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.”

  “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.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Kinley breathed in the crisp, clean air. Dusk had fallen, but that was no barrier to her being able to see. The nocturnal animals stirred as the daytime ones sought shelter for the coming night. The mountain was breathtakingly beautiful, but her enjoyment was tempered by the knowledge of what was to come.

  In less than a day, this peaceful setting would be the battleground for carnage. I promise I’ll do whatever you tell me. The vow lay heavy on her shoulders. She shouldn’t have made it, but she’d had no choice. Eli was stubbornly determined to protect her. If she hadn’t agreed, he would never have allowed her to come with him. Sure, she could have snuck out on her own, but she was smart enough to know that would do more harm than good. He and his brothers were experts in this sort of thing, not her.

  In silence, they made their way to a lookout area about halfway down the mountain. Flat rocks gave way to a steep drop-off, offering an incredible view of the valley below.

  “Having second thoughts?” Eli scanned the woods below before turning back to her. It was the first time he’d looked at her since they’d left the house. He’d been withdrawn, locked in his own thoughts.

  “Second, third, and forth, but I gave my word and I’ll keep it.”

  He ran his index finger along her jaw, his expression somber. “For both our sakes, I hope so.”

  She couldn’t decipher his mood. He wasn’t angry. Not quite pensive. No emotions outside the bedroom. Maybe he’d relented back at the house, but the minute they’d stepped outside he’d once again pulled a cloak of detachment around him. “It wasn’t fair of you to ask it of me.”

  He bent down, picked up a rock and threw it into the dense woods below. A sharp crack rang through the night when it hit a tree trunk. The sound of several small animals scurrying away was audible. “You gave your word.”

  “You didn’t give me any choice.” It was wrong to be resentful, but it bubbled up inside her.

  “Yes, I did. Your other option was to stay at the house.”

  She scuffed the toe of her tennis shoe in the dirt, digging a tiny hole. “Hide, you mean. This is all on me.” Not for one second could she forget Eli and his brothers were under attack because she’d approached him in the bar in Chicago. If she’d let him walk away, if she hadn’t followed, none of this would be happening.

  And she wouldn’t have gotten to know Eli as more than a man she’d hoped to hire. She wouldn’t know what it was like to taste his hunger as he kissed her, to sleep safe and secure in his arms. Her entire life she’d wondered if she was destined to be alone, never tempted to seek out any of the men in her pack or any of the ones who’d visited. After meeting Eli, her wolf instincts had kicked in, and she realized she’d simply been waiting for the right one. Now he was in danger because of her.

  “No, it’s not on you. This is your uncle’s doing. He could have let you walk away. He’s the one bringing his enforcers here. Not because he cares what happens to you, but because you defied him, because he wants to use you to further his own agenda.”

  That he was right didn’t negate her part in all this. “The same could be said for me. I could have let you walk away. I went after you, determined to use you for my agenda. I’m not so different. Maybe I’m more like Duke than I thought.” The very idea sickened her.

  Hard hands caught her upper arms. Eli’s harsh expression was caught in the moonlight. “You’re nothing like him.”

  “Aren’t I? You tried to walk away. I physically tackled you in a parking lot.”

  “You were desperate, fighting for your life. Your uncle is power-hungry and manipulative.”

  The night had gone silent, as if every creature had paused to listen. “That’s true, but I’m right, too. You know I am. Don’t ask me to run away and hide. I have to fight—for my life ... and for yours.”

  Eli walked to the edge of the drop-off. Hands on his hips, he tilted his head back and peered up at the star-studded sky. “I can’t do this.” He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck.

  A knot formed in her stomach. “Do what?” She cautiously approached, ignoring the “back off” vibes rolling off him. She couldn’t forget for one second that Eli was a male werewolf. Primal by nature, he was dangerous, but then again, so was she.

  He turned his head and stared down at her, his eyes blacker than the night sky. “Pretend I don’t care.” The knot in her belly tightened when he gave a rough laugh. “This entire situation has been a clusterfuck from the beginning. My life was simple and straightforward. I didn’t want any complications, did my best to avoid them.”

  She tried to swallow, but couldn’t get past the lump in her throat. “Then I entered your life,” she whispered. It was an emotional blow to be considered nothing more than a complication, even though it was the truth. “As soon as this is over, I’ll leave, and you can forget you ever met me.” Her wolf whined, upset at the thought of never seeing or hearing his voice again, but this wasn’t about her. It was about what he needed. He was hurting, and she was the cause.

  “It won’t matter.” The soft, emotionless tone cut her to her core. “Go or stay, I’ll never be rid of you.”

  A knife to the heart couldn’t have hurt more. She took a step back. “I see.”

  One corner of his mouth turned up in a grim parody of a smile. “No, I don’t think you do. I told myself I wouldn’t burden you with this, not until after tomorrow night. I keep telling myself it’s too soon, that it’s the intensity of the situation heightening my emotions. My wolf knew the second I laid eyes on you. My logical mind fought the obvious, searching for reasons to disregard what I knew in here.” He tapped the area over his heart.

  She shook her head in disbelief. Surely she had to be misunderstanding him.

  “My daddy always said he knew the second he met our mama that she was the one for him. He told us that’s what it was like for the men in his family. I always thought it was nothing more than a story, a way to make Mama smile. Then I met you. I fought it, tried to deny it, but it seems I’m more like him than I thought.”

  “What are you saying?” This was all so surreal.

  “If you hadn’t come after me and tackled me in the parking lot, I would have waited. No way would I have left you behind.”

  “But you told me I could stay in your motel room for one night. You were adamant you were leaving the next morning.”

  There was more humor in his smile this time. “I thought we’d already established I was an idiot.” But this was too important to make light of. When she didn’t share his smile, he sobered and sighed. “You’re it for me, Kinley. It’s up to you what you do about it.”

  “What do you mean, it’s up to me?”

  He reached behind his head, grabbed a handful of his shirt, and dragged it over his head. “When all this is over, if you want me or this relationship, it’s your decision. But it will have to wait. Distractions are deadly and lead to mistakes.”

  Lightheaded, she threw her hands in the air. “You can’t drop something like this on me and then tell me it has to wait. You’re an idiot if you expect me to do that. I can’t turn my emotions on and off like you can.”

  “Nothing is more important than protecting you.”

  “I’m not sure considering any relationship is a good idea with circumstances being what they are.” Ignoring the rigid set of his jaw, she wrapped her arms around his neck and dragged his head down until their eyes met. “I’ve given myself all the same arguments, that our attraction is nothing more than proximity and the intensity of everything since we met, but it’s more than that. It’s you, Eli Sin. That’s why I hate the vow you made me make. I won’t survive your death. I need you to live.” She dug her nails into his shoulders, desperately clinging to them.

  He looped his arm around her waist and dragged her against his bare chest. “Say it.”

  “Once the threat is gone”—the alternative was too monstrous to entertain—“I want to give us a try.” If Duke Wright was successful, they’d both be dead, because if Eli was killed in the upcoming battle, she wouldn’t stop trying to avenge him until her former alpha was either dead or forced to put her down. The knot in her stomach vanished as the rightness of her decision settled over her.