He winced, feeling like an asshole now. “About that.” He shook his head as he leaned against the counter. “Obviously, that wasn’t because you repulsed me, Kel. You know now that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
“So we’ve established your reluctance for anything more happening between us.” She spun the waffle maker upside down then glanced up at him. “I respect your decision. I won’t push the issue anymore. Maybe this is just me because I’ve never been close to my brothers, but I just think you not being able to share a meal with me or be in the same room is a bit much, don’t you?”
Was she really that oblivious about what she did to him? If she were any of the other girls one of his brothers had dated and therefore off limits, he’d have zero issues with being in the same room with her. Zero worries about not being able to keep his hands and lips to himself.
He watched as she walked over to the fridge and pulled out the carton of fresh berries she’d bought at the farmers’ market yesterday. His eyes began roaming, taking in her firm legs and tight little ass, even at this most inappropriate moment. Fortunately, her phone rang, breaking him out of his thoughts.
She glanced up at him with a strange expression before answering. “Hey,” she said in a sweet and gentle voice. “How are you?”
Isaiah could only assume it was her dad or maybe one of her two other brothers. “You should’ve called me, Matt. Hold on.” She covered the phone, turning back to Isaiah. “Help yourself to coffee, and when that beeps go ahead and flip it over and take the waffle out. You can have the first one. I’m gonna take this outside for a minute.” She started to the door but began talking to Matt again. “You know you should never hesitate to call me, no matter what.”
Staring at her from behind as she walked out the kitchen door into the backyard, Isaiah tried hard to remember way back to the lunch in Los Angeles: the day she’d met them out there and AJ and Nathan had begun to get into it about her. He remembered a very annoyed Nathan had rattled off the names of her brothers to AJ. Isaiah couldn’t remember all their names, but for some reason, he thought he remembered them all being R names. First she said Gilbert, a name he hadn’t forgotten from his weekend with her, was the only other friend who had her very private prepaid phone number. Now Matt was calling her too?
Isaiah poured himself a cup of coffee just as the waffle maker beeped. He tried not to let the fact that Kelli was out back on a call she clearly preferred he not listen in on bother him. This call from Matt, whom she spoke so sweetly to, was annoying as shit. He flipped the waffle maker over, opened it, and pulled the waffle out onto his paper plate.
This was not jealousy he was feeling. It was annoying that, just when he’d begun to let go of some of the resentment he’d felt for her all this time, she was proving AJ’s theory about her might be right after all. Maybe she lied easily. Maybe she couldn’t be trusted. Just yesterday she’d made the argument that she still felt for him what she said she did the night she said good-bye forever. She’d begun to touch on it again today. That meant she was claiming she was still feeling for him what he was certain now he felt for her. Yet she had Gilbert and Matt calling her on a phone he assumed was supposed to be highly classified. She was in hiding, right? Fearing for her life? And Isaiah was the one responsible for keeping her safe.
The moment she walked back in the back door he turned to her. “I thought you said Gilbert was the only other person who had that number?”
“I forgot about Matt.” She glanced away to the waffle maker as she approached the counter. “But they’re the only two.”
“Is that phone untraceable?”
“Yes.” She poured more batter into the waffle maker. “But it wouldn’t matter with them if it weren’t. I trust them with my life.”
“Who are they?”
“I told you.” She glanced up at him then back at the waffle maker. “Friends. Good friends.”
“Platonic friends?” He walked around the counter, even more annoyed now about her being so vague. “Like Nathan was?”
She tilted her head with an expression that appeared as annoyed as he felt now. “No, I never even considered Nathan a friend. He was just someone I went out with a couple of times. Gilbert and Matt are my good friends—have been for years.”
“Are they gay?”
To his surprise, she laughed. “No, why would you think that?”
Even hearing her sweet laugh didn’t stop him from rolling his eyes. He should’ve figured Kelli—someone whose life was too complicated for serious relationships—would have multiple male friends calling her. One had been calling her daily even way back during their weekend together.
More surprising than her laughing about his assumption was the fact that she didn’t comment further or question his eye rolling. Instead, she changed the subject.
“So are you actually eating with me?” She motioned to the small kitchen table.
Just then the waffle machine beeped again, and she flipped it over, taking the waffle out and placing it on her plate. Isaiah watched as she walked her plate with berries and whipped cream to the small table, trying to decide which was more exasperating: that she had two guys checking in on her when she was supposed to be staying on the down low—maybe her phone wasn’t traceable but what about theirs?—or the fact that she was evidently done telling him anything else about her good friends. Walking his plate and coffee mug over to the table, Isaiah decided he’d drop the subject of her good friends.
For now.
She smiled, lifting her brows as he sat down. The surprised expression she wore about the fact that he was actually going to sit and eat with her was a bit overdone.
“Just so you know,” he started to explain, “it’s not that I think I’m breaking any kind of bro code by being in the same room or having a meal with you. It’s just my way of trying to avoid any slips like yesterday’s happening again.
