4. Kinsley

4

KINSLEY

I watch as four large black SUVs come up the driveway. My heart thuds in my chest with a mixture of fear and excitement. Tiberius said he would be back.

The moment he steps onto the gravel driveway, his head lifts, and those dark-gray eyes of his land on me. I don't move, and neither does he, until another man says something to him. I shake myself, questioning how the man can ensnare me so easily.

Men in jeans and tees climb from the vehicles. Out of the nine men I count, two are wearing dark suits. Tiberius has changed out of his suit into black jeans and a white tee with sunglasses perched atop his head. It’s certainly a different view of the man than the one I previously had. Who are the men with him? They all look dangerous and unapproachable. Surely, they’re not all moving into the house.

My head turns as I hear booted feet enter the house. Tiberius gives instructions in a loud voice, and then the footsteps start upstairs. My bedroom door is locked, but that won't keep anyone out who is determined to get inside.

A moment later, there is a knock on my door. "Ms. Kinsley, your, um, uncle, would like you to come downstairs."

I frown at the door. The voice is hesitant, which is not what I expected. Suddenly, more curious than scared, I dash to the door and pull it open. My eyes shoot wide at the huge man standing before me in a lovely dark-gray suit. He is most certainly not what I expected after the voice I heard through the door.

He smirks. "Call me Jock," he says in a calm voice. "You must be Kinsley." He holds out his hand and smiles, but then his eyes narrow as he zeroes in on the side of my face that is red and bruised. "Who did that to you?" His voice deepens.

"The girl is accident prone," Martha says, appearing out of the blue.

The large man stares into my eyes, and I silently beg him not to say anything because I know that he knows who is responsible. He turns to the woman. "Martha, isn't it? You are wanted in the kitchen." When she hovers, he adds, "Now, woman!"

I wince, which Jock notices. "She won't touch you again. Come. He's waiting for you." I nod, trying to hide my nerves as I follow Jock down the dimly lit hallway. "Don't worry too much about the men in the house. They will leave you alone."

I hesitate at the top of the stairs. "Maybe I should have changed first."

"Nonsense. You look fine." Jock smiles. My eyes travel down my white tee to where my black jeans cling to my skin. Thick socks cover my feet. I didn’t bother with my biker boots today.

"Stop fidgeting," Jock says as he shoves me into my father's office—what was my father's office. The heavy door closes behind me. If I didn't know that Tiberius was already in the room, his scent would have given him away.

"You look scared," he comments.

I turn around. "It's unnerving having strange men wandering around my home."

His eyes narrow, and then he is suddenly in front of me. A large, tattooed hand holds my jaw as he turns my face to get a better look at the bruise forming there. I doubt Martha intended on leaving such a sign that she'd hit me.

Tiberius looks into my eyes. "This is because I called her out at lunch." His jaw tightens. "I'll get rid of her."

"No!" I grab hold of his wrist before I snatch my hand back. A sizzle of electricity shoots up my arm. I swallow hard. "I mean." I sigh. "I don't know what I mean."

His fingers gently smooth over the soreness of my cheek before he steps back. "That woman?—"

“Boss,” a dark-skinned man interrupts us. He grins when he sees me, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone with such perfect, white teeth before.

My lips twist into a smile when I realize the man is really being friendly. “Hello,” I offer.

Tiberius narrows his eyes between the two of us and snaps, “Saul! I do not pay you to drool over my”—he clears his throat—“niece.”

“No, sir!” Saul snaps his focus to Tiberius, who hasn’t stopped glaring. “I came to tell you the truck is five minutes out.”

“Okay. Get them moving once they arrive.”

Saul nods and exits the room without another glance my way.

“Are the men moving in as well?” I ask the silently brooding man. I try to ignore the fact we’re dressed similarly. Thank God I left my boots off; otherwise, we’d be identical.

“Yes.” He enters my space, and it takes all my will power not to back down. “You will not encourage them.”

