Vanessa tried not to laugh, but she couldn’t contain it. “Sort of...” she said with a shrug.

Christine’s eyes lit up. “That is awesome! I always told Dmetri that man needed a woman. What kind of good looking guy spends all his time alone like that?” She shook her head. “What a waste.”

“Yeah,” Vanessa agreed with another tight smile.

Christine eyes grew serious, her smile small but strong, then she cupped Vanessa’s hand in her own. “Okay, tell me everything. What’s going on?”

Maybe it was having another woman to talk to or Christine’s open honesty, but Vanessa found herself spilling the beans about everything. From what happened after she was kidnapped at the Kategans two years ago, to the mating and finally leaving Joseph. When she got to the parts involving Brayden, her cheeks burned and she wished like hell they didn’t. She didn’t mention any of the kisses, the amazing sex, the way he could make her entire body burn even on the side of a busy highway in broad daylight. But Christine saw that blush, heard her stumble over those parts of the story, and smiled. And what a smile it was—pure sexy knowing woman.

Christine winked. “You’re in real good hands with Brayden. Considering I’ve never seen him with a woman, you must really mean something to him.”

Vanessa’s heart leapt at the thought. Stupidly she said, “Really?”

Christine nodded slowly, her smile curling bigger. “Oh, yeah. You’ve broken him out of his shell. Hell, look at it—you both stayed here with us last night. Everything he’s used to is jumbled right now. I say take advantage of it while you can.” Her smile turned kind of sad. “You find love like that and you shouldn’t let it go, no matter who’s in the way.”

Vanessa’s face burned red and hot. “I didn’t say anything about love,” she said quickly.

Christine grinned, then winked. “I know. I’m going to get some food for you then I’ll be right back. Stay put,” she added firmly.

She left and Vanessa slammed her head back into the pillow. Love? Why did that word make her heart flutter and beat in fear at the same time?

After a full belly and a long bath, Vanessa’s moods managed to swing from happy, to content, to angry, to really pissed off. It really didn’t help that every single room she went in, even the damn bathroom, had a clock in it. So, as she bathed, because standing for too long wore her out, she got to stare at the clock and watch the hours fly by. First one, then two, then more and more until her teeth were grinding into sawdust.

She took a tour of the house with Christine and even said a brief hello to her mate, Dmetri, when he finally tore his gaze away from the newspaper. He still looked as good as ever. His hair had been snipped though. It looked good on him. It fell just around his shoulders, and almost made him look a bit younger. The house was massive, a mansion really. Christine showed her each of the suits, the expansive library, and the gardens outside. None it made her feel better though. In fact, each new room she walked through, her eyes narrowed on the clock.

The garden was lovely and elaborate. A maze of hedges led down a path of soft green grass to a circular enclosure. More tall hedges gave the inner space a separated, private feel. Pretty brickwork covered the ground and a fountain with cement benches surrounded it. Vanessa stared into the watery font and frowned. Five hours. He’d been gone even longer she was sure, since that was just when she’d woken up. He couldn’t call? After the terrifying experience yesterday, he couldn’t even shake her shoulder and wake her up? Could he not write? A damned note would have served just as well.

An arm curling around her shoulders jerked her out of her nasty thoughts. “Hey, what’s bothering you?” asked Christine.

“Nothing…I just feel kind of cramped-up here.” She flushed at the lie. Okay, it wasn’t quite a lie, but even she knew it sounded ridiculous, considering she was standing on God knows how many acres of land right now with only twirping birds to bother her.

“Wanna go out and get dinner?”

Vanessa’s eyes lit up. “Great idea! Can we go now?”

Christine nodded and they split ways to get dressed. Vanessa’s eyes narrowed in focus. Each step up the stairs to her room was a heavy thud. In her room, she tore through her bag of clothes and found the sexiest dress she had. She grinned down at it as she started pulling her clothes off. She’d made the right choice in buying it. It wasn’t particularly tight, but where it showed skin it did so with sleek straight cuts of material that somehow made a simple V-neck top look more daring and sexy than usual.

She pulled the dress on, slid on a pair of flats, since her other bag with various clothes and shoes was missing, probably crushed in the accident.

“Gah!” she growled.

Marching to the bathroom, she tore a brush through her hair catching on some rats, but yanking harder. He couldn’t even stay to tell her about the accident! Like, was anyone else hurt? Was he hurt? Or, you know, maybe just a text message letting her know what the heck had happened. Was that too much to ask for? Apparently so, she thought and slicked on some mascara.

On her way out the door, she snatched her cell phone from the table. Christine came out a minute later, Dmetri hot on her trail. He had a fierce frown on his face and Christine positively glowed. Chuckling, Vanessa turned toward them to watch.

Dmetri snatched her by the arm and spun her into him. “You’re not leaving.”

“Sure, I am. Why, are you gonna miss me, baby?” she purred, her lashes batting. Vanessa glanced down, and yup, her ass was shaking.

Dmetri snatched her by the waist so fast, Christine giggled as he brought her up to eye level. He buried his face in in her neck and whispered something too low for Vanessa to hear. Christine’s smile bloomed as she melted against him, her entire body curling around his with a sigh.

He pulled back, kissed her hard then said, “That’s what I thought.”

Vanessa’s jaw dropped as he then spun on his heel with her in his arms and stormed back inside. Just before he kicked the door closed, Christine snapped out of her sexy haze, grinned at Vanessa, then tossed a pair of keys to her. Vanessa didn’t bother trying to catch them. She was enthralled watching the couple so obviously in love having fun. The door slammed closed and then giggles and masculine threats sounded as his heavy steps bounded up the stairs.

A small shiver passed over her. Would Brayden ever need her like that? Could he, was the better question. Shaking her head, she grabbed the keys then headed to the carport. A man with gray hair and sharply receding hairline already stood out front. He wore an all-black suit with a black shirt underneath—he looked dressed and ready for his own funeral.

Vanessa strode toward him. “Which car belongs to these?”

He held his hand up and out. She hesitated for a moment, then tossed them. Unlike her fail, he caught them easily. “These would be for the lady’s Mercedes. Just a moment, please.” A few seconds later, the butler pulled a sleek black car out of the port and got out with the keys in and still running.

“Thanks,” she said and took off.

Her butt slid around on the leather, her legs felt silky on the cold cushion beneath her. She drove aimlessly carrying only her purse, phone, and a little of the money she still had left. With the first busy restaurant she saw, she snagged a parking spot and got out. She ran a nervous hand down her stomach. It was getting dark and now she wished she’d brought her pocketknife. She hadn’t realized her mistake until she felt that same prickling fear down the back of her neck.

She jerked her head behind her, her breath caught hard in her throat, eyes wide, but only saw a group of people climbing out of their car in the parking lot. She kept walking, making herself put one foot in front of the other. She kept her chin up and tried to keep her eyes focused straight, but she wasn’t strong enough to do it. The night seemed to be closing in on her faster and faster as the sun set in the distance. Each step closer to the restaurant brought the shadows of night in on her quicker and quicker.