She glanced up from her plate. “Curious. Since you’re so hell bent about staying true and loyal to your brother, will you be telling him about yesterday’s . . . slip?”
“Nope.” Their eyes locked as just one of her brows lifted. “Unless the two of you get back together, there’s—”
“We were never together.” She sounded as frustrated as he felt about this subject now too.
“Well, whatever it was that happened to make him refer to you as his girl at one point. If I knew you were back in his life again, I’d have no choice but to tell him—everything.”
“You never told him about us at all?”
He shook his head, reaching over to the carton of berries because he couldn’t look into those eyes any more. “Once you were gone, I didn’t see the point. The way you do that, just up and disappear, is pretty fucked.” He tried not to sound as bitter as he knew he already did. “His ego was bruised enough.”
“I had no choice,” she said softly. “But I did text him to say good-bye.”
Isaiah bit his tongue from saying what he really wanted to say: that at least Nathan had gotten that much from her before she disappeared on him. Instead, he countered with something else. “Then you disconnected your phone immediately afterward.”
“No, my phone is actually still in service. I just pulled out the battery so there was no way to track it. But I did put it back in every now and again to check messages.” She glanced down at her plate again before adding, “I had the tiniest of hopes you might’ve tried to contact me. I had it with me for the few months before my dad got this place.”
Isaiah brought his attention back to her because he didn’t want to believe it was this easy for her to lie. But it was hard not to. “Nathan said your phone was out of service that same day you told him you were leaving, Kelli.”
His irritation only grew when she glanced up from her food and shook her head again. She was still going to have the nerve to try and deny it?
“There’s an app Matt told me about. You can download it so you can program specific numbers that call you to get the
message that says your phone is out of service. I programmed it for several people I wanted to think I’d disconnected it, including Nathan, but not you.”
Gulping hard, Isaiah could kick himself for getting caught in those eyes again. It pissed him off to think of all the what ifs? What if things had happened differently? What if it had been Isaiah’s shift that had been called out to her salon instead of Nathan’s? Even now, a few new what ifs had been floating in his head ever since he tasted her mouth again last night. What if he just talked to Nathan about this? What if he explained he’d had every intention of staying away from her forever? This was nothing like the situation with Desiree. Through no fault of his own, they’d been thrust together again, and he couldn’t help what he felt for her. But just the thought of having to rehash the only instance that had ever caused a rift between him and one of his siblings already had him shaking his head.
Apparently, Kelli was done waiting for him to respond to her comment about her waiting on him to call. She got up and walked over to the waffle maker. “You want another one?”
He shook his head because he hadn’t even touched his first one. “I’m good right now.”
“So I know, with everything going on, right now is probably not the best time for me to leave town, but I’m gonna have to today.”
Isaiah’s head jerked in her direction in response to her announcement. She couldn’t possibly be serious. But it seemed she was.
Chapter 13: Confession on the Road
Kelli
Based solely on the way she could feel Isaiah staring at her, Kelli already knew he was going to challenge this. His first comment confirmed it.
“Right now is the worst time for you to leave this house, let alone leave town.”
Finally, she grudgingly turned to face him. “No one knows I’m here, Isaiah. What difference does it make if I’m in this town or in another one just an hour away?”
As expected, the exasperation on his face was as intense as all his other expressions. “Two people are dead. These people who might be searching for you are clearly out for blood. You’ve been staying in touch with two guys you say you’re real close to. You don’t think someone could’ve tracked you down by tapping into their calls?”
“No one knows I even know them.” She poured herself more coffee. “Not even my dad or brothers.”
“Where is it you have to go that can’t wait at least a few days until we find out what your dad wants to do next?”
“I’m done waiting to live my life until he gives me the go-ahead.” Kelli continued quickly when she saw his expression go even more severe. “I mean, yeah, for now because this is still going on, I’ll be careful and keep using the fake identity he set me up with, but I’m not living like a prisoner forever, Isaiah. I’ll be fine taking a trip just an hour away. It won’t be the first time I’ve done it since I’ve been here, and no one’s figured it out yet.”
His brows furrowed now. “Where is it you need to be, Kel?”
“I’m visiting my friend. I was planning on going tomorrow anyway. I’ll just be leaving a day early now; that’s all. Gordo wouldn’t have been able to stop me either.”
That last statement was made perfectly clear, in case he even thought he had the authority to cancel her trip. She already hated that he’d likely insist on accompanying her, and she was glad she’d taken the phone call from Matt outside. At least she wouldn’t have to tell Isaiah the whole truth about Matt. It was bad enough that Isaiah was already involved in her mess. The fewer people she got sucked into this, the better. The timing just couldn’t be worse for all this to be happening now.
“You’re willing to risk your life to visit a friend?”
“Oh, don’t be so melodramatic about it.” She sat back down at the table with him. “I’ve been here for months, and so far the only scares I’ve had were when Gordo showed up and broke my door down and you nearly blowing it for me in front of the whole town yesterday. I’ll be fine. I’ll call you to check in as soon as I get there—”
“You’re not going anywhere alone.” He dropped his napkin on his plate, not even attempting to hide his utter annoyance with her, and sat back in his chair. “I can’t believe you’re willing to take this risk. If it were up to me, I’d lock you up here—”
“Well, it’s not up to you now, is it?” she said, resenting his lethal tone.
