Whispers in the Dark - Maya Banks [84]
“I don’t know. I swear I don’t know. I feel so stupid. I knew my life wasn’t normal. I didn’t always know that, but when I got older, I knew it was downright strange. Still, I never imagined this. How could I have? I thought my parents were just protective of Grace and me. They feared our abilities being discovered and what our lives would be like if that happened. I misunderstood their fear obviously, but I chalked up all of their eccentricities to concern for their daughters.”
“Shea, look at me,” Donovan said.
She lifted her gaze to see Donovan and Ethan both looking at her and Nathan with determination in their eyes. Gone was the skepticism, the doubt. All that remained was burning sincerity.
“KGI has a lot of resources. There isn’t a lot we can’t find out once we set our minds to it. But beyond that, you’re important to Nathan so that makes you important to us. KGI is an organization, yes, but we’re a family first. And we go to the wall for family. Every time. No questions asked. No conditions.”
Her chin quivered as she fought the tide of emotion his heartfelt words wrought.
“I don’t make promises lightly. I don’t bullshit people. We’re going to do everything we can to get to the bottom of this. I can’t guarantee that we’ll ever know who was the mastermind of the experiments on you and Grace. But what I can guarantee is that we’re going to do everything in our power to keep you safe.”
“And Grace?” she asked anxiously.
“And Grace. I need time to look at the surveillance and to gather as much intel as I can, and then I promise you that we will find your sister and we’ll give her the same protection we give you.”
She leaned forward and gripped his hand in both of hers. She included Ethan in her gaze. “Thank you. I’ve been so worried. I don’t know what to do anymore. I didn’t want to involve Nathan, but I couldn’t turn to anyone else.”
Donovan smiled and glanced beyond her to Nathan. “I’d say you chose well. I pity the fool that tries to get between you and him.”
“Damn straight,” Nathan muttered.
NATHAN hovered over Donovan while he tied off the last stitch he’d set in Shea’s shoulder. Her face was tight. She was pale, but she hadn’t done much more than flinch as the suture pierced her skin.
When Nathan had learned that Donovan had only a skeleton med kit with him and the only anesthetic he had was topical, he’d flat out refused to let him stitch Shea up. They could wait until they reached the safe house. He wasn’t about to let her endure unnecessary pain.
It had been Shea who insisted that it be done and over with. Donovan had assured Nathan that the cut was shallow enough that the stitches wouldn’t have to be set deep and that he could do the job with minimal pain to Shea.
Nathan was convinced that Shea bore it so stoically because she wanted to avoid him losing his shit if she cried out.
“You done?” Nathan asked.
Donovan sighed, tore off his gloves and gave Nathan a disgusted look. “Yeah, I’m done.”
Shea battled a smile.
“What?” Nathan demanded.
“You,” she said. “You asked him that at least a dozen times. He’d have been done earlier if he hadn’t had to stop so many times to tell you no.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “You okay? Does it hurt? Van should have something for pain. He’s a walking medical unit. Well, usually anyway. Maybe not so much this time.”
Shea looked up to where Donovan was putting away his supplies. “Is there anything you don’t do?”
Donovan donned a thoughtful expression and then shook his head. “Nope.”
Ethan laughed from his seat several feet away. “You walked into that one, Shea.”
Shea seemed baffled by the teasing that already included her. It was something that Nathan missed all too much. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed just being a part of the Kelly family. Endless teasing. Joking. Fierce loyalty.
And now Shea was experiencing it firsthand.
Exhilaration hurtled through his veins. He couldn’t have imagined the immense satisfaction he’d experience seeing Shea accepted into his family. Although Ethan