Page 137 of Our Deceptive Heat

Ellis snarls, but before he can do anything, the door bursts open, and Kelly stalks in. Ezy and Gael narrow their eyes on my father, while my cousin looks at Ellis.

“You’re going to take your hands off my cousin or I’m going to feed your bodies to the sharks.”

Ellis tenses. I would, too, if I were him. Kelly Raines is a throwback to our very powerful grandfather, Maxwell Raines. Charles doesn’t have the cut throat aggression that he gifted to his son.

“Kelly, I thought you were dead,” my father drawls.

We all know he’s lying. He would be keeping tabs on him and would have known if something happened.

“Clearly not, Uncle. But what are you doing on my island? You know you’re not welcome in this neck of the woods.”

Typhor bares his teeth. “I’m not leaving until I have my wife.”

“Your wife is on holiday with her family.”

Typhor raises his eyebrow and opens his mouth-

“You, of course, are not welcome.”

I’ve never seen this version of Kelly. He’s strong and cold and almost as ruthless as my dad. Is this why he ran?

Digs storms into the room and lets out a vicious roar when he sees Ellis’ hold on me.

Tyr and Mako are a moment behind and the temper in the room becomes untenable. They advance as a unit towards the alpha holding me.

Ellis steps back, letting me go. Holding his hands in the air. It doesn't stop Tyr, though, he lets fly a vicious punch that sends the alpha halfway across the room.

“Stop!” Bently shouts. “He did it!” he says and points to my father.

Ellis stands up and simply brushes off his suit jacket and glances at Bently and Yardly. “Let's go. It’s not worth the hassle. Our contract is void, Raines. You owe us our money. We’ll expect payment upfront.”

“You okay?” Tyr says, gripping my face and peering down at me. “Oh, shit, you’re hurt. Come on, let’s get you to a doctor.”

Digs rumbles and steps between the threats and me, looking entirely too adorably menacing.

“You came?”

Mako makes a sound of disbelief. “You thought we wouldn’t?”

I shake my head, but it makes it ache, and I stop with a groan.

Tyr grumbles and gently pulls me to the light so he can check my face. “I’m going to kill him!”

Tyr whirls and punches my father, who has just tried to get past him.

“You ever touch her again, and you’re a dead man!”

“I’m Typhor Raines-”

“I don’t give a shit who you are, Typhor. As you can clearly tell, we weren’t afraid of you before, and we aren’t now. Ryn belongs to us.”

My father springs towards them, his expression one of black murder, but Kelly shoves him up against the wall.

“You hit my aunt?” He glances at me. “You tried to kill her? You hit my cousin? Do you enjoy hurting people weaker than you, Uncle?”

“I can do much worse to you than this. Just remember that, Kelly.” My father licks his lips, but I think it’s a nervous gesture. “You still haven’t found her yet, have you? But I know…I know exactly where she is.”

Kelly tenses. “Raider will survive. And as for me, there is nothing I care about that you can touch without breaking your word. Your power is gone.”

---