Two days ago he wanted nothing to do with her. Yesterday he claimed her as his fiancée at the crowded farmers’ market. Then he practically made love to her mouth. Today he admitted he doesn’t trust himself not to do that again and he was still going to ignore her confession? So just because her dad was paying him to keep an eye on her he thought he could boss her around?
“This was already planned before you were ever hired on.” She added berries and whipped cream to her waffle, trying to ignore the way he was glaring at her. “If you’re planning on doing everything with me on this trip, then, unless you packed with attending a semi-formal event in mind, I suggest you buy or rent yourself a suit. I’m visiting Matt because he recently received a prestigious award at his job. The company is throwing a big shindig for the award recipients and their families and friends tomorrow night. It’s cocktail attire.”
Kelli hadn’t missed the way he’d begun to peer at her at the mention of her friend again. He didn’t seem to understand why it was so important she be there for Matt. No doubt he was already thinking it was stupid to leave town for a shindig, given everything that was going on. But before he could comment, he got a call.
Still peering at her, he glanced down at the phone he’d pulled from his holster then tapped the screen and brought it to his ear. “Moe, hold on.” He stood up and glanced up at Kelli again. “Where does this friend of yours live?”
“In Lake Dempsey.” The moment she said it she regretted giving up that information, since he was on the phone with his cousin, who’d likely be passing on that information to her father. So she added, “It’s a small town about an hour from here, no bigger than this one and just as obscure and tucked away in the middle of nowhere.”
She’d keep the rest of the details about this trip to herself until they were on the road. He nodded, but his expression said it all. Small town or not, he still didn’t think this was a good idea. Doing the same thing Kelli had done with her call, he exited the back door.
Kelli had just finished clearing up the kitchen when Isaiah came through the back door. “Expect a call from your dad soon,” he informed her. “I had no choice but to tell Moe about this trip of yours. He says your dad’s not gonna be happy about it. What time were you planning on leaving?”
“I’d already packed a few days ago. I just need to add a few things since I’ll be there a day earlier. But I’d like to leave as soon as I’m ready.”
Just then her phone rang, and they both turned to it on the table. “Probably your dad,” Isaiah said as she walked toward the table. “Maybe he can talk some sense into you.”
She frowned when she saw who it was, but at least it wasn’t her dad. “Not my dad,” she said, sending it to voicemail.
“Are you sure?” he asked suspiciously. “You should talk to him before you do this.”
“I will, but that wasn’t him. It was Gilbert, only I don’t have time to talk to him right now. I need to go get ready.”
Isaiah muttered something as he started to his room, but she didn’t quite catch it: something about juggling boyfriends. “What was that?” she asked, torn between whether she should feel amused about his sounding jealous or appalled at the “juggling boyfriends” comment.
“Nothing.” He didn’t bother to turn and look at her. “My stuff’s already packed, but I’ll start getting it in the car. Answer your phone if your dad calls.”
Kelli rolled her eyes, refusing to respond to that. She wasn’t about to start taking orders from this man. Despite what he might be thinking, her conscience was clear. After all the years she’d managed to keep the truth about her and Matt
from everyone, she wasn’t about to let the cat out of the bag now—not when it was the most dangerous time to do so.
Her phone rang just as she set her bag down by her bedroom door. It wasn’t Gilbert again, but seeing who it was had her frowning sadly. She hit the answer button immediately and brought the phone to her ear.
“Dad, I’m so sorry. I hadn’t called you because I wasn’t sure I should. So I thought it best to wait. How are you doing?”
“As good as I can be, I guess.” His hoarse voice was nowhere near as authoritative and commanding as usual. “I guess I’m still in shock. I can’t believe they’re gone.”
Hearing his voice go nearly inaudible at the end made her feel terrible that she wasn’t nearly as broken up as he was. It was hard to be. She’d never even met the uncle that had been killed, and she’d been nowhere near as close to her brother as most siblings would be. It still felt a little weird referring to them as her brothers, actually. Under the circumstances, she wasn’t even sure she’d be attending the services.
“Listen. What is this about you leaving town today of all days—?”
“It’s not very far,” she said quickly. “And Isaiah will be with me the whole time. I’ll get a suite so we can stay in the same room, but I have to be there, Dad. This was something I promised my friend I’d do a long time ago. I can’t get out of it. Uh . . . she lives in a town no bigger than this one, and we’re taking Isaiah’s rental, so I’ll be even less traceable on the off chance someone might’ve figured out where I am and what I’m driving. I’ll be fine.” He started to protest, but she interrupted him. “I’m quitting my job.” She hoped that might make him a little more agreeable.
He exhaled and, to her surprise, said, “okay,” then added, “I was thinking maybe it was time we moved you somewhere else anyway, just to be on the safe side. This has gotten out of control now.”