I’d forgotten how low and rumbly his voice was, and how few words he used to get his point across. As scary as he was, Haze still intrigued me, and I found myself searching for a reason to pry more words from him. “I’m surprised that you’re part of this punishment.”
That caught his attention as he turned away from whateverhe’d been staring at in the darkened grounds beyond the window. Leaning back against the old silver sink, he crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow at me.
Okay then.
“I just meant, that you don’t really seem like thegroup activitieskind of guy. Unless of course the only ones you do jump in on are fights?”
There was no change in his expression as he observed me. His unwavering attention was disconcerting, and I found myself wondering if I’d ever get used to his intensity. “I protect my friends.”
That was it. The only explanation. I didn’t have a clue which of the douchebags out there were his friends. Although I had a sneaking suspicion that there was a lot more to the relationship betweenallfive men than anyone else knew. Even in my short time amongst them, I’d noticed a familiarity. Not to mention, why else would they need an NDA?
The intensity of Haze’s gaze was different from Brodie’s. He quietly assessed, and I had no doubts that if asked, he’d be able to identify every part of my clothes and features if he had to describe me to the police.
“Guess I better get to bed,” I said with a shrug, having no idea what else to say.
“It’s not even nine.”
Did that mean he didn’t want me to go to bed, or was it a simple noting of the time?
I decided to try and lighten the mood. “Yep, but some of us had a very stressful day and need our beauty sleep to recover.”
No response, but his expression remained assessing as he continued to unwaveringly stare at me. Deciding it was now or never, I headed for the cabinet with the glasses and grabbed a dusty one down. He was still in front of the sink, so I slowed my steps when I got closer, giving him a chance to get out of the way. He took a massive step to the side, leaving alarge gap between us, as if he was afraid I’d throw myself at him.
Yeah right, buddy.He was well over a foot taller than me and built like a freakin’ linebacker. Sure, he was gorgeous, as was every other man in this house, and all of them were more approachable than Haze. Even Connor, the gun-toting psycho.
Lowering my cup under the faucet, I reached out to get the water going. It took two hands for me to turn the stiff tap, and with an ear-piercing whine, the faucet finally started to drip water. Turning the tap harder, I screeched when the water sputtered, spraying me in the face.
Jumping back on instinct, I threw my arms out to the side and accidentally brushed my hand against Haze’s arm. A guttural snarl filled the kitchen, and choking on my panic, I spun from the spurting sink to find Haze with his fists raised, looking like he was about to start throwing punches. The threat of violence hung heavy in the air as I lifted my shaking hands above my head and crouched to make myself smaller.
Not even a second later, Brodie sprinted into the kitchen and threw himself between me and the big man.
“Haze, hey, buddy. You’re okay. No one is touching you. It’s okay.”
He started to talk him down, in this low, soothing tone, and it weirdly worked on me as well, as I felt myself relaxing. Maybe that was part of the intrigue I felt around Haze—we both dealt with invisible demons.
When Haze lowered his hands, I caught sight of the minute tremble in them. The rage in his face faded until he wore that mask of indifference, though his eyes were screaming chasms of darkness. “Fuck. Sorry.”
That was the second mumbled apologyI’d gotten from him, and then he was out of the room so fast it was hard to believe anyone his size could move like that.
Before I fully processed what had happened, Brodie hadspun around to wrap his arms around me. His hands were frantic as they ran over my shoulders and down my arms. “Are you okay, Evie? I’m so sorry. We should have told you to never touch Haze, no matter what the circumstances are. He didn’t hurt you right?” He pulled back to look me over, and even in my dazed state, I managed to answer.
“No. He didn’t lay a hand on me.”
I turned to the now-empty doorway Haze had just disappeared through
Brodie wrapped one arm around me and, with his free hand, turned off the tap. “Come on, sweetheart. I’ll drop you in your room and make sure nothing else happens.”
The fact that I needed an escort in the house I had to live in, and I’d signed an NDA to not reveal anything these guys did here, didn’t bode well for my future.
My family had sent me here to be safe, but I might have wandered from one gunfight into an entirely different deadly situation.
11
EVELYN
It was entirely no shock to me whatsoever that I didn’t sleep that first night. Not a single moment. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the gun in Connor’s hand and then it morphed into the gunman who’d attacked my last college. How many innocent bystanders had been shot and killed as he stalked through campus, calling out my name? Taunting me?
Evelyn Cromwell…come out, come out wherever you are…
