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"Clay, get the chairs. And the lanterns. Elena, I need to speak to you."
As Clay walked away, I braced myself for "the lecture." Not that Jeremy ever really lectures--you need to say more than a few sentences for that. In this case, I already knew those few sentences by heart. He'd agree that Clay was being overprotective, and so was he, but they knew how important this pregnancy was to me, and they just wanted to make sure it went smoothly. Just eight months to go. Thirty-four weeks. Two hundred and thirty-eight days...
"Have you been taking the new vitamins?"
I gave him a look. He lifted a finger, then darted his gaze in Clay's direction, telling me to play along.
"Yes, I've been taking the new vitamins and, no, they don't seem to be upsetting my stomach like the last concoction. Next time, though, as long as you're mixing up a batch, could you add some cherry flavor? Maybe mold them into little animals? Bunnies would be good. I like bunnies."
Clay's chuckle floated back to us, and he quickened his pace. Jeremy glanced over his shoulder, estimating werewolf hearing distance, then lowered his voice.
"You got a call while you were out," he said.
Clay stopped.
"I
t was Paige."
Clay's shoulders tightened. He hesitated, then shook it off and resumed walking.
"Now this is the part of being coddled I do like," I murmured. "He doesn't even complain about Paige phoning. Does she want me to call her back?"
Jeremy said nothing, just kept watching Clay's back, letting him get farther this time before continuing.
"She was relaying a message. Someone's been trying to reach you. Xavier Reese."
At that, Clay wheeled. Jeremy grimaced.
"You tried," I said.
"Reese?" Clay strode over. "The guy from the compound?"
"That's the only Xavier I know."
"What the hell does he want?"
I had my suspicions. "Did Paige leave his number?"
"You're not going to call him, are you?" Clay said. "After what he--"
"He saved my life."
"Yeah? Well, if it hadn't been for him, your life wouldn't have needed saving. And I'm sure you'd have been fine without his help. The only reason he jumped in to 'save' you was so he could hold a marker over you--" He stopped, jaw setting. "That better not be why he's calling."
I took the message from Jeremy. "I'll know in a few minutes."
"Hey, Elena!" the voice crackled across a weak cellular connection. "Remember me?"
"Uh-huh."
I settled onto the sofa and pulled my legs up under me. Clay sat on the other end, making no effort to look like he wasn't eavesdropping--enhanced hearing meant he could hear both ends of the conversation. I didn't care. If I had, I wouldn't have let him in the room.
"Uh-huh?" Xavier said. "That's all I get after three years? We spent a harrowing week together, locked in an underground prison, fighting for survival--"
"I was fighting for survival. You were drawing a paycheck."
"Hey now, in my own way, I was just as much of a prisoner as you."
