After the Storm (27 page)

Charlotte immediately went to where Cammie stood just behind Donovan. The entire time Donovan had performed the introductions, Cammie had edged closer and closer, finally slipping her hand into Donovan’s much larger one.

Her thumb automatically went to her mouth as she stared shyly back at Charlotte.

“Hi, Cammie,” Charlotte chirped. “We’re going to be best friends. And my mama says you’ll be my cousin!”

Cammie smiled, warming instantly to the other child, and how could she not? No one could possibly look at Charlotte and not be won over instantly.

Donovan turned his attention to Eve, motioning her forward to stand beside him. He slipped an arm around her waist and looked at his sisters-in-law.

“Eve, these are my sisters-in-law Sophie—she’s Charlotte’s mom—and Rachel; she’s married to Ethan and the twin boys are hers. You already met Garrett. This is his wife, Sarah. She’s expecting their first child in eight or so months. Sophie is also pregnant with her second child and is due a little before Sarah. And last but certainly not least, there’s Shea, Nathan’s wife. He’s the youngest of my brothers.”

Eve’s eyes widened as she glanced at the petite woman Donovan had introduced as Shea.

“I’m very glad to meet all of you,” Eve said sincerely. “Donovan has talked so much about you that I feel like I already know you.

“We’re very pleased to finally meet you, Eve,” Rachel said quietly.

Of all the women, she seemed the quietest. Well, and Sarah seemed to be shyer as well. While Sophie and Shea seemed more outgoing. But after hearing of all that Rachel had endured, Eve couldn’t blame her for being more subdued. How hellish to endure an entire year in captivity and not to be able to remember her family or her husband.

After hearing Donovan describe how all his brothers had met their wives—in less-than-ideal situations—Eve studied them closely now, comparing the image she’d built in her mind to the reality of them standing a few feet away.

She wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but the women seemed perfectly normal. Just like average, everyday women, even if they had endured extraordinary events. It gave her hope for her own life and how normal it could be once the threat to her and her siblings was eliminated. She just prayed that Donovan’s confidence that he and his brothers could handle any situation was truth.

“Donovan is very important to us all,” Sophie interjected. “We’d despaired of him ever finding a woman to settle down with and have the brood of children he’s always wanted. So we’re very glad to meet the woman who brought him down. Next to Maren, you have our utmost admiration.”

Eve cocked her head, uncertain what the last had meant.

Sarah chuckled, speaking up for the first time. “Maren brought down the ice man. Steele. He’s one of the KGI team leaders. Total and complete badass. We never thought we’d see the day he’d fall head over ass for a woman, much less be carrying around a baby!”

“Oh,” Eve said, frowning a bit as she thought back to when she’d met Maren and Steele.

She hadn’t paid a whole lot of attention to Steele, but she supposed she could understand where the others were coming from. He did look intimidating and daunting. It would take a special woman to bring out his tender side. Supposing he even had one. Maybe Maren was a badass in her own right and stood up to Steele.

“We also wanted to see what else you needed,” Sophie said. “We gathered up some clothes, but we didn’t have a lot of notice and we’d like to get what you need as well as what Travis and Cammie need. She and Charlotte are about the same size, but I don’t want her to just get hand-me-downs. If Donovan will let you out of his sight for a few hours, we could take you shopping so you could get clothing for all of you.”

Donovan frowned at that. “Not going to happen, sweetheart. I know you mean well, but there is no way in hell I’m letting Eve out of my sight or out from underneath my protection, and I damn sure don’t want you ladies to risk yourselves by going out in public with her. Not only would my brothers kick my ass, but they’d never go for it either.”

The women looked crestfallen and Donovan immediately shook his head.

“No puppy-dog eyes. Especially you, Rachel. I know you’re used to batting those pretty eyes at me and I’ll do damn near anything to keep you from pouting, but this is a serious matter. The risk is too great.”

“But she needs stuff, Van,” Sophie protested. “You can’t keep her under lock and key forever!”

Eve stifled a smile at how vehement the women were in their defense of her. But she agreed with Donovan. Furthermore, she had no desire to leave the security of the compound. The outside world couldn’t touch her here and she was happy about that.

“That’s why online shopping was invented,” Donovan said with a grin. “I’ll turn you girls loose with my credit card and y’all can go to town.”

