I didn’t even have any makeup with me, so I couldn't waste time on that. I was studiously avoiding my reflection anyway. My clothes were fitting… differently. Tighter in the hips and thighs, especially.
I was gaining weight, thanks to the rich food and lack of exercise, and I tried not to be panicky about it. Which, of course, didn’t work. I needed an outlet before I started restricting.
Gabriel and Andrew were up when I finally emerged, but Nathan had disappeared. “Where’s Nathan?” I asked immediately. He hadn’t left, had he?
“Buon giorno to you too, carissima,” Gabriel said with a sly smile. “He is only taking a shower in our room.”
“Oh,” I said. “Good morning.”
“I’m making eggs,” Andrew called from the kitchen. “Soft scrambled for you, right?”
“Yes, please,” I said, remembering his arms around me the night before while we waited for Gabriel and Nathan to arrive. I’d been too distraught to be aroused. His purr had been pure comfort.
Once Nathan joined us, his hair still damp from the shower, the surreality of the situation hit me fully. All the men I’d ever been seriously attracted to, all under one, too-small roof. How did we get here? I’d gone from living my sheltered life in the Center tothisin way too short a time. And the only thing standing between me and someone apparently prepared to kill was the tenuous secrecy of my hiding place.
I was so sick of feeling powerless. What would I do if someone showed up at the apartment? Die, probably. But as I let my eyes wander the room, and land on Gabriel where they so often did, inspiration struck.
“Does this building have a gym?” I asked, breaking the silence around the coffee table as we ate. I was sitting cross-legged next to Gabriel on the couch, while Andrew and Nathan faced each other in the armchairs.
“Yeah, there’s a big one downstairs, and a smaller one up here,” Andrew said. I tried not to quail under the force of his full attention. “Do you want to go? I can take you right now.”
“Mi amore, she is eating,” Gabriel murmured. Which was technically true, even if the eggs felt like glue in my mouth. “We can go later whenever you like. To the upstairs gym, though. It is more secure.”
“Thanks,” I said, focusing on Gabriel and trying to ignore Andrew’s gaze from over his shoulder. “I have a strange request, though.”
“Anything, tesoro,” he said.
“Do you know any self-defense… moves?” I asked, trying desperately not to blush. “I know it’s stupid—”
“Knowing how to protect yourself isn’t stupid,” Andrew interrupted. “And yeah, he knows Krav Maga.” The pride in his voice made me smile.
Gabriel rolled his eyes. “My eager Alpha is correct. Would you like me to teach you?”
I was grateful that he’d offered rather than making me ask. “Would you mind?”
“It would bring me nothing but pleasure,” he said, resting his hand on my knee.
I really was trying to do my best not to read into his affectionate teasing or touching anymore. But when he smiled and drew out the word pleasure… It felt intentional.
Nathan cleared his throat. Gabriel had changed the dressing on his wound after his shower and he grimaced when he brushed the bandage against the arm of the chair. “I hate to state the obvious, but we need a plan. More information. Something. This situation is untenable.”
Andrew scoffed. “Are the accommodations not up to your standards?”
“I meant that Bridget and I can’t hide forever,” Nathan said with a scowl. He glanced at me, and his eyes flashed to Gabriel’s hand on my knee. My leg twitched like a horse trying to shake off a fly.
“What do you suggest then?” Andrew asked, still irritable.
“Let’s call Maggie,” I said, interceding before they pumped out enough pheromones to choke me.
She answered after two rings.
“Hey, I was just about to call you guys! I’ve got good news.” Maggie sounded breathless with excitement. “I’m gonna email you something, tell me when you get it.”
Gabriel pulled up what looked like an invoice on his laptop. I suppressed my annoyance. How was an invoice helpful at all?
“We have it,” Gabriel said. Andrew and Nathan both moved to stand behind the couch. I imagined I could feel their body heat through the sofa, even though that was scientifically impossible.
“There were no incriminating emails between Dr. Nielsen and Dr. Davis, but this invoice set off our alarm bells. It’s for ‘storage’ for last month. We checked the address, and it’s listed as ‘Axion Biostorage.’ Have you guys heard of it?”
