Wyatt (Lane Brothers #1) Read Online Free

to it that she understands that and doesn’t get ill just to spite me.
    “No thank you.”
    God, manners to the core. I like.
    “Huh. Well, I’m going to have to insist, baby. Ma would be heartbroken if you don’t accept her gift.”
    Like I’d tell the poor old girl, but Ellie doesn’t need to know that.
    “I’m not eating shit I didn’t see you preparing,” she snarls. I have to stop my lips from twitching at her glower.
    Damn, if she keeps this up, I’m not going to be able to keep out of her for long. I’ve never liked mouthy women, but on her I find the mouthy stuff damn near impossible to resist.
    Speaking of that mouth, it’s so plump and soft looking, all I can think about is the way she’ll taste or what all that softness will feel like around my—
    Stop. Not the time, asshole.
    “What did I tell you before, baby? You have to eat, if only to keep yourself strong to argue with me.”  I slide the plate under her nose and pick up my own, leaning back against the counter to watch.
    She ignores it all and shoves her nose in the air, but I feel her vibes and see the fear she’s trying to hide when the pulse in her neck starts pounding.
    “Here.”
    I use my fork and spear a bite of her cake, even licking the tines clean to show her that I haven’t drugged or poisoned it.
    “See? Just good old chocolate cake, baby. Eat up, you do not wanna miss Ma’s baking. The woman has a gift.”
    That comment gets me the slightest lip twitch before she picks up her fork and takes a miniscule taste. Her moan, even though she tries to cut it off, goes straight to my groin, and I make a note of every sigh, sound, and facial expression when the flavor hits her tongue and she all but attacks the cake.
    Good girl.
    “Is your mother Ina Garten?” she asks, and my heart tries to burst at that little show of give.
    Now I know it’s not much, but her talking voluntarily to me is a big step because Ellie doesn’t do that with anyone, and I reckon her doing it with some guy who kidnapped her shows just how much my patience is paying off.
    “Nah, but I bet she’s probably better. This cake was a quick deal. You’ll get to taste better later. You want to watch some TV or something?”
    I see it’s too soon when her shoulders tense and that dead expression falls back over her eyes.
    “Why?”
    I know what she’s asking, and I could probably sidestep the whole issue and mess with her a little, but my baby is too fragile right now. I get right to the point.
    “I saw you, I wanted you, and now I have you. Simple. Now don’t get mad, baby, I did try to talk to you once, do this the right way, but you shut me down. So I had to watch and plan to get your attention.”
    “You…you watched me?”
    Don’t be scared, I was just watching over you, baby.
    “Yup, and you know what I saw? I saw a beautiful woman trying to cut herself off from life. I can’t have that, not when I know you used to be a fucking star before. Don’t start yelling. Like I said, I’m not gonna hurt you, and all I want is some time to prove that. Now, TV or a board game?”
    A shrug is all I get but I can deal. At least she never once tried to stab me with the fork I gave her. To me, her passing that little test is progress. I can work with that.
     
     

Chapter Three
    Ellie
    This dude is straight-up nuts, that’s all I can think as he sits on his side of the sofa laughing his ass off at some dubbed karate movie that I haven’t followed a minute of.
    How can I when my nerves are strung taught and my heart is still trying to beat its way out of my chest? But when another ten minutes pass without him so much as looking my way, I feel myself relax into the armrest I’m leaning against.
    With my stomach full of the best food and cake I’ve had in years, and my mind clear of all the drugs he pumped into me, I’m in my zone and clearheaded enough to actually stop and think.
    That’s when it all hits me. He hasn’t touched me in any way, he’s