After the Storm (KGI #8)(94)

“It’s just that Donovan had Travis come with Cammie and me after all because he was meeting with his brothers and one of his teams to discuss . . . me. My situation, I mean. And while I’m grateful that complete strangers are willing to help, I wanted—needed—to know what they were planning. What they’re deciding.”

Sarah nodded her understanding. Shea reached over to squeeze Eve’s hand.

“That’s perfectly understandable,” Shea said. “I’d want to be included in any conversation that dealt with my future too!”

Sophie made a sound of disgust. “Typical men. Or rather typical Kelly men. They mean well, but their motto is to surround their women in bubble wrap and take on any and all threats in their stead. If they had their way, we’d forever remain ignorant of anything that could potentially harm us. And I love them for it, but it’s still aggravating.”

Sarah chuckled. “That about sums up Garrett in a nutshell.”

Shea rolled her eyes. “So why don’t you go back over there and demand to listen in?”

Eve’s eyes rounded. “Oh, I couldn’t.”

“Why not?” Sophie challenged, a fierce, determined glint in her eyes. “Cammie and Travis can stay with us. I know you don’t want to worry them, but it’s equally obvious that you’re worried sick and you aren’t going to feel better until you know what’s going on. I get that Donovan is trying to protect you. But he doesn’t understand that not knowing is worse than being confronted with whatever his plan is.”

Eve slowly nodded. “Yeah. That about covers it.”

“So go,” Sarah quietly encouraged. “We’ll hang out here with Cammie and Travis. You can let us know when we have the green light to bring them back over.”

“But you guys set this up for me—for us,” Eve said. “It was nice of you, and Cammie and Travis do need things. Clothing.”

“As do you,” Sophie gently pointed out. “But leave it to us. We’re the queens of Internet shopping, remember?”

Shea elbowed her sharply. “That’s my title, thank you very much.”

Sarah laughed. “At any rate, we’ll take care of the essentials. We have your sizes. Shea and Sophie have excellent tastes in clothing. And we’ll make sure we get Cammie and Travis what they need.”

Eve wavered on the edge of indecision. But the encouragement—and blessing—she found in the other women’s eyes gave her the courage to do it.

“Okay,” she breathed out, pushing herself up from her perch on the couch. “I’ll head over. I just hope it doesn’t make him angry with me.”

Sarah put her hand on Eve’s arm and squeezed lightly. “Eve, I understand that you haven’t had much reason to put your faith in the male species. But trust me when I say this. Donovan may not like that you want to know what’s going on. But he’ll understand even as his primitive instincts scream at him to haul you back to his cave by the hair, beat his chest and mutter my woman and wrap you in the bubble wrap Sophie mentioned.”

Shea and Sophie broke into laughter. Even Eve had to chuckle at the image Sarah painted.

“But my point is, Donovan wouldn’t hurt a hair on your head, nor would he hurt you emotionally. He’s just not wired that way. Of all the Kelly men, he has the biggest, softest heart when it comes to women and children. He’d cut off his right arm before ever intentionally hurting you.”

Eve smiled. “Thanks. I needed to hear that I think. I feel like such a ninny. I’m not usually. I stood up to my stepfather, though in the end it did me little good. I’m not a woman who just rolls over, but the last few months have taught me a lot about self-preservation.”

“So go, then,” Sophie encouraged. “We’ll hold the fort down here and explain everything to Rachel, if she ever gets loose from the twin devils over there. I swear I don’t know how such a sweet woman gave birth to Satan’s spawn. It has to be Ethan who is to blame.”

That got a laugh from them all, and then came Rachel’s dry rejoinder from across the room.

“I heard that.”

Eve quietly thanked them and then headed for the door, glancing quickly back to ensure that Travis and Cammie didn’t notice her departure. Sophie waved her on, nodding toward Travis and Cammie to assure Eve that they would be looked after.

Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, she took off across the sprawling acreage nestled behind the walls of the compound. The sun was warm on her skin, and she inhaled the sweet honeysuckle-scented air. The Kellys had carved out their own little piece of heaven. Never mind that it was a high-security compound. They’d made it home. It looked homey.

If she looked past the training fields, the gun range, the landing strip, the helicopter pad and the austere stone building that was called the war room, the rest looked like a quiet neighborhood of newly constructed homes. Each unique in its own way with each occupant’s unique fingerprint on it.

Two of the homes were log cabins, but Nathan and Shea’s house was a quaint, small cottage-looking home. More distant from the others and surrounded by thick trees and flowering bushes. It was as if they’d separated themselves from the others while still being firmly immersed in the protective barriers to the outside world.

Ironically, Donovan’s home was something she would have chosen herself had she had the ability to build the house of her dreams. It wasn’t as rustic looking as the cabins occupied by two of his brothers. It was very Southern looking, with shutters on the windows and a front porch that encompassed the entire front and wrapped around on both sides. There was a swing suspended from the ceiling on the right side and there were flowerpots and hanging baskets, bursting with vibrant colors.