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It wasn’t a secret that he’d given the eldest Keagan brother the money to get this place on its feet. And Wade wasn’t about to take any amount of charity. But there were certain necessities the man needed to keep his family’s finances from going under.
Shane wasn’t proud of it, but he’d managed to convince Wade that they needed each other. The youngest Keagan kid had just turned twelve. They all needed clothing and some of them needed jobs. It was a no-brainer—a quid pro quo. Which was why Shane felt so manipulative about the whole thing.
“We have a mutual understanding on a few things.” That was all he could say on the matter. Somehow, he didn’t think Eloise would approve of an arrangement where one party benefited at a different rate than the other.
“A mutual understanding, huh?”
He nodded.
“Like the mutual understanding that led him to scare the pants off your cousin?”
Shane stiffened. Right. He’d nearly forgotten about that. “Something like that.”
“I suppose letting us use his property isn’t gonna get him arrested or anything.”
“Of course not.”
They continued to follow the trail they were on in silence. His thoughts shifted to Madeline and the threats she’d made during her last visit. She’d complained about Marc not getting through to Eloise, then blamed Shane for that happening. The truth was right under her nose. It wouldn’t be long before she found out he was dating Eloise, and when that happened, he didn’t know what he would do.
A quick glance in Eloise’s direction and his heart constricted. He would never let any harm come to her or her family. No matter what it took, he’d do it to keep them safe. But he couldn’t do that if he didn’t know what Madeline was planning.
Eloise caught his gaze again and let out a soft laugh. “Seriously, why are you looking at me like that?”
In a swift motion, he pulled on his reins to turn his horse in the path of hers. He climbed down from his saddle and then walked right up to her, holding out his hand.
She glanced down at his hand and shook her head. “You wanna tell me what you’re planning? Because a normal person wouldn’t just trust a guy who does what you do.”
He lifted a brow and chuckled. “A guy who does what I do? What exactly are you referring to?”
“Oh, you know. Stealing me away for a date several hundred miles away from home to show off how powerful he is. Hiring thugs to rough up other men who are interested in me. Dunking me in a river.”
He pointed a finger at her. “That was a lake, not a river.”
Eloise rolled her eyes, but a laugh still escaped her lips. She rose out of the saddle and jumped down in front of him. “But then you surprised me.” She stepped toward him, closing the small amount of distance that kept them apart. Her fingers trailed along his chest, eliciting sparks of energy. Her voice softened further. “You showed me you care about other people—your friends… yourfamily.”
She couldn’t be more wrong on that last one.
“You showed me you could be impulsive, reckless, and fun without caring about maintaining a certain reputation. Brielle talked about that, you know—she thought you were a little stuffy, and she didn’t want to be arm candy for a guy who couldn’t understand her roots.”
He was thrown off momentarily by this confession. Brielle had never mentioned anything like that before. But he couldn’t deny that it wasn’t surprising she had realized that was part of his personality. Everything Eloise had mentioned—right up to the being more carefree part—had been recommended by Brielle.
Eloise tilted her face upward. “My life needs balance. I want to be with someone who can enjoy the little moments but who also understands the importance of family.” She gave him a pointed look. “I need someone who can be honest with me.”
A lump large enough to cut off his breathing formed in his throat. His chest constricted and he felt frozen to his spot. Did she know what was going on? Had she figured out he was hiding what was happening with his cousins?
She lifted a shoulder. “Brielle mentioned that you didn’t tell her about your family. She wasn’t thrilled to find out you’d been hiding them from her.”
“That’s because—”
Eloise pressed a finger to his lips. “I rationalized that there were certain things that needed to remain private until a relationship deepens.” She dragged her gaze from his. “If there are things that I keep from you, it’s for a good reason. And if you decide to keep something from me, I’ll understand. I’m not going to babysit you. I want to make that clear.” Her eyes flitted back to meet his. “I trust you, Shane. Implicitly.”
There was something strange about her words—something off. It was as if she made this speech to protect herself in the future. Was she already keeping secrets?
He could have dumped a bucket of cold water over himself.
What right did he have to worry about something like that? He was keeping so much more from her—and her family. Fair was fair.
Shane cupped her cheek gently with his hand. “We’re in agreement then—dating without telling the world about us.” A thrill shot through him at the thought. They could be together in secret until Madeline lost. Then he’d show her to the world. “For now,” he amended.
