Chad shook his head. “I told Liam we’d stay here.”
“I hate to ask this, but do you have anything I might be able to sleep in? Something in an extra-large size!” Krista asked as she placed her hands on her swollen stomach.
“Yes! Let me go get something.”
She reached for my shoulder and held me down. “No, you eat first. I’m going to make my way upstairs and take a hot shower, I think. Billy said to go to the first door on the right.”
I nodded. “That room has an en suite in there.”
Krista kissed Chad on the cheek and then headed out of the kitchen.
Chad sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. “This is all so messed up.”
“And no one knows where Jonathon is?” I asked.
“No. I’ve even tried to call him, but only once. I was hoping if he thought I wasn’t aware of what was going on, he’d give me a call.”
I sighed, suddenly not hungry anymore. I wasn’t about to let the food go to waste, though, especially since poor Krista had made it and she was most likely exhausted.
“Let me run and get something for Krista really quick so you can head on upstairs. You look tired yourself.”
Chad frowned. “I was going to stay awake and–”
“You need sleep as well, Chad. Besides, Howdy and Jimmy are here.”
Glancing back into the living room, Chad chuckled. “Howdy is asleep and Jimmy is barely awake.”
“It will be fine,” I said as I slid off the stool and quickly headed to Liam’s bedroom. I guess it was my bedroom now as well.
I found an oversized T-shirt of Liam’s and some shorts for Krista. The shorts wouldn’t fit over her belly, but she might still want to wear them.
“Here you go. I hope they work.”
Standing, Chad took the clothes and whispered, “I’m so sorry, Mallory. I somehow feel like I’m to blame for this. If Jonathon hadn’t come to Chicago with me…”
I took his hands in mine. “You are not to blame. That picture of Donald was taken well before you came to Chicago. That tells me they had been possibly watching me. Waiting.”
My entire body shook, but I pushed it away. “In a way it was a good thing. It brought me to Liam.”
Chad smiled. “That is a good thing.”
“Go on and head upstairs.”
He frowned. “What are you going to do?”
“Finish this meal, clean up, take a shower, and climb back into bed.”
He nodded. “Sleep well, Mallory. You’re safe.”
“I know. Thanks, Chad.”
After eating and cleaning up the kitchen, I headed to the bathroom and took a much-needed shower. My headache was gone, and I was starting to feel normal once again. I reached for my phone and called Liam.
“Hey, how are you feeling?”
I smiled. “I’m okay. How are things going there?”
“Vet just got the foal out, looks like they’re both going to be okay. It was touch and go there for a bit.”