Shea brightened at that. “Oh, I’m the queen of Internet shopping. I hate going to the mall or even to the store because I never know when I’ll pick up someone’s random thoughts, and it can be overwhelming when I’m trying to shop and I’m hearing something someone doesn’t want the world to know.”

She shuddered delicately and the other women looked at her in sympathy. Eve stared at her, utterly perplexed. Shea’s eyes widened as she stared back at Eve.

“You don’t know, do you?” Shea asked.

“Know what?” Eve asked, feeling like she was missing a huge piece of a puzzle that everyone else had already put together.

“I hadn’t told her yet,” Donovan spoke up.

Shea waved her hand dismissively. “We’ll fill you in tomorrow when you come over. I can steer you to some of my favorite sites. We’re about the same size, so I can definitely hook you up. Just say the word and we’ll commandeer one of Van’s many computers.”

The others snickered at the mention of computers, and Donovan rolled his eyes.

“Thank you,” Eve said sincerely. “I really appreciate all that you’re doing. Travis, Cammie and I . . . Well, we don’t even know what to say.”

“Has Travis been in school?” Rachel asked hesitantly.

She rushed on before Eve could respond.

“I mean, I know you’ve had a hard time and you’ve been moving a lot. I don’t know what your plans for him were, but I’m happy to help him with his studies to get him caught up so that when things settle down he can enroll in school here.”

Travis’s eyes brightened but he remained silent, almost as if he were afraid to voice an opinion.

“Thank you,” Eve said again, emotion knotting her throat. “He does need to get caught up. He loves school. He excels. He’s always made good grades. And he’s a very good athlete.”

Eve glanced down, not wanting the others to see the pain she was sure was evident in her eyes.

“He should be in school with an opportunity to play sports, hang out with kids his own age. Make friends and have a normal life.”

“I don’t regret anything, Evie,” Travis said in a quiet tone. “You did what you had to do. I’ll always be grateful for the risks you’ve taken and for sacrificing so much for me.”

“What about it, Travis?” Donovan spoke up. “Would you like Rachel to help get you caught up with your studies? Maybe this fall you can enroll here in school. Rachel teaches at the middle school and she’s friends with many of the high school teachers. I know they’d be willing to work with you to get you up to speed.”

“I’d like that a lot,” Travis said, his voice sincere.

Rachel smiled. “Then that’s settled. No hurry, though. We still have the rest of the summer, and what you need to focus most on right now is getting better. Once you’re settled more and comfortable in your surroundings, then either I can come here a few days a week or you’re welcome over at my house. I just live across the way.”

“Thank you,” Travis said.

“You’re family now,” Sophie said firmly. “All of you. And as I’m sure Donovan has already told you multiple times, we take family very seriously. We stick together. Because together, there isn’t a force in the world that can stand up against the Kelly family and KGI.”

Eve bit back the tears, determined to stop breaking down at every single thing. But for a moment she couldn’t speak. Travis was similarly affected, casting his gaze downward so no one could see the emotion shining brightly in his eyes.

“Why don’t you come over tomorrow afternoon, Eve?” Shea invited. “We’ll get together at Sophie’s. She has the biggest house. No doubt because Sam wants lots more children.”

The rest of the women snickered and Sophie rolled her eyes.

“Nathan and I live in a smaller house,” Shea explained. “It’s really open. Apart from the bedroom, the rest is mostly one big room. He can’t stand enclosed spaces ever since his captivity.”

Her tone had grown more hushed, and pain briefly flooded her eyes. Then she went silent a moment before smiling.

Sophie rolled her eyes. “She’s communicating with Nathan. He must have picked up on her distress and was demanding to know what the hell was wrong and if she needed him.”

Shea blushed but didn’t refute Sophie’s statement. Eve was utterly bewildered by it all. Communicating?

“Anyway,” Sarah interjected, picking up where Shea left off. “Why don’t you come over and we’ll hang out, have some wine. Well, you, Rachel and Shea can have the wine. Sophie and I will stick to tea. Bring Cammie—and Travis too, if he doesn’t mind hanging out with the girls, that is—and Charlotte and Cammie can play. Charlotte has tons of toys that she’d be more than happy to share.”

“I have Barbies,” Charlotte announced.

