Page 9 of Stripped

CHAPTER THREE

“So, this is my place.” I stepped inside and closed and locked the door behind Zane. “The living room is here.” I flicked on the light next to the door so he could see. “The kitchen is—”

“I'm pretty sure I can figure it out,” Zane said, looking around my three-hundred square foot condo. “You should go to bed.”

“I'm fine.” I walked toward the kitchen, but Zane grabbed my elbow.

“You almost walked into the wall. Where's your bedroom?”

“Oh, my god, Abby,” Alice popped out of my kitchen in sweatpants and a t-shirt, a carton of my favorite ice cream in one hand, a spoon in the other. “Are you okay?”

“I just hit my head,” I said. “I have a concussion, but I'll be fine.”

“A concussion?” Roxy asked, walking out of the kitchen with a bag of chips, Carly right behind her. “I had a concussion after I fell off the stage that time when I hadn't slept in—”

“Please,” Alice said. “You were drunk off your ass and you know it.”

“Jimmy had just fired me so his girlfriend could have my job. I was upset.”

Carly moved in against my other side, a warm hand on the center of my back. “You look exhausted,” she said in a low voice. “Let's get you to bed.”

“I've got her,” Zane said, tightening his grip on me.

Carly, one of the sweetest people I knew, focused a laser glare on Zane. “Who are you?”

“'S okay,” I said, slurring my words. “He's my—”

“Boyfriend,” Zane said.

Carly's glare intensified. I wasn't big on sharing my personal life with my employees, I thought it was important to maintain a distance as their boss, but I'd known most of them for years and I let them in on the big stuff, like who I was dating. “She hasn't mentioned you.”

“It's new,” Zane said. “But I'm going to take care of her and make sure Leopold and his crew don't cause her anymore trouble, so you don't need to worry.”

All three women were now looking at me, worry creasing their pretty faces. “Are you okay with this?” Alice asked.

“Sure. It's good.” At least I think that's what I said, but none of the women looked relieved.

“She can barely speak,” Roxy said. “She probably doesn't even know what's going on.”

“I'll stay with her,” Carly said. “I don't have work tomorrow.”

“Seriously,” Zane said. “I've got her.”

“Either Carly stays or we're calling the police,” Roxy said. “My cousin is an officer and he won't have any problem locking you up for the night to make sure you aren't going to try and hurt Abby.”

Zane sighed. “The last thing I want is—”

“We should all stay,” Alice said. “We'll make it a slumber party.” She glared at Zane. “You can sleep on the couch.”

He huffed, but the three women shoved him out of the way and helped me back to my bedroom. They helped me out of my clothes and tucked me into bed. Carly and Alice got into my big king-sized bed with me and it was nice. Their warmth surrounded me, and Carly rubbed my hair as I drifted off to sleep. It reminded me of the way my mother used to hold me when I was sick. I drifted off, thinking of my mother, feeling safe and cared for, something I hadn't felt in a very long time.

***

“Did you know your eyes glow in the dark?” I asked Zane. It was mid-morning according to the clock by my bed, but my black out curtains kept out the sunlight. I'd woken up to his glowing eyes and almost screamed aloud, before I realized it was just Zane. He was sitting on the floor, but I couldn't tell much more than that, because of the black-out curtains.

“I am aware,” he said, a hint of amusement in his tone. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I could use another six hours of sleep.” I sat up and stretched, making sure to keep the blankets over my skimpy pajamas, since I was almost certain werewolves could see in the dark. “Where is everyone?”

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