*thwack*thwack*thwack*
The repetitive noise caught her attention. Pulling back thecovers, Everly cautiously walked to the large window wall in front of the bed.The *thwack* noise continued, following the length of the window she peered outlooking for the source of the sound through the trees. Stopping where thewindow met the wall, she realized it was coming from beyond her line of sight.Standing in front of the bedroom door, Everly stared at the doorknob withtrepidation. Biting her lip, she covered her hand over the metal knob inhesitation.
*thwack*thwack*thwack*
Curiosity getting the better of her, Everly opened thebedroom door slowly. Peeking out into the long hall, she stepped out when sheconfirmed it was deserted. Padding barefoot to the kitchen, she listened andfollowed the increasing sound until she stopped at the large kitchen backwindow.
Outside, wearing only his fresh gray sweats he put onearlier and the thin matching T-shirt, Zane bent over and replaced a small logof wood on the stump. Her eyes widened as she watched his angry stony face ashe lifted the axe in one graceful swoop before bringing it down in one powerfulthwack. Again, he repeated the actions, replace the wood, a vicious arc of theaxe and the devastating blow cleaving the targeted log in two. With eachstroke, his eyes didn’t grow any softer. The rage in his demeanor was apparentfrom the flexing tick working in his jaw to the powerful muscles bulging andperspiring through the shirt’s thin material. Sucking her bottom lip betweenher teeth anxiously, Everly stepped silently back from the window. She shouldgo before he saw her and turned that rage back on her.
“You better not let Zane see you out of bed,” the deep voicemade her heart clench as she whirled around to see Reid silently standing inthe foyer staring at her.
Heart thudding against her breast, Everly searched his facetrying to gauge his mood. His thick straight eyebrows weren’t furled withanger, the straight line of his lips wasn’t curled in a hard grimace likeZane’s was. And his eyes, those dark stormy night blue eyes were soft andgentle, not glittering with fury as she expected.
Knowing she was trying to discern his anger, he cocked hishead to the side a bit and crooked a finger at her. “Come here baby,” he saidsoftly.
That was all she needed. Soundlessly, she ran across thewooden floor on the balls of her feet hardly making any noise as she launchedherself with immeasurable relief into his open arms. She couldn’t stand hisanger too, she knew she couldn’t make it through his rage as well, not afterdealing with Zane’s. Relief flooded her bloodstream, she thought he would befurious. Picking her up easily, Reid cradled her to his chest and walked to thebedroom kissing her shivering arm that was wrapped around his neck. Everlywasn’t sure if she was shivering from the cold or the pure reprieve she didn’thave to handle Reid’s wrath on top of his brother’s.
“I need to hold you in my arms baby, I need to know formyself you are safe.” Inside the room, Reid whispered into her ear as he sat onthe bed holding her tight to his massive frame. A low burning heat shined inthe depths of his dark eyes. Her instincts, feminine, and primal, reacted tothe slow change in the man holding her—caging her—in his arms.
“Reid…” she whispered warily, with wide eyes staring at him.
“After Zane told me what happened, I swear I never felt moresick to my stomach,” a haunted look passed over his face immediately expellingthe desire that stained his gaze moments ago, his grip around her tightened.“What you did today was stupid and dangerous, and if I could, I would shakeyou,” he growled. “You not only put yourself in danger but your child as well…”
“Stop, stop,” shaking her head, tears burned in her eyes asshe tried to push herself from his lap. She didn’t want to hear that, she knewwhat could have happened. Her mind wouldn’t let her forget the horriblepossibilities. “Don’t you think I know that!” She cried.
Emotions poured out of her, angry at herself for endangeringher and her baby’s life, angry at them for trapping her here with theiroverwhelming obsession. Tired of fighting them at every turn and feelinghelpless because everything she did only made things worse. Crying harder,Everly sagged against his chest as her body hitched with her cries.
Soothingly Reid stroked her hair holding her close until hertears eventually subsided. Pushing back her loose curls, Reid tilted her faceupwards so that her gaze found his.
“Don’t ever try to run away again,” he warned, the quietanger in his voice crackled with severity. “Do you understand me, Everly?”
Shivering at the brutal command in his voice, Everly had nochoice but to nod her head in between his hands that cupped her face.
“Good,” leaning forward he kissed her to seal the promisebetween them. The firm warmth of his hard kiss electrified her body. Moaninginto his mouth, Everly relaxed into his hold as he urged her tongue to glideagainst his. The low, pleased grumble from his chest shook her body sending thefamiliar heat only he and his brother seemed to be able to cause, pricklingalong her nerves. Shifting her in his arms, Everly let out a small whimper ashis kiss grew deeper, more consuming. Preparing to lay her on the bed beneathhim, Reid stopped suddenly at the low growl of her stomach.
Leaning back up, Reid gave her an amused astonished look.Looking beyond her to the nightstand he noticed her half-eaten food. Clickinghis tongue with mock disappointment, Reid slowly disengaged from her prone bodyleaving her breathless on her back.
“You need to finish eating first,” standing up he grabbedthe plate. “I will reheat this.” Leaving the room, he left her with her utterdisgrace. She didn’t even try to stop him. What in the world was she thinking?Was the need to be comforted so bad that she would let Reid simply have his waywith her? Sitting up in the bed she scooted herself against the headboard andpiled the pillows high on either side of her like a fort leaving the remainderof the bed clear for him to sit, away from her. She couldn’t trust him norherself at this point.
Coming back into the room, Reid returned the tray with the nowsteaming food back to the nightstand.
“Fuck, it’s hot in here,” Reid grumbled as he walked aroundthe huge bed. Since she was sitting on the edge, on his side of the bed, Reidstood on the other side of the massive bed where Zane normally slept. Tuggingat his sweater, Reid glared at the blazing fire in the fireplace. Turning toher he smirked. “Zane was dead serious on warming you up.”
Remembering Zane’s anger and cruel threat, Everly lookedaway.
“Though, I will say I have never seen my brother that shakenbefore. Or that angry,” he added.
Pride helped her ignore the lance of guilt that pierced herheart. “I didn’t do anything… wha…what are you doing?”
Pulling his thick sweater over his head Reid tossed thegarment at the end of the bed before crawling onto the bed and removing onewall of her protective pillow fort. His massive bare chest flexed powerfullywhile his abs rippled in unison as he seated himself next to her against theheadboard. Dark geometric patterns she only caught glimpses of the other nightstood out against his tawny skin. Hundreds of black rectangles stained his firmskin interlocking and weaving together down the length of his thick musculararm stopping neatly at his wrist. Tearing her eyes from the basket-weave-likedesign Everly turned away quickly as she caught a glimpse of his amused,watching gaze.
“Come here,” not waiting for her to comply or even processthe command, Reid wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her from herspot. Setting her onto his lap, Everly sat stiff with shock as she gave him awary look. Reaching easily to the nightstand, Reid balanced the tray of hotfood carefully on her lap. “Be very still,” his voice purred.
Trapped underneath the tray of hot food and steaming mug oftea, Everly sat rigidly in his hard lap.
Picking up the grilled cheese sandwich he held it to hermouth, “open.”
For a moment she did nothing, she was no dog, she would notsubmit to their twisted cruelty anymore. With a hard glare, she met his eyeswith defiance. His expression was unreadable, but Everly could sense the hardedge of his control in him as his eyes narrowed. Holding the sandwich unmovingat her lips, he wrapped his arm around her back until his right hand settledover the small bump of her stomach, softly he caressed her through her shirtfabric.
