Donovan chuckled, and Sam and Garrett both glared at him.
“Garrett looks like a whipped puppy because the control freak in him can’t control the situation. And Sam looks like he’s swallowed a rock.”
Sam held up his middle finger at the exact same time Garrett did, which only made Donovan laugh harder.
He shook his head and wiped his palm down his jaw. “If we can get back to the facts at hand. The assassin worked alone. Garrett and I have both been out. There’s no one else. Not yet. We’ve probably bought a few days, until Mouton figures out his guy is dead and sends someone else. He hasn’t impressed me with his intelligence so far, so he may or may not send enough men to get the job done. But then before he was only after a lone woman. Now he has us to contend with.”
“Yeah. All of us,” Garrett growled. “No one f**ks with the Kellys.”
Sam grinned and then let the smile fade. “We need to get to Mom and Dad’s to make sure they’re okay, have Steele and Rio meet us there and figure out our next move. I don’t give a shit what the CIA’s doing. We’re going to take that bastard out this time.”
Donovan nodded his agreement. “Go get Sophie. Garrett and I will have the truck ready.”
SOPHIE stared out the window of the SUV as it rolled into the driveway of a quaint wood house that was at least a hundred years old. It was one of those houses you saw in television shows touting suburbia. The perfect porch, the perfect landscaping. An upstairs that probably had at least six bedrooms and a backyard that stretched over several acres.
It looked homey and welcoming like it had a soul and wasn’t just a cold dwelling constructed to keep others out. No, this house invited people inside to its warmth. Families gathered here.
It was everything she’d ever wanted in her entire life, and it hurt her that she was going to have to walk into this place with Sam and pretend it wasn’t.
The tires crunched over the gravel, and Garrett pulled the truck to a halt behind a county sheriff’s police car. Sophie jerked her head around to stare at Sam accusingly.
“Sean is here for the protection of my family,” Sam said shortly. “I didn’t go behind your back and report you to the cops.”
She relaxed a little, but the knot in her throat grew larger as she stared at the house.
This was his parents’ house, and she had no concept of how to act around a normal family. But she carried their grandchild, and if nothing else, that gained her something. Didn’t it?
Donovan opened the door for her, and automatically her chin went up. Sam walked around and reached in to help her out. She grabbed for the waist of the sweatpants to keep them up as Sam tucked her into his side. At least he wasn’t trying to put a world of distance between them. She couldn’t have faced his entire family by herself.
Garrett and Donovan hurried forward and had the door open by the time she and Sam got there. As soon as she stepped inside, she was greeted by a rush of warm air and the smell—it wasn’t even one identifiable scent. It was a mixture of home-baked food, flowers, cleaner and an older musty smell that came from years of wear.
It was the best smell she’d ever encountered.
She inhaled deeply, wanting to savor every bit.
“Sam, Garrett, Donovan? Is that you?”
The feminine voice came closer, and in another moment a small woman rounded the corner as if on wheels. She collided with Garrett, bounced off and then promptly pounced on the much larger man.
“Garrett!”
She pulled him into her arms, and Sophie watched in fascination as Garrett transformed in front of her eyes. He went from surly, scowling ape to a gentle mama’s boy. It was mind-boggling.
He scooped her up in his arms, though she seemed to be doing most of the hugging.
“We’re fine, Ma. Quit squeezing me so hard or I won’t be able to breathe.”
She kissed both cheeks, patted one and then turned her attention to Donovan, who was watching with an amused smile.
“Gee, Mom, you’d think you never saw us.”
She scowled at him, and Sophie could see where Garrett got it. Their mom could be quite ferocious when provoked.
She hugged Donovan fiercely, patting and squeezing in random patterns.
“I’ve been so worried. Sean showed up mumbling about safety and trouble and then wouldn’t let your father or me out of the house. I was tempted to turn him over my knee.”
Sam pushed forward shaking his head. “Sean did exactly what he was supposed to do, Ma. Don’t be giving him any trouble.”
Mrs. Kelly turned to Sam and her face softened. At the same time she caught sight of Sophie standing to Sam’s side and her expression froze.
She looked at Donovan and then quickly back at Sam and then focused on Sophie again.
“What in the world?”
She started toward Sophie, and it was all Sophie could do not to turn around and run.
Mrs. Kelly’s hands came up to brace Sophie’s arms, but Sam was there to push one away from her injury.
“Careful, Ma. She’s been hurt.”
Sam’s voice was soft and husky, almost tender. Sophie’s knees began to shake because she couldn’t take this. It was too much. She was scared out of her mind, and the last thing she wanted was rejection.
“Oh my word,” Mrs. Kelly breathed out.
And before Sophie could expend any more time being terrified, the woman enfolded her in her embrace as carefully as she would a child. And just as suddenly she pulled away and aimed a ferocious glare up at Sam.