His lips tightened underneath her fingertip, but he remained silent as he waited to hear the rest.
“If the police arrest me. If somehow he finds me and takes us, takes us all. No matter what happens to me, I want you to swear to me that you’ll fight for Cammie and Travis. That you’ll do whatever you have to in order to wrest them from his grasp again. If I’m not jailed and he doesn’t ensure they throw away the key, he’ll likely have me institutionalized. He has so much evidence supporting my so-called mental illness. It’s possible. Anything is possible in his world. But swear to me that you’ll protect them. They’ll need you, Donovan. If they don’t have me, they’ll need you—and your family’s protection.”
Donovan wasn’t happy. Indeed, he looked . . . pissed. There was anger in his eyes and he simply shook his head.
“You don’t get it, do you? I’m not going to just throw up my hands were something to happen to you. I’ll fight with my every breath, not only for Cammie and Travis, but for you as well, Eve. I’d never leave you to his mercy. Never.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Now you’re just pissing me off,” he said darkly. “You don’t thank me for doing what’s right. For protecting what’s mine. You’re entitled to that. And there won’t ever be a time you aren’t.”
She closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder. God, she loved this man. Didn’t care if it was too soon. Didn’t care if she was being foolhardy for allowing herself to become involved in a relationship when she was on the run from a killer.
She wanted this. Wanted it with everything she had. And damn anyone who said or thought differently.
They were interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. Cammie stiffened, coming fully awake, and Travis jerked up, his eyes wide and wary.
“Hey,” Donovan gently chided. “It’s okay, guys. Remember the tight security we have here? If my doorbell rings and I wasn’t alerted of someone coming through the gates, then whoever’s at the door is someone who lives here on the grounds. No one can access this place without me knowing about it.”
“Who is it?” Cammie asked anxiously.
Donovan smiled. “It’s likely one of my brothers or perhaps even one or more of their wives. They very much want to meet you.”
“’Kay,” Cammie said.
Travis scrambled up, standing nervously as Donovan got up to go to the front door. Eve couldn’t see from her angle who was there when Donovan opened the door. He stood talking a moment and then turned to walk back into the living room, a group of people following close behind.
There were four women, two holding infants, one holding the hand of a blond-haired little girl who looked to be Cammie’s age. And they all wore warm, welcoming smiles.
Eve hurried to her feet, standing as she waited for Donovan to make introductions. The affection in which he regarded the other women was evident in every aspect of his expression.
Cammie even got off the couch, looking curiously at the other little girl. Travis stood to the side, ill at ease. He wiped his hands down his pants in a gesture that told Eve he was as nervous as she was about meeting Donovan’s family.
These were the sisters-in-law that Garrett had mentioned. He’d said they’d want to come over to check Eve out for themselves. Give her their stamp of approval. What was it that Garrett had said? That they were all protective of the two unmarried Kelly brothers and they would want to see firsthand if Eve was good enough for Donovan.
Ugh. No pressure! No, not at all. It was all Eve could do not to run from the living room and barricade herself in the bedroom.