Read Online Masters 02 Master of the Abyss by Cherise Sinclair - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cherise Sinclair
Tags: Erótica
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matter how many bargains a girl made, she still ended up doing the dishes. Her “I’m so macho” cousins only washed dishes on their kitchen-duty day and could be oblivious to any putrid stench between times. Did testosterone kill the sense of smell?
After stepping around Mufasa—like any self-respecting cat, he’d commandeered the center of the tile floor—she unloaded the dishwasher and filled it again with food-encrusted bowls and plates.
Maybe she should dump the plates in her cousins’ beds. Would they take a hint?
She grinned. But when she imagined the guys’ reactions, her amusement disappeared, and the icy spot lurking in a corner of her heart pulsed painfully as if in warning. These weren’t her dishes, after all; this wasn’t her house. Not really.
She was just the poor relation Uncle Harvey had taken in after Aunt Teresa had dumped her. After everyone had dumped her. She never forgot her place. Ever.
She swiped at a dried spot of tomato sauce. Maybe she went a little overboard in being careful—okay, maybe she’d gotten a bit hung up on the idea—but she knew how quickly someone could turn off the love faucet. Her mom had loved her, but she’d died when Kallie was eight. Not fair, so totally not fair to lose your mommy, Kallie thought, scrubbing the counter until the pad started to fray.
Two years later, her stepfather had shoved her off on Aunt Penny. At least he’d told her why: “ I’m getting married, and Annabelle already has two children .”
She was twelve when Aunt Penny shipped her off to Teresa. That time, she received no explanation other than, “ I’m sorry, Kallie, but we can’t keep you here any longer .”
She’d cried herself to sleep for a month after leaving Penny, but eventually the fun and bustling activity in Aunt Teresa’s home had drawn her in. And then a couple of years later, Uncle Pete and Teresa gave her a little vacation to visit Uncle Harvey, and put her on a plane to the West Coast. They hadn’t taken her back.
It still hurt, dammit. Kallie drizzled soap into a frying pan. And she’d suffered through the transition. From a city home filled with younger cousins and an affectionate, bubbling aunt to a wilderness cabin with three older cousins and her giant-sized uncle. They’d terrified her.
This place had been her last hope. If the Mastersons didn’t like her, she’d have had nowhere else to go. Maybe if she’d known what she had done to get kicked out of the other homes…
Poor Uncle Harvey and poor Morgan and Wyatt and Virgil, having a teenage girl dropped into their lives. She’d spared them her tears; she’d already learned that crying didn’t help. But she was the quietest, sweetest mouse they’d ever seen, at least until she’d figured out what they wanted. Her cousins didn’t know what to do with a girl cousin, so she’d turned herself into one of the boys. Kallie smiled at the memories. They’d treated her like a little brother, coaching her on how to backpack, fight, shoot.
Being tough suited her.
If only she could break them of the overprotective crap. Sometimes they acted as if she were a fragile little girl or something. It was a wonder she hadn’t developed a split personality.
Losing Uncle Harvey last year had been…bad. He’d loved her; she was sure that he’d loved her. When she had returned to Bear Flat after working in Alaska, he’d cheered so loudly the town must have heard him.
She’d missed him too, missed them all, but she’d forced herself to get a college degree and some experience before joining the Masterson guide business. Moving away had been incredibly difficult. At least she’d gone to a college close enough to drive back frequently. But Alaska… She’d deliberately accepted the distant job so she couldn’t run home, but damn, she’d felt so empty without her cousins and uncle. She’d missed the noisy meals, the arguing and teasing, the bossing her around and laughing when she tried to
After stepping around Mufasa—like any self-respecting cat, he’d commandeered the center of the tile floor—she unloaded the dishwasher and filled it again with food-encrusted bowls and plates.
Maybe she should dump the plates in her cousins’ beds. Would they take a hint?
She grinned. But when she imagined the guys’ reactions, her amusement disappeared, and the icy spot lurking in a corner of her heart pulsed painfully as if in warning. These weren’t her dishes, after all; this wasn’t her house. Not really.
She was just the poor relation Uncle Harvey had taken in after Aunt Teresa had dumped her. After everyone had dumped her. She never forgot her place. Ever.
She swiped at a dried spot of tomato sauce. Maybe she went a little overboard in being careful—okay, maybe she’d gotten a bit hung up on the idea—but she knew how quickly someone could turn off the love faucet. Her mom had loved her, but she’d died when Kallie was eight. Not fair, so totally not fair to lose your mommy, Kallie thought, scrubbing the counter until the pad started to fray.
Two years later, her stepfather had shoved her off on Aunt Penny. At least he’d told her why: “ I’m getting married, and Annabelle already has two children .”
She was twelve when Aunt Penny shipped her off to Teresa. That time, she received no explanation other than, “ I’m sorry, Kallie, but we can’t keep you here any longer .”
She’d cried herself to sleep for a month after leaving Penny, but eventually the fun and bustling activity in Aunt Teresa’s home had drawn her in. And then a couple of years later, Uncle Pete and Teresa gave her a little vacation to visit Uncle Harvey, and put her on a plane to the West Coast. They hadn’t taken her back.
It still hurt, dammit. Kallie drizzled soap into a frying pan. And she’d suffered through the transition. From a city home filled with younger cousins and an affectionate, bubbling aunt to a wilderness cabin with three older cousins and her giant-sized uncle. They’d terrified her.
This place had been her last hope. If the Mastersons didn’t like her, she’d have had nowhere else to go. Maybe if she’d known what she had done to get kicked out of the other homes…
Poor Uncle Harvey and poor Morgan and Wyatt and Virgil, having a teenage girl dropped into their lives. She’d spared them her tears; she’d already learned that crying didn’t help. But she was the quietest, sweetest mouse they’d ever seen, at least until she’d figured out what they wanted. Her cousins didn’t know what to do with a girl cousin, so she’d turned herself into one of the boys. Kallie smiled at the memories. They’d treated her like a little brother, coaching her on how to backpack, fight, shoot.
Being tough suited her.
If only she could break them of the overprotective crap. Sometimes they acted as if she were a fragile little girl or something. It was a wonder she hadn’t developed a split personality.
Losing Uncle Harvey last year had been…bad. He’d loved her; she was sure that he’d loved her. When she had returned to Bear Flat after working in Alaska, he’d cheered so loudly the town must have heard him.
She’d missed him too, missed them all, but she’d forced herself to get a college degree and some experience before joining the Masterson guide business. Moving away had been incredibly difficult. At least she’d gone to a college close enough to drive back frequently. But Alaska… She’d deliberately accepted the distant job so she couldn’t run home, but damn, she’d felt so empty without her cousins and uncle. She’d missed the noisy meals, the arguing and teasing, the bossing her around and laughing when she tried to
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