She gave me a small nod, and I headed down the stairs.There were several rooms down here.Most of it was for supplies and our private server that was connected to other branches in the family.It was protected and constantly monitored by a man who worked directly under Blaise Hughes.Wilder Jones had originally been in the Georgia branch, but he’d been moved to Ocala years back under the former boss, Garrett Hughes’s, command.
Heading into the room that held our burner phones, among other unregistered devices that we used and then tossed, I went to the cabinet with the phones and took out one.I should have probably run this through Oz first, but, hey, he was the one who had put Than and Ransom in charge of tonight’s games.They needed Elsie’s help with this.
I hurried back to the stairs and headed back up before anyone found her standing there and made her feel uncomfortable in any way.She was looking nervously when I stepped back through the door.Her relief at the sight of me made me smile.
“What the fuck are you doing?”Oz’s tone caused her to jump as her eyes went wide with panic.
I turned to glare at my brother.“Getting her a way to communicate with Than and Ransom.They need her help.I told you that.”
His narrowed gaze went to the phone in her hand, then back to me.“You didn’t mention a burner.”
“Well, brother, the last time I checked, neither Than or Ransom is a mind reader.How the fuck is she supposed to talk to them?”
“The Davidsons just pulled through the gate.Get to the great room,” he told me.“You can go back to the kitchen,” he added, glancing at Elsie briefly.
“Let me get her connected to Than first,” I interrupted.Jesus, he was too fucking intense.
His nostrils flared slightly, and then he nodded and turned to stalk away.
When I shifted my attention to Elsie, she looked pale.Fuck him.
“It’s fine.Ignore him,” I told her, then held the phone out to her.“Than’s and Ransom’s numbers are already in there.I’ll send them this contact and let them know it’s you.To direct questions to you first.”
She nodded, still looking rattled.I didn’t want to take her back to the kitchen and leave her like this, but, dammit, I didn’t have a choice.
Sliding a knuckle under her chin, I tilted it up and made her look me in the eyes.“You’re okay.This is helping him.He’s just not thrilled about dealing with the Davidsons.Their son … he’s … got a history with Than and Montana.There is tension there.That’s why they aren’t here tonight.This isn’t about you.”
She inhaled deeply, then let it out.“Okay.”
My eyes drifted to her lips.Damn, those were tempting, but no.Not doing that.I can’t.I dropped my hand, ending the touch, and stepped back.
“Can you get back to the kitchen?”I asked her.
“Yeah.”
“All right, come get me if you have any questions.”
She nodded.“Okay.”
With one last look, I smiled at her, then headed back to the great room to deal with the Davidsons.
Twenty-Four
Elsie
Other than answering three of Than’s questions, I had helped put icing on red velvet cupcakes, sliced the banana bread that Winslet had made once it came out of the oven, and eaten two of the white chocolate chip cookies.It had been over an hour since the guests had arrived.Cressida and I had not left the kitchen, but Winslet had carried a few trays of the treats we had made in there, then promptly returned.Each time, her gaze flickered to Cressida for a brief second.
I was growing anxious.I knew this was about me or my situation.The fact that we were staying in here had been the first clue.I wanted to ask, but since Forge hadn’t told me, I assumed I wasn’t supposed to know.Yet.
The conversation in here had remained light, chatty, from one topic to the next.Nothing heavy or deep.It was almost forced.As if they were nervous, too, and trying to cover it up.That wasn’t helping me relax.But then I was rarely relaxed these days.I doubted I ever would be again.
“Any news on Calvin and the TV set life?”Winslet asked cheerily as she took a seat to the left of me, smiling brightly.
“He’s, uh, enjoying it,” I replied.“He’s made a friend there.Seems happy.”
“Oz said that he’s worried about you.He calls Oz daily to check on you.”
I hadn’t known that.A small bubble of warmth swelled in my chest.Comfort.If ever so brief.I opened my mouth to respond when Oz filled the doorway.His hair was darker than Forge’s, but there was a similarity to them at times.Like now.The way his jaw was jutted out slightly.
