AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It surprised her that he was awake. He hadn’t slept well. She’d woken several times due to how restless he’d been, too in tune with his moods to sleep through it.
Her own cat had been just as restless. She still was, as it happened. Fleeing for her life wasn’t exactly a common occurrence in her world. That the danger to both her and Isaiah hadn’t yet been taken out… yeah, the feline really wasn’t happy.
Making a decision that brought the animal just a little relief, Quinley took her phone from the nightstand and rattled off a quick text to Adaline. She then sluggishly sat upright, yawning. Her sister’s response came fast. Satisfied by it, Quinley left the bed and then went on about her morning business.
Finally presentable, she padded downstairs and tracked Isaiah down to the kitchen. He stood near the sink, his gaze on whatever he could see through the window above it. His shoulders were stiff, and his body was a mass of tension.
Turning on sensing her presence, he frowned on seeing her in her sweats.
“I’m not going into work today,” she explained.
His shoulders lowered, losing their stiffness, and his eyes drifted shut. “You don’t have to stay home just because my protective instincts are going nuts.” He opened his eyes, both relief and conflict swirling in their depths. “I was planning on going to the salon with you and hanging out there to keep an eye on things. Tate already okayed it.”
“I figured you’d have that in mind. But my cat is a little too wound up to deal with a lot of company today. I’m not sure she’d want strangers near her.”
Isaiah crossed to her, his gaze delving into hers, searching. “Yeah, I see her looking all agitated and edgy.”
“A day at home where she feels safe should settle her down.”
He skated one hand along her upper arm, over her shoulder, up her neck, and then skimmed it over her ear as he sank his fingers in her hair. “I’ll stay here with you.”
Loosely gripping the sides of his tee, she opened her mouth to protest, not for a moment expecting him to neglect his responsibilities just to keep her company.
“I won’t be able to focus for shit if we’re apart today, not even knowing you’re here at home. Your cat isn’t the only one feeling edgy.”
Quinley bit the inside of her cheek. “Okay.”
He cruised the pads of his fingers over her scalp in a slow, circular, soothing motion. “I’ll be coming with you to work tomorrow. I won’t get in your way. I just want to stand guard.”
“That’s fine. I don’t think the pack will strike in the same place twice, but I’d rather not take chances. I really don’t feel like getting shot again.”
His expression turning sober, he caught her face with his hands. “That won’t happen.”
She ran her fingertip along the shadow beneath his eye. “You didn’t sleep well.”
“No,” he readily admitted in a murmur. With a sigh, he pressed his forehead to hers. “I didn’t think you’d matter this much to me this quickly. Didn’t even realize how much you’d come to matter until yesterday.”
Her chest squeezed, warming. Before she could share that it wasn’t a one-way street, he was talking again.
“You should know that my cat is now fully on board.” Isaiah righted his head. “He doesn’t just consider you his because I branded you. He considers you his, brand aside.”
Relief, delight, and affection flowed through her. Her lips curved. “You know how to cheer a girl up.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t be smiling. You thought he was protective before? It’s just gone up several notches. He’s also gone from slightly possessive to full-on territorial. To the point where if I were to let him out now, he’d bite you to leave his own mark. And if I was to let him and your cat have time together, he’d bite her too. Probably fuck her at the same time.”
“Stop, you’re turning me on.”
His lips twitched into a smile. “I never quite know what you’re gonna say.”
Her stomach chose that moment to rumble, annoyingly breaking the soppy spell that was brewing in the air.
He released her face. “Sit. I’m going to feed you.”
“I can do—” She stopped when he raised a bossy brow, clearly intent on still babying her for a while. “All right.”
Satisfaction lit his gaze. “Better answer.”
They ate at the breakfast bar as usual, both taking their time, in no rush to get gone. They then stacked the dishwasher and made their way into the living room.