It takes me a moment to understand what he is saying. When I do, my eyes widen in surprise. “He’s far too old for me.” I don’t add that my taste in men centers on the man in front of me.

“So dramatic.” He steps back and looks irritated. “Regardless, do not speak to my men.”

The sound of a loud vehicle approaching breaks the silence as the wheels crunch on the driveway.

I look out the window and frown at the eighteen-wheeler. “What is in there?”

“Furniture, among other things.” He pauses in the doorway. “Do you want any of the furniture from your parents’ bedroom before I have it destroyed?”

“No, thank you.” That is something I do not want. “However, if you wish to get rid of my father’s desk, I would like that.”

He nods. “Dinner will be in an hour or so.”

“Why don’t you step away from the window?” Jock suggests.

“I’m curious. I’ve seen Tiberius every now and again over the years; however, I never actually met him until the reading of the will. I mean, he was at the funeral, but we didn’t speak. My father thought he was doing the right thing by making me his ward. So, I must trust in that.” It doesn’t stop me from admiring the fit of his jeans and tee as he moves.

“Your father knew Beckett would protect you if he asked. You will be safe here.”

I turn to Jock and frown. “You call him by his family name?”

“Habit.” Jock smiles. “How about a warm drink in the kitchen. I could do with a cup of coffee myself.”

“Okay.” I follow beside him and come to a stop. “What are they carrying upstairs?”

“A bed.”

“He doesn’t want to sleep in my parents’ bed, so he brought his own.” I glance at Jock for confirmation.

He nods.

“I suppose that makes sense.” I sigh. “There are a lot of things that do not make sense to me, though. Many in fact, and I don’t know where to start.”

“Let’s have that cup of coffee,” he suggests and leads me toward the kitchen. “Problem?” he asks when I come to a sudden stop before stepping foot inside.

“I’ve never been allowed inside the kitchen,” I whisper.

“From what I have been told, this is your house, which means this is your kitchen.” He smirks and pushes his way inside. A growl comes out of his mouth when he sees Martha at the far end of the room. “You lay a hand on this girl again, and I will show you how hard a man as big as me can hit.”

Oh God.

“You took the words right out of my mouth, Jock.” Tiberius moves into the room. “This is your last chance, Ms. Green.” His steely eyes narrow on the woman before he shoots a look I can’t decipher at Jock. “Do not bring my niece over to the dark side while I’m in the office.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Tiberius snorts and turns his attention to me. His eyes linger as he grabs an apple on his way out of the room.

Jock claps his hands. “Show’s over. Now, can someone show us where we can make our coffee?”

“It’s behind you. Nothing too fancy,” a timid voice replies.

I turn to find a former employee. The young woman is maybe three years older than me. She’s also the daughter of one of Martha’s friends, and I’m sure she fears the vile woman too. “Thank you, Marie.” I smile at her. “I didn’t know you were working here again.”

“Mr. Beckett called the old staff back.” Marie moves closer. “I am sorry about your parents, Kinsley.” She grabs my hand and squeezes.

“Thank you,” I say, choking on the words.

I turn my attention to Jock, who’s pouring two cups of coffee. He passes me a cup, then places a hand to my back and guides me back out along the hallway.

“The girl seemed nice,” he says when we reach the living room.

“Marie is.” I sit at one end of the sofa and inhale the rich aroma before I take a sip. “This is very good.”

“I made it, so of course it is.” He chuckles. “No one comes between me and my coffee.”

“Did Tiberius ask you to be nice to me?”

His eyes dance. “He told me not to let you out of my sight.”

“Hmm,” I mutter.

I sit back and listen to the men putting the bed together upstairs. Hammering comes from the office, which I ignore. I don’t want to know what other changes are taking place. Instead, I wonder about Jock. I sense the man was truly angry when he discovered I was hit. He will follow Tiberius’s orders in the end, which means I can’t trust him as much as I want to. It would be nice to not be so alone anymore.

I guess I will be safe from the outside world in the house. But will I be safe from Tiberius?