Page 205 of Those Who Are Bound

Jonah swallowed, glancing briefly away. Although it looked like the words nearly choked him, he said, “Elliott isn’t mine to protect.”

“But you want her to be.”

“Do you have a point?”

Sure did. But he’d get to that.

He moved to the opposite couch and sat down. “Do you know who I am?”

Jonah glanced in the direction of the event center, as though he could see through it to the raised house and the woman who lived there. “She’s mentioned you, but you don’t come up a lot.”

Becks tried not to laugh. Nice dig. But he didn’t expect that Ellie would be eager to get into the details of their relationship. “She told me she walked away from you after two weeks, and then she hid you. From me.”

He scoffed. “I don’t think she hid me.”

“Lied, hid, failed to mention that she’d gotten back together with you…” He frowned. “Why was she on Josh McVann’s bike that morning?”

He looked momentarily startled.

“You didn’t know his name.”

Jonah shook his head, looking disappointed in himself. “No, I probably read it, but it didn’t stick.” He grimaced.

“Let yourself off the hook, Pastor. I’m not here for him. I’m here for you.”

That earned him a wary look. “I’m not certain I can help you.” He glanced again toward the center.

Becks could read the question. “She’s not here. I sent her out for ingredients to make lasagna, and a Starbucks.” He took a drag on his cigarette. “Ever taste her mama’s recipe for lasagna?”

His countenance momentarily brightened. Shifting, he dropped his gaze as he put his phone in his suit pocket. “I have.”

“Let me cut to the chase.” But he didn’t. He was once more distracted by Lucy when she re-appeared with Killion, the two of them walking side by side toward them, chatting.

She looked over and smiled at him. A little shy but friendly. He smiled back, not shy at all and very friendly.

Killion elbowed her hard, causing her to sidestep and shoot a glare at the man. Even from a distance, Becks knew she was demanding to know what his problem was. Becks knew. He knew what both of these men had picked up on last night. He was actually pleased that Elliott was finally surrounding herself with men who would stand up for her rather than the weak lot she used to take such delight in controlling and torturing.

Jonah also turned to watch them, but they didn’t approach.

Lucy called out, “I’m going to change.” She darted a look to Becks, then back to her friend. “Guests will start arriving shortly.”

It was a subconscious gesture on her part, her glance to him; she was thinking about getting naked and him. He liked the way she thought.

Becks watched as she and Killion went into the center through the side doors. When he returned his attention to Jonah, he was again the recipient of a warning glare.

“I’m going to ask you one more time; is there a point to this conversation?”

Becks dropped his cigarette and crushed it with his shoe. “There is. But I can’t get into it now. You and me? We’re going to need to have a longer discussion later.”

“Pass.”

“Not an option, because it concerns Ellie.”

That sparked his interest, reluctant as it may be.

“Normally, I wouldn’t give a shit about you. Or about any man she brings home, but she cares about you, and that’s got my attention.” He tilted his head. “And I know you care about her because you want to kill me right now. For touching her.”

Jonah’s nostrils flared and his jaw clenched. “I have a pretty good idea of the assholes who came before me, and—”

---