My eyes automatically looked at Noah first before eyeing Rhett warily. “I promise to protect and cherish Katy. I’ll give up my life before letting anything happen to her.”
“What about my sister? Does she share your feelings?” Rhett’s cold gaze held onto mine with unmistakable challenge.
“Yes!”
Both Rhett and I looked at Noah with surprise. My heart thudded at his reply. How did he know? Will the brothers end my life here?
“Katy doesn’t tear up for every man who's been stabbed. Nor does she keep in touch with a man who is not family.”
If I’d been surprised earlier, it was doubled now. Noah seemed to be far more insightful that I gave him credit for.
“I know you didn’t cross any lines with my sister, at least not until you got here for her protection. That was the only reason you stayed alive. But now, I wonder if this will be fruitful for all of us.” He hummed thoughtfully, making the hair on my neck stand up.
“What are you saying?” Rhett seemed more confused than angry and finally stood next to Noah with his hands in his pockets.
Noah stood up in a decisive move. “I’m saying we need to honor the promise we made to Katy. That we’d let her choose her husband.”
“But that was…”
Noah stopped his brother with his hand. “I know we assumed it would be from a family that matched ours, but right now, the way things are going, I don’t trust anyone with our Katy.”
Rhett exhaled a frustrated breath, nodding in agreement.
Noah looked me in the eye. “Did you mean what you said about protecting and cherishing my sister?”
“Yes!” I answered immediately.
“Do you agree to stay in Honey Valley, where Katy will be around us?”
“If it means I have your blessings, I’d do anything to have her in my life.” Judging from the way Noah’s shoulders relaxed, I knew I’d said the right thing.
“If she doesn’t agree to this, you’re out,” Rhett ground out, testing my patience at this point. I don’t know what that fucker’s problem was. Wisely, I didn’t begin a confrontation, instead choosing silence. “I expect you and Katy to come to us with your relationship. I wouldn’t expect anything less.” He threw an ultimatum, making me want to smash his face, Don or not.
With a nod at the men, I turned around to walk out, when Noah called me.
“I know she’s mad at all of us for not telling her the truth. It is going to take some groveling on your part to get her to agree. Good luck with that,” he smirked, finding my situation amusing.
Glaring at Noah and Rhett, who made me lie to their sister, I walked out without another word, barely refraining from slamming the door after me.
#20
Katy
One week of torture and I was so done with the man who turned my brain to mush. Barun had appointed himself as my personal security, to my intense frustration. Rhett was traveling this week, and Noah had stationed himself in the farmhouse with Jasmine, leaving me no choice but to endure Barun’s hot presence.
As for him, I wasn’t sure what he was playing at. After regaining consciousness, I’d fled from the room, noticing Noah’s attention to my reaction. One week later, I was oscillating between relief and anger. Relief Barun was getting better and anger at his betrayal.
With the passing of each day, it was getting more and more difficult to stay mad at him. He’d been leaving my coffee with a rose every morning. Of course, the torture didn’t end there. He would stare at me through his bedroom eyes, blatantly checking me out every chance he could get. Small lingering touches throughout the day threw my frustration to unbearable levels.
I’d ignored every look and touch, pretending not to care about him or those dark eyes that ate me alive. But I didn’t expect it would just be the two of us for dinner. My brothers and Gio wereout there living their lives with their partners, leaving me in a strange limbo where only Barun and I seemed to exist.
I noticed Barun had ordered my favorites from Siriso, an authentic Italian restaurant. Not that I could appreciate the palette. It was an ordeal to sit through dinner with Barun seducing me with his hands, his lips, and his voice. I mean, that man was a living thirst trap. For God’s sake, he was only eating, but my mind went to places it shouldn’t.
When I heard him murmur appreciatively after tasting the paste, I couldn’t sit in his presence any longer.
“Excuse me, I’m done with dinner. I’ll get back to my room.” I grit my teeth at his knowing look, hating the twinkle that had entered his eyes. Without looking back, I turned around to step into my room, my safe space.
Toeing off my footwear, I noticed a jewelry box on the bed. Intrigued, I opened it to find a pair of sapphire earrings. A note was tucked underneath.
