The bathroom door flew open. Through the misty glass, I spotted two figures rush inside, and a scream caught in my throat—
“Charli, it’s us!” Ila’s voice broke through the blood pounding into my skull.
Oh, God!I gulped air into my flattened lungs. I’d completely forgotten they were coming over this evening. Relief loosened my limbs, and I nearly slid to the tiles in a puddle of tears.
With a groan, I shoved the door open. “You heifers!” I grumbled, trying to get my thrashing heart back in my chest as I shut off the water and stepped out of the shower.
“We’re sorry—we’re sorry! We tried not to startle you,” Ray apologized. A towel came around me, and then they were both hugging me. “War just told us what happened.”
“Are you okay?” Ila asked, her amber eyes bright with worry.
I nodded, so darn happy to see my friends. “I am.” I took another towel from the rail and carefully patted my face. “It all happened so fast. He must have been watching the place for a while. The cops found his bike parked a short distance from the house.” I shuddered at the thought.
“Thank God War beat the shit out of him. How the hell did he get inside?” Ray demanded. “This property has high security,”
“War thinks he must have slipped in during the renovation chaos. He didn’t worry much about keeping the alarm on today because of the work. Besides, he doesn’t have anything in here worth stealing.”
“There’s you,” Ila said softly.
I didn’t see it that way, but if it were reversed… Okay, I knew I would goloco, too.
The urge to see War had me on edge to get moving. Pulling on jeans and a t-shirt, I slipped my feet into sneakers, then carefully tied my hair into a loose ponytail, mindful of my head wounds. We left the bedroom and headed downstairs to the sounds of the guys talking in the kitchen.
My gaze instantly found War’s where he stood on the other side of the island, opposite Max and Jack. War cast me a quick up-down as if to reassure himself I was okay, but he had his hands under two bags of frozen veggies.
Fear tearing through me, I rushed around the counter. “Your hands—”
He drew me to him and kissed the top of my head. “I’m fine. Knuckles just needed a little icing.”
God, I shut my eyes briefly.
“How are you, Charli?”
At Max’s voice, I glanced back. His green stare skimmed over me, reminding me of War’s assessment moments ago. Jack nodded and did the same.
“I’m okay. Just happy we came out more or less unscathed.” I stroked my man’s tense back. “That crap-on-a-stick probably regrets deciding to take on this hardcore hockey player.” I nuzzled his chest with my cheek.
War huffed out a laugh and gave me a gentle squeeze but remained silent.
Max pulled Ila to him. Ray stopped near Jack, who instantly slipped his arm around her.
“So what are we going to do about dinner since the barbecue’s not happening?” I asked War, not liking his somber mood. “Or, do we feed everyone your calorie-controlled meals,” I teased.
Our friends burst out laughing, the tense atmosphere easing.
“Oh, we packed stuffed for the barbecue,” Ila said.
“Us, too,” Ray piped out.
The girls obviously were on the same page as me. Since I first met Ila at university years ago, we’d always brought food no matter who held a barbecue, a get-together, or whatever. And back then, it usually was just us girls. We were introverts, nerds of the first order, but we did have our fun eating things that weren’t good for us and watching movie marathons until Ray started university, then she dragged us off to a bar or club. Now we had our men.
War nodded. “I’ll get the grill. We can set up outside on the patio.” He and the guys left.
“You, sit.” Ila gently pushed me to the barstool. “Ray and I will take care of this.”
As Ila and Ray unpacked the baskets, opening large plastic containers of sausages and hamburgers, my attention shifted to War as he started the portable, coal-burning grill on the deck since the fancy, built-in one was still on his to-do list.
Max returned with the folding chairs and picnic table. As they worked, Jack stopped and handed something to War. He slipped it in his pocket. Probably his bike keys. I knew the guys used his bike at times. I couldn’t hear them, but War’s mouth firmed, and he nodded.