Charlotte reached for Cammie’s hand, the one she had in her mouth, and pulled it away, lacing her fingers firmly in Cammie’s.

“You can play with my Barbies. I don’t mind,” Charlotte said solemnly. “I have lots of dolls too. And I have soldier dolls! My uncle Garrett bought them for me.”

Sarah closed her eyes and shook her head. “Only Garrett would buy action figures complete with camo and assault rifles for his niece.”

Everyone laughed and Donovan chuckled.

“Hey, it never hurts to start them early. Maybe Cece will grow up and run KGI when Sam hangs it up,” Donovan said in amusement.

Sophie sent him a dark look. “Bite your tongue, Van. Don’t plant any ideas in Charlotte’s mind. The girl already wants her uncle Garrett to take her to the firing range so she can shoot his gun. God help us all. I made Sam get a gun cabinet with a combination lock so she never gets any ideas.”

“You’re all okay with what they do. Your husbands, I mean,” Eve blurted.

The women’s expressions softened. Donovan remained quiet, watching Eve.

Rachel reached over and squeezed Eve’s hand. “I won’t tell you that I don’t live in fear when Ethan goes out on a mission, although he’s cut back a lot since the twins were born. But I also know he’ll do more sooner or later. But what they do . . . it’s worth it. I know firsthand. If it weren’t for them and what they’re capable of, the resources they have, I wouldn’t be here today. I wouldn’t be alive.”

Emotion knotted Rachel’s voice and Donovan drew her into his side, kissing her temple after giving her a quick hug.

“We all fear that something could happen to our husbands,” Sarah said honestly. “But as Rachel says, what they do, it’s noble. They help so many people. They take down a lot of evil people. Dismantle entire operations. The world is a better place for who they are and what they do. So I can live with that. I can live with my husband risking his life because that’s who he is and I wouldn’t change him. He wouldn’t be the same Garrett I know and love if he were a normal nine-to-fiver working some desk job somewhere.”

Sophie and Shea both nodded their agreement.

“They’ve helped us,” Sophie said quietly. “Each of us. It’s how we met and fell in love with them. And every single one of them, not just the Kellys, but the KGI team leaders and members too would risk their lives for any of us. No questions. No hesitation. That kind of selflessness, that kind of love and loyalty, is priceless.”

Eve nodded, heartened by their impassioned words. She hadn’t yet experienced the full scope of Donovan’s job. But he’d hinted. She’d seen the reality of the way they lived. No one lived behind a high-tech security net unless it was warranted, unless there was a very real danger to them.

Her and Donovan’s relationship was so new. Still growing and deepening. They still had a long way to go. Much to discover about one another, and it made her uneasy to imagine losing him after finding such a miracle.

“You’ll have us when the guys are gone,” Shea said, taking her hand from Rachel’s to squeeze. “We close ranks when they go off on a mission. And it’s rare when they’re all gone at the same time. Sam has a rule about all the brothers being on one mission. Of course over the years, there have been exceptions. But when possible, some remain behind so that we aren’t left alone. And we stick together. We’re not just sisters-in-law. We’re friends. And we’d like to be your friend too, Eve. Donovan means a lot to all of us, and we’re very happy he’s found the woman who will make him happy.”

Eve didn’t miss the subtle warning in Shea’s voice or the mirroring agreement in the other women’s faces. They accepted her, but they were also warning her not to break Donovan’s heart.

“Thank you,” Eve said again. “I feel so fortunate to have found Donovan. All of you. It means the world to me that you’re all so accepting of Travis and Cammie. They’re my family. Until now, my only family. I want them to have a better life than I’ve been providing them. They deserve better than what I can give them.”

“That’s not true,” Travis said fiercely.

Eve silenced him with a gentle smile. “It’s true, Trav. We weren’t going to be able to run forever. We needed . . . help. And now we have it.”

Donovan wrapped his other arm around Eve and pulled her close, brushing a kiss over her brow. “Yes, you do, honey. You have all of us. I want you to remember that any time you get scared or worried. There are a hell of a lot of us who will be here for you. No questions. No conditions.”

“So do we have a date tomorrow?” Sarah asked. “Girl time and a play date for Charlotte and Cammie?” She turned to Travis. “And what about you? Would you like to come?”