“And what did you do?” Eli asked.
“I had to return home to my father’s house. He didn’t want me to get a job. He wanted me to be his hostess. To take care of the house. And then when his business started to go down the tube, he wanted me to marry Cole.”
“Cole didn’t force you into that?” Eli asked.
“What? No, of course not. Why would you think that?” she asked.
They shared a look.
“What?” she asked.
“Remember the night of the storm?” Eli said. “When we stayed with you?”
“Uh, yeah. Why?”
“Well, you had a nightmare and you yelled out that you didn’t want to marry him. And that he couldn’t make you. We figured you were talking about Cole.”
“Oh. Right. Well, I might have been. But Cole didn’t force me to marry him. That was my father.”
“Your father?” Kellan asked in a quiet voice.
“Yes, he was the one forcing me to marry Cole. And Lee.”
24
Anger filled Kellan.
He wasn’t used to feeling such strong emotions but she seemed to drag them out of him.
Or what she had endured at the hands of others brought them out.
Before he could say anything, ask any more questions, there was a knock on the door.
He wanted to storm over to the door and blast whoever was on the other side for interrupting them.
Calm.
You cannot let your temper get the best of you.
He took a few calming breaths as Eli got up to open the door. Arabella slid to the side of the bed and Kellan blocked her way as she tried to get out.
“What do you think you are doing?” he demanded.
“I don’t really want to talk to Jake while lying in bed.”
Hmm. Actually, that was a good point. He didn’t want her talking to Jake while lying in bed, either.
Yes, Jake was happily married.
Yes, she was fully dressed.
He still didn’t like the idea of it. So he scooped her up and carried her to the sofa, sitting with her on his lap.
Eli turned to stare at them in surprise, but then he gave a nod of approval.
“Kellan, let me off your lap,” she said.
“Need to hold you,” he whispered. “Make sure you’re safe.”
