And maybe she would have stayed in his apartment for another few days, but after hearing his phone conversation with his “sweetheart” and him stating he would be out of town on business, she got the message loud and clear.
She couldn’t help it if his message depressed the hell out of her.
“Damn it,” she muttered when she glanced at her watch.
So much for returning to classes today. After doing her laundry yesterday after fleeing from Silas’s apartment, she’d been exhausted and in a lot of pain. She’d taken pain medication so she could sleep and unfortunately for her, the medicine worked too well. She’d overslept and her first class had already begun.
With a sigh, she splashed her face with some water and briefly contemplated a shower but couldn’t bring herself to be that motivated. Besides, there was no one here to see her. After pulling on her loosest, most comfortable pair of sweats, she made a face at the possible choicesfor a shirt. Her gaze drifted over to Silas’s shirt that lay discarded by the bed.
She’d worn his shirt because it was a button-up and she didn’t have to contort her body to get into it and it was several sizes too large for her. She should have given it back to him, but his shirt was her guilty indulgence.
With a shrug, she pulled it on and inhaled Silas’s scent. A light shiver ran over her body even as she scolded herself for torturing herself this way.
When she entered the living room, her earlier assertion of there being no one to see her was proved wrong. She stared, eyes wide, mouth open at the three very large, very intimidating-looking men draped all over her living room furniture.
Sweat formed on her brow and she couldn’t seem to suck in enough air. She started backing steadily into her bedroom, her gaze never leaving the assembled men. Her chest tightened to the point of pain and her vision went blurry as she heard her own wheezing fill the air.
One of the men looked up, his brows drawn together as he studied her. Then he motioned to the others and said, “Oh shit.”
Before she could turn and run and lock herself in her bathroom, a strong hand gripped her shoulder. Instantly panicking, she whirled around but then doubled over as the constriction in her chest became too much.
“Hayley, breathe, sweetheart. You have to breathe,” one of the men murmured in her ear.
How the hell did they know her name?
“Fuck, didn’t Silas warn her about us?”
“Evidently not. She’s having a panic attack.”
“Duh. Wouldn’t you in her place? She’s attacked and nearly raped on the streets and then she gets up to find three Neanderthals in her living room?”
Was this bizarre conversation really happening?
Hayley glanced up in utter bewilderment just as one of the men cupped her cheek, his expression softening.
“Sorry for scaring you, honey. We thought Silas had told you that we were keeping an eye on you while he’s out of town.”
“You’re his brothers?” she croaked out.
The men nodded.
She shook her head. “He did say something about y’all, but that was when he thought I’d be staying at his apartment a few more days. I’m fine. Truly. There’s no sense in all of you being inconvenienced this way. I had meant to go back to class this morning but I obviously overslept, which means I won’t be doing anything today except sitting around my apartment and practicing my violin. Tomorrow I’ll be sure to get up and go back to classes.”
All three men shook their heads.
“No?” she asked, perplexed by their reaction.
“Not no to everything,” the one who’d cupped her cheek said. “Just the part about you being here alone at your apartment or you going back to school without us taking you. Just in case you meant that’s how you were going to school tomorrow.”
“Who are you anyway?” Hayley demanded. “And how did you get into my apartment?”
“Silas gave us a key. And we’re here to watch over you and get you anything you want or need. My name is Maddox, by the way.”
He thumbed over his shoulder to the two men standing behind him a short distance.
“Those two idiots are Thane and Jax. We won’t always be with you. We will be in rotation with another team. But I’ll be sure to introduce you so you never have a repeat of your scare this morning.”
“I appreciate that,” she muttered. “I’m going to go fix some breakfast.”
