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Turning to Storm, I jab a finger at her. “What did you do to her?”
“Do to her?” He blinks, jaw firming. “What the hell are you talking about? If she’s upset about something, man, then it’s on you. I barely said one word to her since we arrived last night.”
I get up, swaying just a little. “Gonna go find her.”
“Wait, goddammit.” Storm lifts a hand. “I wanted to say Raylin and I are getting hitched, and you’re all invited. A small wedding.”
“Only a few thousand people, then?” Rook pushes his dark hair out of his face. Need to ask him if he’s trying to imitate my look.
“Small wedding I said, dumbass. Also, we adopted. A Pomeranian named Vicky. As practice, for some day in the future when we decide to expand our family.”
“So no bun in the oven yet?”
“Not yet. But maybe after all this mess is resolved.” Storm puts an arm around Raylin’s shoulders.
I look from one to the other, in a daz
e. Dammit, this is all freaking nice and domestic and damn romantic, so I still don’t get why Layla ran. Does she have something against weddings? Did she know about this?
Does she hate dogs?
Fuck, I’m so lost. Nobody ever told me loving someone, wanting someone so much would be like wandering in a desert without a compass.
“Well, I guess congrats are in order,” Rook says, grinning.
“Yeah, congrats,” I say, unable to muster enough enthusiasm through the worry. “I’ll just… I’ll go talk to Layla, see what’s wrong. Catch you guys later.”
***
I open the bedroom door but don’t see her. Damn, I’ve looked along the way. She could be anywhere. I thought she’d come here, the one familiar place in the house.
My hunch is confirmed when I hear water running in the bathroom. I push the bathroom door and there she is, her back to me, splashing water on her face.
“Hey,” I say, and she squeals, whirling about to face me. “Lay…”
“Sorry.” She’s panting. “You scared me.”
I shake my head. “You need to tell me what’s going on, babe. Something’s eating at you. What is it?”
“I’m just tired.”
She does look tired. She has dark circles under her pretty eyes, and she’s still too pale.
So I make a strategic decision.
Stepping closer, ignoring my busted ribs, I grab her and swing her up in my arms. Hey, there’s something to be said about cavemen… They get the job done.
She wraps her arms around my neck, her eyes wide, and holds on as I carry her and lay her down on the bed, stretching out beside her.
“Now talk to me,” I say. “It’s just you and me. Tell me what’s bothering you.” I stroke a stray lock from her face, my hand lingering on her smooth cheek. “Tell me, Lay.”
She’s curled up against me. Face pressed to my chest, she’s silent for a while, for so long in fact I think that maybe she’s falling asleep, but at some point she whispers, “Raylin is pregnant.”
“No,” I tell her. “She’s not. What made you think that?”
She draws back, brows arched. “She’s not?”
“She and Storm adopted a dog.” I shake my head. Storm is such a big kid. “And they want to get married. That’s all.”
