Page 149 of Dust to Dust

With my heart beating like a brass band in my chest, I peered around the room dimly lit by the television.

“Fuck,” a man’s voice whispered.

My hand flew to my mouth. Oh God, there was a man in the house. Fear momentarily choked off my breathing, and I shuddered. Was it one of Mikita’s men who’d come back to settle the score despite the fact Quinn and I were no longer together?

I was too far away from the security panel to set off the silent alarm. Instead, I would have to rely on myself. Inching up the couch, I leaned over the arm to open the end table drawer. After grabbing my gun, I eased off the safety.

Slowly, I pulled myself to my feet. I tiptoed across the rug, hoping and praying for the floorboards not to creak out a tune. I continued my snail’s pace down to the kitchen.

Peeking around the corner, I bit down on my lip to keep my shriek from echoing through the kitchen. Not only was there a man in my kitchen, but he was naked. His bare ass glowed in the moonlight as he was bent over inside the fridge.

With the revelation, I realized I could mark Bratva off the list of suspects. If they’d come to kill or kidnap me, I doubted they would’ve stopped to get undressed and have a snack.

Great. Some tweaker had broken into my house and was now raiding my fridge. Once again, I couldn’t help feeling like Quinn had failed me since the security system hadn’t stopped him. It was me and only me left to handle it.

“Put your hands on your head and slowly turn around!” I growled in my best badass voice.

The man froze. “I’m happy to turn around, but I think it’s in both of our best interests if my hands keep me covered.”

Disbelief ricocheted through me as I recognized the voice. “Kellan?” I shrieked.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

I jerked the gun down to my side. “What the hell are you doing in my kitchen naked?”

Slowly, he turned around, his hands cupping his crotch. From the way he barely covered himself, I could see being well endowed ran in the Kavanaugh family.

With a sheepish grin, he replied, “Uh, I was looking for something to drink.”

With shock still radiating through me, I repeated, “Why are you naked in my kitchen?”

Even in the dim light, I could see his crimson colored cheeks. “Well, you see, I, uh–”

Immediately I feared Kellan had experienced some psychotic break. What else could explain why he was naked in my kitchen and rifling through my fridge? I desperately needed my phone from the living room, so I could call 911. While I didn’t think he would ever hurt me, it was clear he’d completely lost his mind.

At a noise behind me, I whirled around. To my utter horror, Brooke appeared in the doorway with wild bed hair and outfitted in only a man’s white dress shirt with the buttons haphazardly done. In her hands, she held a towel.

When the realization hit me of what had transpired, my hand flew to my mouth. “Oh my God.”

Kellan momentarily held up a hand before realizing his junk wasn’t adequately covered. “Isla, it’s not what you think.”

“What else could it possibly be?” I screeched.

“Shh, you’ll wake up Henry,” Brooke admonished.

“Oh, now, you’re thinking of Henry? Not when you just fucked some random guy in our house.”

Brooke snorted as she bypassed me to stand beside Kellan. She handed him the towel, which he quickly draped around his waist. Smiling up at him, Brooke argued, “Kellan isn’t a random guy. He’s practically family.”

Feeling lightheaded, I leaned back against the table. “I can’t believe this.” Shaking my head at Kellan, I said, “After everything we went through, you repay me by taking advantage of my sister?”

“I swear, I didn’t!” Kellan protested.

With a roll of her eyes, Brooke replied, “As much time as you spent with him, can you honestly stand there and believe he would do that?”

Although I hated to admit it, Brooke was right. After what had transpired with Maeve, Kellan would never take advantage of a woman.

I turned my wrath from Kellan back to Brooke. “With what I told you today, how could you involve yourself with him? What if it brought you know who back around?”

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