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“I don’t have that luxury,” she mumbled. “And I’m guessing you’ve been up all night too.”
“I’m used to it.”
She sagged against me as if her body was finally giving out. I rubbed my hand up and down her spine, torn between angry that she had to deal with this and thrilled she was back where I wanted her. Needed her.
I didn’t know exactly what was happening between us, only that I couldn’t stay away. Didn’t want to stay away.
And tonight . . . I couldn’t remember being so scared. I wasn’t sure what that meant or where this was going. While I seemed to be growing more certain in my feelings, Pepper seemed to be pulling away.
“Tell me about the decision you need to make,” I said against her hair. Even if I couldn’t fix my own life, maybe I could help her sort out hers.
She stiffened but didn’t let go of me.
“You can talk to me. About anything,” I said after she didn’t speak.
When she finally looked up at me, there was so much trouble on her features I could hardly stand it.
“I’m not ready yet.”
Disappointment I hadn’t expected sank into my gut. It stood to reason I wanted her to trust me. Apparently, she wasn’t ready to lean on me.
“Whenever you are—”
“I know.” She placed her hands on my stomach, and for a second I thought she was going to push me away. “Why aren’t you at work? Didn’t you have a twenty-four-hour shift?”
While I appreciated her concern—no, I more than appreciated it—I wasn’t ready to say the words out loud. I could barely think them. And I didn’t want to worry her with things out of her control.
“Maybe it’s time I thought about a new line of work,” I said offhandedly. Maybe I didn’t want to burden her that I’d been fired, but I also didn’t want to lie either.
She jolted. “But you love your job . . . don’t you?”
I slid my hand into her hair. “Yeah. Most of the time.”
She tilted her head to the side.
I kissed her forehead. “Rest. We’ll talk later.” It was killing me not to know where she’d been, why she’d disappeared. I needed the truth, even if I didn’t like it.
Her brow creased. Deep-set lines cratered around her eyes. “Monsters are real.”
Chapter Six
Teague
Click.Click. Click.
Ash trotted down the steps beside me.
I’d been torn between staying with Pepper and letting her rest on her own. I sensed she needed a minute to herself to digest whatever had happened to her.
But it was making me crazy with worry and curiosity.
Three faces jolted in my direction.
“What happened?”
“What’d she say?”
Lincoln and Beau spoke at the same time. Miss Adeline was quiet, knowing Pepper better than any of us.
