Page 48 of The Quiet Witness

It would make everything… so much more difficult to handle.

The sheets crinkled as she pushed up into a sitting position, elbows leaning on her knees. Ignoring the pressure still pushing in her neck with a vengeance.

Sleep had been… disturbed. She’d been tossing and turning the entire night. No surprise there. Nearly being kidnapped a second time wasn’t something to gloat over. Has the world really come to this?

Tossing off the blankets. Setting her feet on the floor. All of it felt like too much. Hours ticked by, and all she could do was stare at the walls.

A soft knock rapped on the door followed by a pause. “Mind if I come in?”

Kate raised her aching voice. “I’d rather you didn’t.”

A soft mutter floated through the closed wooden door. “Just wanted to check if everything is okay.”

Everything is freaking dandy. She swallowed back the words. Even feigning sarcasm felt… exhausting. “I’m good.”

“Coffee?” It sounded almost hopeful.

Now that was definitely worth a think. She heaved a heavy sigh.

Lucien was nothing if not perceptive. She had every single reason to lock herself up. Ignore the world for as long as she could. But Lucien only knew one of those reasons. And that couldn’t change. However much her body would be throwing hurdles in her path.

You’ve got this, Kate.

“I’ll be there in a sec.”

“Nice, one coffee coming up!”

Not five minutes later she stepped into the living room. Wearing matching grey sweatpants and a sweater. She wasn’t sacrificing an inch of comfort.

The rich aroma of coffee beans drew her to the table, and she plopped down like a child in her seat, slouching over. Watching as Lucien rummaged through the cupboards. The clinking of mugs crashing into other mugs had her narrow her eyes. “You’ve touched ten mugs so far. Why not take the first two?”

And leave her sensitive hearing in peace.

“Because.” Another clank echoed out through the room. “I’m looking for a specific one.”

He stretched deeper into the cupboard. Arms flexing, the same arms that had popped that attacker’s shoulder like it was a toy. Now pushing mugs aside like it was a mission in its own right. She shivered.

Nails clicked over the concrete. Ghost. With a thud, the giant sat down next to her. Searching her with his amber coals.

Just as intense as his owner.

“Didn’t take you for… having a mug of choice to drink from.” Ghost’s soft fur slipped through her fingers. Dropping his massive head on her legs with a wiggle in his tail.

Animals. They really tended to the best of therapists. As a kid she’d had this period where she begged and begged her foster parents for a dog. The one thing she ever asked was to have a companion. Her efforts had subsided into dust when her foster sister had whined. “Yes, mum, she’s right. I want a dog too.” Kate had never asked again. She’d seen first hand how Ingrid treated animals. No dog deserved to go through that. Brrrr.

Lucien’s deep rumble brought her back to the present. “Your assumption would be correct. Aha.” Making a tiny bow, he slid the light green colored mug over to her. Turning it so she could see the painted side.

A green cucumber with sunglasses on stick-like ‘arms’ stacked against its sides. The big black lettering read ‘Kind of a big dill.’ A scoff escaped her, but she couldn’t hide the smile creeping onto her lips. “Cute mug.” She shook her head. “You were literally spending two minutes to find this… mug.”

He shrugged. The move was as innocent as a man of his caliber could make it. “I wanted to make you smile.” A knowing glint spread across his eyes as they trailed over the bruises littering her neck. “Plus, you kind of seem to have a thing with big dills. You know, unable to keep your mouth shut about it in public and all that.”

Oh, he was trying to get under her nails alright.

Taking a sip of the warm liquid, she sighed in contentment as it slid down her aching throat.

“What?” He leaned against the counter with his hip. “No bite of sarcasm? No stomping off?” He was practically begging her, ‘Come on, play with me.’

“I think I learned my lesson about stomping off.”