Chapter 45

“I did, and it’s done. It was just a quick check.” Luke tilted his head. “And I suggest not heaping questions on Maya anymore, Eric.”

The other man’s back went up. Eric didn’t scowl, but only because he seemed to be fighting it. “We don’t know where she’s from and why she’s here. We don’t know who she is.”

“And we are a clan who doesn’t discriminate because of those factors,” Luke shot back. “We welcome a lot of strangers here. She’s no different.”

“She is different. The last two nights—”

“Be careful. You protest anymore, and we are bound to think that you do not trust Angelo’s judgment.”

That had the man’s mouth clamping shut, stupefied over Luke’s words. The scowl disappeared, too.

“Has he not always been fair to us no matter what bullshit we give him?” Luke added. “I think we caused enough trouble as it is. We don’t need to start again now.”

Guilt flared in Eric’s eyes. It became obvious that it was no longer about her, and she watched in fascination as the two brothers silently co