To Desire a Wilde. Kimberly Kaye Terry

damn lie, that’s what it is,” Holt barked, and Nate nodded his head.

      “Yeah, a lie, but a lie that could have gone a long way toward shutting us down. At least we’re given the time to prove our innocence and that a lie is all this is.” He paused and took a deep breath. “And that’s where Ellie fits in,” he said. And at mention of her name, Shilah raised his eyes, narrowed them.

      “She’s working as a subcontractor. She’ll be at the ranch, observing the animals for usual signs of the disease, as well as taking blood samples.”

      “And how did she become involved?”

      “This I don’t know. I’m only glad that she is, not because I expect any favors, but because she is someone we know, someone we trust. Someone we know isn’t in Rolling Hills’s back pocket,” Nate replied.

      He went on to inform them that she would be on the ranch over the next several weeks, and that she would have their full cooperation.

      “But … despite the fact that we consider her like family, we need to keep it business. Not interfere—no taint of interference can be on this investigation. This has to be legit, up front. This is the only way to squash all the bullshit rumors.”

      After speaking, he glanced over at each of them, waiting for everyone’s consent. When his glance landed on Shilah, he saw his brother frown, a look crossing his face, before his gaze moved on.

      Shilah pushed off the wall he’d been leaning against, feeling his body tense.

      “We have to clear our ranch. Our name,” he finished, encompassing everyone in his statement.

      Shilah’s glance slid around the room, going to each face. Tension and underlying fear was thick, palpable in the room. Yet, a steely look of determination was on both of his brothers’ faces, as well. The Wilde brothers wouldn’t go down easily.

      “I guess you’re right. Ellie’s investigation will not turn up one damn thing wrong with our processing of the animals, or the animals themselves,” Holt said, walking over to Yasmine, looping his arm casually around her shoulders.

      “I’ve asked her to come tomorrow and speak to the men. Explain what she’s doing here, and what her role is. I’ve also told the men to give her their full support. Anything she asks for, any help she needs is to be given. And of course we’ll do the same,” Nate finished, and everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

      The birds chimed from the antique grandfather clock that stood in the corner of the room, indicating it was now past midnight.

      Nate glanced toward the clock before rising, lifting Althea’s hand and facing his brothers. “That’s it, fam,” he started. “We go on with running the ranch, doing what we do—”

      “And doing it damn good,” Holt interjected, a grin on his tired face.

      “That’s the only way we Wildes know how to do it,” Shilah agreed, and the brothers all shared a look.

      As they all began to disperse, Nate called out to him, asking to have a word with him before he left. Nate waited until they were alone before he began to speak.

      “Shilah, we need to discuss something.” Nate approached, a worried frown pulling his brows together. Something told Shilah the discussion centered around Ellie.

      Although carefully keeping his expression neutral, Shilah wracked his brain wondering how … if his brother had somehow found out about his involvement with Ellie.

      He mentally cursed. Hell, talk about jumping the damn gun. He’d only had a one-hour conversation with her and here he was thinking, if only in his mind, that they were involved.

      Nate stopped in front of him, crossing his arms over his chest, and stared at Shilah. With his brows together, the expression on his set face confirmed to Shilah that somehow his brother had figured out there was something going on between him and Ellie.

      Even though Shilah himself hadn’t figured out exactly what that was, he was damned if he was going to allow anyone to stop him from finding out.

      Shilah pushed away from the wall, feeling the muscles in his neck, his entire body, tense as he faced his brother.

      “Listen, we need to talk about Ellie.”

      Even if that meant going against his entire family.