“Come sit on the sofa.” A smiling Michael encourages us with an arm gesture.
My elbow hits the door handle on the way out, it hurts but I don’t care. My head is elsewhere—in worry land. That’s why I’m more clumsy than usual. I feel a pang of discontent as I pad barefoot into the living room. The hoodie I’m wearing is Ezra’s. I push the cuff to my nose and breathe his scent in, trying to placate my turbulent emotions.
It’s because I miss him even though he left only ten minutes ago, and yet my skin prickles with the need for his touch, while coldness has taken his place near me. Gods, I’m crazy for him.
“Did you hear from Ren?” Michael asks from the kitchen where he’s plating raw vegetables and dips.
Lori nods, landing his round ass on the cushioned sofa. “We contacted the insurance company, and since the fire marshals attribute the cause of the explosion to an accident, equipment failure, or a malfunction, whatever, he should get the money to rebuild in a couple of months.”
“He’s really pissed,” I declare, matching his anger. His brothers as well.
“Royally,” Lori agrees. “He was very proud of the shelter.”
“Of course! It took him months to build it. That bitch destroyed it in a few seconds.” Michael is fighting with the kitchen towel, yanking it right and left as he dries his hands. I feel the same way.
“Carrots and celery are your lunch? What are you, a chipmunk?” Lori snorts.
“This is the only thing I can actually make without cooking!” Michael snarls.
“Bones, how about margaritas?” Lori claps his hands with enthusiasm. “Some alcohol could help with therestlessnesswe are sharing.”
We are all concerned about our men. It’s normal to feel a little on edge.
Michael sighs. “I can do that.”
“This sucks!” I say, falling near Lori, a small cushion pokes my side, so I pull it out or attempt to. I give it a sharp yank on the third try and finally dislodge it from under my butt, but itmakes a 360-degree spin and comes back at me right in the face. Noodle hisses on my shoulder, ready to attack, and I growl, tossing the damn thing at the end of the sofa. The ferret follows the cushion and starts clawing at it.
Michael doesn’t seem to care, so I let him be.
Lori snorts and teases me, “Yep, you really look livid.” Then he proceeds to munch on a carrot.
“Oliver and Hunter could go, but not us? And why didn’t you go?” I ask him.
He takes his phone out of his Prada clutch. “Someone needed to stay behind to protect you.”
“And you bought it?” It’s Michael’s turn to snort. There’s like a wall of bodyguards downstairs, hired by Raph.
“What about you then, Bones? Why aren’t you cooped up in the lab with Angel Sari?”
“I helped him recreate the poison. Now he’s working on the antidote. I didn’t want to be in the way since I have no experience with that, so I came back home.”
“Let’s see what the angel has to say.” He lifts his phone and points it at our faces.
“Hey, guys!” Sari’s tired face appears on the screen after a couple of seconds.
“Sully is worried about his boo, we all are.” Lori turns a scrutinizing gaze on me. “Do you love him that much already?”
I nod. “It was fast, but I really do.”
“You know it’s love when the sex is so amazing that you start walking like a bull rider and are in need of a donut cushion to sit while your brain needs an ice pack to stop the continuous melting.”
“I wouldn’t have put it like that, but Lori sounds about right. Time is relative,” Sari says.
“Would you die for him?” Lori keeps pestering me.
“Yes.”
“How about me?” He looks at me expectantly.
