He scanned the room after locking himself in. Fire in the fireplace, laptop on the couch next to a blanket and a half-empty mug of cocoa, but no Lucy. Cade called her name while taking off his wet boots, but she didn’t respond. On high alert, he tapped into his senses, sending them out into her cabin, seeking her.
There, the master bathroom.
Of course, he chuckled to himself. Everyone had to pee, right? He made his way to her kitchen, putting a couple of dish towels to work, drying himself off. After several quiet minutes, he started getting nervous again. He knew Lucy was home. He could scent her. And sure, there was that overlay of fear, but he’d come to help her with that.
“Lucy?” He called, heading toward her room. “Lucy, it’s Cade. I stopped by to check on you.”
The bathroom door was closed, but the scent of her fear was strong in Cade’s nostrils. He fought back the urge to kick the fucking thing down, knocking gently instead.
“Lucy, you okay in there?” He kept his voice even, trying to calm her with his tone.
“Cade?” Her voice was strained and her scent—
Oh, God, she was crying.
“Can I come in?” He fought back his rising panic, trying to keep calm for her, but desperately needing to see her. To hold her. “Lucy, honey, can I come in?”
Another crash of thunder muffled her reply, but Cade went with it, assuming it was a yes. If it hadn’t been, she could scold him later. He didn’t fucking care.
He just needed to lay eyes on her, to make sure she was okay.
And fucking hell, was she far from okay.
Lucy sat in the empty bathtub, hiding under a blanket, clutching a pillow.
“Oh, Lucy.” Cade went to her, shifting the blanket aside to cup her face in his hands. “Honey, how long have you been sitting there like that?”
“Cade?” she whispered. “Are you really here or am I imagining it?”
Damn, he hated the way she shook, hated the tears pooling in her eyes and streaming down her face. He swept his thumbs gently along her cheekbones, wiping her tears.
“You’re not imagining.” He brushed a kiss on her forehead. “I’m really here, and I’m not going anywhere unless you want me to.”
In a flash, her arms were around him, her face pressed into the hollow of his neck as she cried, her body quaking with her emotions.
“I’ve got you, Lucy.” He stroked her back. “I’m right here, honey.”
He appreciated how she let him sweep her into his arms and carry her to the living room. When he tried to set her on the couch, however, she clung tighter.
“Don’t go.” She whimpered. “Please.”
“I’m going nowhere,” he soothed.
“I just thought you might like your cocoa.”
“Please, just hold me, Cade?” The ache in her voice tugged at his heart. “Can you just… just for a little while?”
He gave her a reassuring smile, then settled them both on the couch with Lucy in his lap. Cade pulled her blanket over, wrapping her up and then sliding his arms back around her.
“How’s this?” He smoothed her hair from her face.
“Better.” She sighed, nestling closer. “So much better. But why are you here?”
“I came to check on you.” He slid a palm along her back, trying to soothe her. “When you didn’t answer the door, I let myself in. I know that wasn’t cool, but it was for a welfare check. I was worried about you, Lucy.” And rightfully so. Damn, he’d never forget the sight of her in that tub. “I still am, if I’m honest.”
“I’ll be okay,” she said softly. “I just… hate thunderstorms. They remind me of the night our plane went down. The night my parents died.”
“Oh, shit. I’m so sorry, Lucy.” He held her tighter. “I didn’t know.” Sure, she’d told him in his wolf form that she’d lost her parents in a storm, but, “A plane crash?”
