Colters舗 Promise by Maya Banks Read Free Book Online

mind.
    She belonged. This was hers. They belonged to her.
    It would be all right. She just had to keep telling herself that.
    “Lily!” Holly exclaimed as she rose. “I hope I didn’t disturb your painting.”
    Lily accepted her mother-in-law’s warm hug and returned the embrace with one of her own.
    “You’re never a bother. I’m glad you’re here. Do you know if Callie is feeling better?”
    She marveled at just how innocent the exchange seemed. She could barely suppress her grin. So far, things had gone off without a hitch. It truly looked as though Holly had popped in for a visit and wanted to spend time with her daughter-in-law.
    Holly’s expression sobered for a moment. “She and Max are flying to New York this afternoon. They left for Denver this morning.”
    Dillon scowled. “What the hell? She’s sick. She doesn’t need to be flying all over the damn country. I knew I shouldn’t have let her work the bar while Max was gone. He hates it and so do I.”
    Holly sighed as Seth and Michael both gave frowns of disapproval as well.
    “It was necessary. There are issues with Lauren. Max didn’t want Callie to go either, but she insisted, and she was right to do so. Lauren needs them. She needs all of us right now.”
    Lily’s brow furrowed at the sorrow in Holly’s voice. “What happened?”
    Holly’s lips turned down. “She was abused by a man she trusted.”
    Lily’s husbands’ frowns turned to deep scowls. If there was one thing the Colter men held true to, it was that women were to be cherished above all things. It was a principle passed from fathers to sons and was evidenced in the way the Colter women were coddled, pampered, and protected.
    “Damn,” Michael muttered.
    It was common knowledge in the family that Holly had escaped an abusive husband many years earlier. It was what had brought her to the Colter men. They’d nearly lost her to the bastard, and the subject of abuse was always bound to make any of the Colter men immediately snarly.
    Holly stared at each of her boys in turn, love warming her eyes. “She’ll need us all. We’re her family now. All she has left is Max. Max said she’s ashamed and doesn’t want anyone to see her or know what’s happened. I’m counting on you boys to spoil her rotten and make her feel at home.”
    “You know we will, Mom,” Dillon said, his face still dark with a frown. “Damn it, but that sucks. She’s a little bit of a thing.”
    Lily nodded her agreement, wincing at the imageof some man knocking Lauren around. They’d all met Lauren only once—at Callie and Max’s wedding—and she’d been a beautiful, shy young woman, so different from Max’s overpowering presence and quiet confidence.
    Michael’s arm came around Lily, and he pulled her into his side. He squeezed almost as if he knew how much she needed his comfort and support. And oh God, she did. More than anything she needed to know that everything would be all right. That he and his brothers would be right here, with her. Always.
    “When will they be back?” Seth asked quietly.
    Holly shrugged. “I’m not sure. You know how your sister is when she sets her mind to something. She won’t be coming home without Lauren and it won’t matter what Lauren thinks she wants.”
    Michael chuckled. “Takes after Dillon. Both stubborn hardheads.”
    Dillon curled his lip at his brother.
    Holly rolled her eyes. “Okay boys, time to clear out.”
    Michael’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “I don’t trust you.”
    Holly lifted both eyebrows in mock dismay. “What a thing to say to your mother! Go on now. All of you shoo. Your fathers are expecting you.”
    “It’s sad that even when I’m thirty-three years old, my mother can still make me feel ten,” Seth grumbled as he got his coat out of the closet.
    He tossed jackets to Michael and Dillon, then headed back toward Lily.
    Without a word, he hugged her up tight and squeezed until she was breathless. Then he kissed her, his hand