After the Storm (KGI #8)(39)

Donovan sighed and then surprised her by reaching for her hand. He laced his fingers through hers and squeezed. Warmth traveled all the way up her arm and into her chest. His touch was comforting. Like sunshine on a cold day. He made her think crazy things. Worse, he made her hope.

“Listen to me, Eve. And listen well. I’m going to help you. I’m going to protect you and Cammie and Travis. No ifs, ands or buts about it. I realize you don’t trust me. Yet. But I’m going to prove to you that not everyone in the world is out to get you.”

“You don’t understand,” Eve said, her voice rising as she grew more upset. “You risk a lot by becoming involved. And I could never forgive myself if helping me caused you trouble. I know you probably think I’m exaggerating, but Donovan, I’m not! You can’t fix this for us. Nobody can.”

Her voice ended in a defeated sob. Just hearing the fatalistic words brought home the hopelessness of her situation. She dragged her hand from Donovan’s and buried her face in both palms.

She hated to break down in front of Cammie and Travis. They needed her to be strong, to be their rock. But she’d gone too long without cracking and now every fear, every desolate thought came pouring out.

“Don’t cry, Evie.”

Cammie’s sweet, concerned voice filtered through Eve’s quiet sobs. Travis’s arm went around Eve, hugging her tightly. Then Cammie pushed forward, wrapping her slender arms around Eve’s neck and squeezing.

“I love you,” Cammie whispered against her ear.

“Oh darling, I love you too,” Eve choked out, ashamed of her outburst.

“He said he’d help us,” Travis whispered. “Maybe we should . . .”

He broke off and glanced at Donovan with uncertainty in his eyes.

“Maybe we should let him.”

“Your brother is a smart man,” Donovan said.

Eve pulled her head up and looked at Cammie’s sweet face and then over to her brother to see him staring intently at her, purpose glittering in his brown eyes.

“Listen to him, Eve,” Donovan prompted. “The three of you need help. You can’t continue to run yourselves ragged. At some point you have to take a stand. Stop running and face whatever it is head on. I’ll help you if you let me.”

“But you don’t know what you’re up against,” she whispered. “God, don’t you think I’d love to have help? Do you think I want this kind of life for Cammie and Trav? I’d do anything in the world to give them the kind of life they’re entitled to. They deserve better than this. Better than I can provide.”

“You’re doing fine,” Travis said fiercely. “You’ve done everything to protect us, Evie. You talk about what our lives should be like, but what about your own? You don’t deserve this. You’ve never deserved this. You should have a life too and not fear going to jail because of me and Cammie.”

Eve stared stricken at him, at what he’d said for the others to hear. Regret immediately clouded his eyes and he lowered his gaze.

“I’m sorry, Evie. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Whatever it is, I can help,” Donovan said, seemingly unfazed by Travis’s admission. “There’s a lot you don’t understand about me and the connections I have. Helping people is what me and my brothers and our teams do.”

Eve stared at him in puzzlement. “You’re right, I don’t understand.”

Donovan touched her cheek, stroking it with gentle fingertips. He traced a line down the curve to her jaw, warmth and compassion in his eyes. “Just give me a chance, Eve. That’s all I’m asking. Right now what you need is medical attention. A place to sleep where you don’t have to worry about being rained on. Food to eat. And you need to feel safe. I can do all those things for you if you just give me a chance. I don’t expect you to believe me overnight. But for now, trust me. Okay?”

Shocked at how simple he made it sound, all she could do was nod wordlessly. Satisfaction simmered in his eyes and he pulled his hand away, leaving her feeling bereft of his touch. As long as he touched her, she did feel safe, as insane as it sounded. But she absolutely believed this man when he told her no one would hurt her or her brother and sister. She just hoped to hell she didn’t regret her decision. And that Cammie and Travis didn’t pay for her mistakes.

Several minutes later, they pulled up to a huge gate. Joe reached up to push a button and the gate began to swing open. Travis and Cammie both stared in awe as they drove inside the fenced area.

It looked like a combat zone or at the very least a high-security military base. There was a landing strip and a hangar that housed two jets. There was also a helicopter parked on the pad. To the right there was a firing range and to the left a large building with no windows.

Then they got to the houses that dotted the landscape. There were five houses spread out, all lining the cliffs that overlooked the lake. Eve glanced uneasily at Travis as they exchanged wide-eyed stares. Had they jumped from the frying pan straight into the fire? Had she resigned them all to a prison there was no escape from? She couldn’t imagine that they could just walk out of such a heavily fortified fortress.

“What is this place?” Eve whispered.

“Home,” Donovan replied. “It’s home.”

She sent him a puzzled look. “Home? Who in the world lives in a place like this?”