Free All I Need Is You by M. Malone

his welfare.  
    “Sure. Whatever you have handy is fine. I’m not picky.”
    Kay grinned. “I’ll make you a plate.” She trotted over to where Hope was busy eating cut-up pieces of chicken from her high-chair tray, catching her before she threw a handful of food on the floor. Eli smothered a laugh. He was glad the incident that morning hadn’t made things too awkward. Living in close quarters was bound to introduce strange situations such as accidentally seeing each other half-dressed.
    Not that Eli regretted it, per se. Although he shouldn’t want Kay looking at him like that—it was better for her sake if she didn’t find him attractive—he couldn’t deny enjoying her obvious admiration of his bare chest.
    His phone buzzed in his pocket, so he turned back to the living room. “This is Eli,” he barked without even checking who it was.
    “Elliott. Glad I caught you. I have some information I’d like you to look over.”
    “Agent Harris. It’s been a while.”
    “Things have been quiet. However, the group is recruiting heavily again and we’ve got leads. Word is that Zeus has made an appearance. We really need you on this one.”
    “I’d like to help, but I’m not sure that I can. I’ve told you before that I never met Zeus. I was just a low-level grunt. I did the dirty work, but I wasn’t in the inner circle.”
    “I know, but it’s imperative that you tell us immediately if he attempts to contact you. The agency considers capturing him a top priority. We have reason to believe he’s trying to reassemble the old guard. The group has sustained a lot of losses over the past five years, and he’s probably looking to regroup. Rebuild the ranks.”
    “I understand that and I wish I could help. However, I think you’re wasting your time with me. The Circle always went for young guys. Strong, healthy, young. He’s going to focus on college towns first. If he hasn’t already left the country, that is.”
    Glad he’d stepped away so Kay wouldn’t overhear him, Eli gripped the phone tighter. “Agent Harris, this really isn’t a good time.”
    There was a pause. The other man obviously hadn’t been expecting him to say no. “Mr. Alexander, I don’t think I need to remind you that one of the conditions of your release was full cooperation with the FBI’s investigation.”
    Eli gritted his teeth. “No, you don’t need to remind me. Can the information be sent through e-mail, or do I need to pick it up?”
    “You’ll receive a secure e-mail in the next hour.”
    Eli hung up without bothering to say good-bye. It was his own fault that he was in this situation. The mistakes of his youth were going to haunt him forever it seemed.
    A hand on his shoulder startled him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Kaylee standing next to him, her eyes narrowed in worry.  
    “Eli, are you okay? I called your name over and over and you didn’t hear me.”
    He forced a smile. “Sorry, I’m a little distracted.”
    “Okay, well, your food is ready.” She walked back to the kitchen and Eli had to force his eyes away from the sway of her hips. Even if he hadn’t already known that taking their attraction any further was a bad idea, the call from Agent Harris was a sobering reminder. Until he’d atoned for the mistakes of his past, he was enslaved to the authorities, who held his freedom in their grasp. He had to continue to cooperate with them, and it was always on their timetable, not his. Kay needed someone who could put her first, be there for her whenever she called.
    He wasn’t free to be the man she needed.

    ELI PARKED HIS truck on the side of the road the next afternoon and cut the engine. Kay was at work and he’d left Tank there in his place. She had no idea what he was doing with his afternoon off, and he hoped he wouldn’t have to tell her. Any mention of her stalker was understandably upsetting for her, so he hadn’t told her that Jeremy King had recently been released on parole.  
    He