true,” she whispered. “All of you.” She swallowed heavily. “You have to let me help.” She held up a hand to stop him. “I know what you’re going to say. It’s true that I don’t have the training you do, but I have more than most women, human or wolf. Daddy saw to that.”
There was no way to keep her out of this. If he tried, she’d do something rash on her own, which could end badly for all of them. “You’ll be with me. And,” he emphasized, “you’ll follow orders. That’s nonnegotiable.”
Working with his brothers was second nature. They’d been training and working together all their lives. Kinley was a wild card of epic proportions. It would be smarter if she stayed in the house. He could probably guilt her into it too, but it wasn’t what she needed. Caring about someone sucked.
Her agreement was immediate. “I promise.”
Eli shook his head. “Don’t give your word unless you’re willing to keep it no matter what.
” He had to impress upon her the seriousness of her vow.
“I know the land. I know my brothers. If I tell you to run, you can’t hesitate, can’t second-guess.
This is what I do for a living. What we do.
” Six sets of familiar black eyes were on him.
He went around the table, receiving a slight nod from each of his brothers.
Not that he expected any less. The Sin brothers stuck together, no matter what. “Our word is our bond.”
If she broke hers, she wouldn’t be the woman for him.
Kinley placed her hand over her heart. “I promise I’ll do whatever you tell me.”
“Even if you think it’s wrong.” He hammered the point home, not only for her but also for his brothers. “Even if it means my death.”
“Don’t ask that of me. I can’t sacrifice your life for mine.”
He took her hand and placed it on his chest, letting her feel the slow and steady beat of his heart.
“Promise me or you’ll have to stay here at the house.
” It was the only way he could allow her to step away from the relative safety offered by their home.
If this place was overrun, it was probably too late for all of them.
“Eli.” There was a note of warning in Cyrus’s voice.
“No, this is between Kinley and me. If I tell you to run, you run. I need to be able to trust you.” Any fight was brutal. With wolves involved it would be bloody and violent. He was damn good at killing. It was a side of him he didn’t want her to see. At least not any more than she already had.
A certain amount of violence was acceptable, even expected among their kind, but she’d never experienced the type of carnage that was on its way to the mountain. He had every intention of keeping it that way.
The tension in the room grew, but neither of them blinked. He was beginning to think she wouldn’t agree when she finally nodded. “I give you my word. But don’t you dare die or I’ll haunt this mountain and your brothers for eternity.”
It was wrong to be turned on by her fierceness, but his reaction was swift and involuntary. He cupped the back of her head, dragged her to him, and captured her sweet lips, sealing the vow.
There were several groans and chairs were pushed back, as his brothers abandoned the table. Kinley broke the kiss and sucked in a breath. “I didn’t mean to drive everyone away.”
“It’s all Eli’s fault,” Noah assured her as he gathered empty plates.
“We totally blame him,” Levi added.
A slow, genuine smile slid over her face and lit her eyes. With her lips slightly swollen from his kiss and a hint of pink on her cheeks, she was breathtaking enough to stop his heart.
I’d die for her.
He’d said it, and meant it, but this went cell-deep.
Kinley was his to protect, his to care for.
Mine to love, a tiny voice whispered. He shoved the thought aside, not willing to contemplate it, not yet.
It was too soon, not only for him. But instinct told a different tale.
His wolf had already accepted her on every level.
Eli shoved up from the table. “We’ll take the first watch.” It would get them out of the house with the bonus of giving them privacy. It was also the safest time. He had to get his head on straight between now and tomorrow. A mistake on his part could cost lives.
“I’ll take first watch too.” Cyrus pointed at the others. “Josiah and Silas take the one after. Then Levi and Noah. Zach, you’ll stay here and monitor Ridge’s phone for any activity. If anything changes, send word.” Orders given, he headed out the back door.
His older brother wasn’t happy with him, had taken the early patrol so he could personally keep watch over Eli and Kinley. It was to be expected, even if he didn’t like it.
“Let’s go.” He held his hand out to her.
“What about the dishes?” She glanced down at the table. “Shouldn’t we help?”
“Levi will take care of it.” Payback for earlier. “And Silas will help, won’t you?”
The youngest Sin brother who’d almost made it out of the room groaned and sighed. “So close.”
Kinley grinned and shook her head, amused by their antics. Eli took her hand and led her out the front. If he timed it right, they might actually get a few minutes without one of his interfering brothers around.