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He stared back at her, his eyes alive with the anger burning inside him.
“I’ll do what I have to do to protect her, Chaya. ”
She smiled at that. “You’ll do what you can do, Natches. What she lets you do. Remember that. ”
Alex watched the other man’s jaw tense, a sure sign he was grinding his teeth, and if the situation hadn’t been as serious as it was, Alex would have grinned.
Instead, he followed the other men out and up the docks to the vehicles. He got in his truck as the others got in theirs, and damned if he didn’t feel sorry for Janey this morning.
This was too dangerous, though, to let it go. Too dangerous not to let her family know about it. Losing Janey wasn’t an option. And if he didn’t let the Mackays know, and something happened to her, then he would never be able to look his own sister in the eye again.
They drove, four pickups in a row, into town and then along the town square. Mackay’s was in a converted office building at the end of the block, near the town square. Parking was on the street, a large lot at the side, and in the back. Lately, there hadn’t been enough parking.
It was closed now, the windows dark. Alex pulled his truck in beside Natches’s on the private side of the building. Rowdy, Ray, and Dawg parked on the street. Alex saw the curtains in the apartment over the restaurant flutter, and felt Janey staring down at the street. Shit was going to hit the fan now, and Alex had a feeling he was right in the line of fire.
He made sure he was behind the other four as they moved up the stairs. As they reached the landing, Alex wasn’t the least surprised when the door was jerked open and Janey stood there glaring at all five of them.
“Zeke has a big mouth,” she snapped before turning and stomping back into the apartment.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me, Janey?”
Janey heard the edge of hurt in her brother’s voice and turned to him, raking her fingers through her hair and glaring at him.
“Because of this. ” She waved her hand at the Mackays and Alex. Shooting Alex a look of retribution, she sneered. “Let me guess, you were the little messenger boy?”
“First a lapdog, now a messenger boy. ” His smile was tight. “I’m going to start showing y’all just how well I make decisions on my own. ”
“We’d have to give you a decision to make first,” Janey snapped, crossing her arms over her breasts and staring back at the men.
Damn. She had cute cousins, but they didn’t look cute this morning as they frowned at her. And Uncle Ray didn’t look happy at all.
“You could have told us about the letters, little girl,” Ray berated her gently. “You think we’re going to stand by and let someone hurt you?”
“Evidently she does. ” Natches’s voice was quiet, but rough with anger. “Is this what you think of me, Janey?”
She shook her head slowly. “No, I never thought that, Natches. I thought exactly what I see. The four of you coming down on me like a ton of bricks just before you demand I come back to the boat and live with you. ”
His eyes narrowed. “It’s the only way to protect you properly. ”
It was the sure way to drive her slowly insane. There was no way she was living with Natches and Chaya again.
She glanced at Alex. He should be fixing this, not leaning against her damned wall like an amused mannequin.
His brow arched, the condescension in his expression causing her to grind her teeth.
“I’m not leaving. ” She made the statement firm, flat.
She cleared her face, pushed back the fear and the pain, especially the fear that she would disappoint or hurt the family she’d never had a chance to love except from afar.
“You can move in with me and Maria,” Ray offered. “That would be a good alternative. ”
“No, it wouldn’t. ” It would steal the independence she had fought so hard for. “I’m not moving in with
anyone, Uncle Ray. ”
She forced herself not to show any nervousness. She clasped her hands in front of her and faced five of the strongest, most determined men she had ever known or heard of in her life.
“This is not acceptable, Janey. ” Natches’s voice rose. He didn’t yell or scream, but the anger in his face caused her to flinch.
