CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

ZAC

I’ve checked on her several times, and she’s still asleep. It worries me, so I text Chris for the hundredth time. He eventually stops by and I offer him coffee.

“She needs to sleep so her body can heal.” Chris sets his empty cup on the kitchen table. Two cups of coffee is his limit, otherwise it affects his sleep. “You’re acting weird.”

I don’t know what to say to that. The reason for the weirdness is that I know Brook’s my fated mate. I prefer to keep it to myself for now.

“I just feel sorry for all she’s been through. She’s had it tough. And from my understanding, she’s all alone. She doesn’t have any family or friends who can help her.”

“That is rough.”

“It is.” I swallow the last of my coffee. “You think you could run over to the diner and get her car?”

“Sure. I’ll get one of the guys to help.”

I had taken Brook’s keys out of her pocket when I took her pants off. I hand them to Chris and tell him thanks.

“Not a problem.” He pushes out of his chair and walks toward the door. “You want me to bring it back here or leave it at the office?”

“Back here.”

“You got it.”

After Chris leaves, I hear Brook cry. I hustle up the stairs, hoping she didn’t fall, or worse. I hurry through the door. She’s lying on her stomach with her head buried in a pillow.

I sit next to her and rub her back. “What’s wrong? Does it hurt that bad? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

She rolls over. Her eyes are bloodshot and the tears are still streaming. “No, I’m all right.”

Now she really starts sobbing. I pull her to me and rock her. Must have been an instinctual thing because I’ve never done that with anyone before.

I don’t know how long we stay like this, but my shirt is soaked through. She feels good in my arms, though. I don’t want her to leave. I run my hand up and down her back. My inner wolf wants me to claim the poor girl. I chastise him. She needs more time.

Brook finally stops crying and I hand her a Kleenex.

She dabs her eyes. “I’m so sorry, I’ve had a hard couple of weeks.”

It bothers me that I can’t make her feel better.

“You can always get another job.” I assume that’s the kicker of this whole thing. But there are other jobs, and I might know of some.

“It’s not just the job.” Her shoulders slump. “I don’t even have a place to live. I was staying with a friend and she kicked me out.” Her eyes close and she hiccups.

“What happened?”

“Her boyfriend came onto me.”

I stiffen.

She continues, “I wanted nothing to do with him. He gave me the creeps. He told her I was making passes at him and that I wanted to sleep with him. Yesterday morning she said to get out.”

That’s a lot, poor girl.

“You can stay here until you’re back on your feet.” I don’t want to seem cold, but deep down I’m glad the boyfriend was a prick. He’s still going to get an ass kicking if I find out who he is.

“I can’t do that.” She points at the tissues.

I hand her the box. “How come?”

“Because I don’t know you.”

“You’ll get to know me.” I scratch my chin. “Hey, listen, this’ll work.”

She looks at me.

I rattle on, “Can you cook? I can’t. Not really. And I’m tired of eating out all the time. Not that you would have to cook for me. I’m not saying that. I hope you don’t think I am.”

She smiles. It’s a pretty smile.

“I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

“A little.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t normally act this way.”

“That’s okay.” She hands me back the box of Kleenex.

I set it on the nightstand. “Really. I’m a good guy. And there’s plenty of room here.” I can see she’s thinking about it. “Come on. Stay.”

There’s a knock on the downstairs door and then it opens. I have good hearing. Most wolf shifters do.

“You don’t have to answer now, Brook.” I get off the bed. “Just think about it, all right?” I head for the hallway.

“Where are you going?”

“Someone’s here.”

I go to the top of the stairs and holler down, “Who is it?”

“Chris.”

“Up here.” I ease back into the bedroom and wait.

He peeks in first. “Good, you’re decent.” He comes in carrying his medic bag. “So, how’s my patient today?”

Brook glances at me. She doesn’t know him.

“This is Chris. He’s a doctor. He checked you out last night.”

“Oh. Hi.”

“Mind if I look you over?”

“Not at all.”

He checks her pulse and then her pupils. “Having any headaches?”

“I was earlier, but not now.”

“That’s good.” He touches her chin to guide her head to the side so he can look at the gash on her head and she says, “Ouch.”

Chris looks at me.

“He hit her.”

“That’s right.”

Chris apologizes.

“That’s okay.”

“May I?” Chris points at her head and she turns it. “Does it hurt?” He touches the wound like doctors do.

She pulls away. “Yes.”

“I figured as much. How about your knee?” He glances at it and the bandage is still on.

“It’s fine,” she says.

“Your whole body is probably still sore, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“The best thing I can prescribe for you now is plenty of rest. Is that possible?”

I answer for her. “Yes.”

“Good. I’ll leave you to it then.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

“You’re welcome.” He jerks his head at the door. “A word?”

“Sure,” I answer Chris and then to Brook I ask, “Do you need anything?”

“No. I think I’ll take a nap.”

“Okay.”

Brook lies down and I walk to the door. She pulls the blanket up to her chin and I leave the room.

* * *

Chris and I go the kitchen and he starts to grill me. “What’s her story? Did you two bond last night?” He clasps his hands together and grins.

“Get your head out of the gutter.”

“All right. So, what is her story?”

“Her friend kicked her out yesterday because the boyfriend was hitting on her. Then she got fired and assaulted. That’s a lot to happen to a person in one day.”

“I’ll say.”

“That her stuff?” It was all sitting next to the counter.

“Yep. Purse and two suitcases.” Chris grabs the purse and sets it on the table. “She doesn’t have much.”

I dig through her purse. I know it’s an invasion of privacy, but I’m a security expert and this is what I do. “Let’s see here.” I study her driver’s license. “Brook Mathews, Maryville, Tennessee.” I fumble through her purse some more. There’s nothing worth noting. “I’ll have Will dig into her background a little more.”

“Yeah,” Chris says. “If you don’t need anything, I’m gonna go.”

“You don’t want anything to drink?”

“No. Places to go and people to see.”

I smile at him. “All right. Thanks for doing this.”

“You’re welcome.”

I walk him to the door.

“You going in to work?”

“I think I’ll work from home today. I want to be here in case Brook needs anything.”

Chris puts a hand to my forehead.

“What are you doing?”

He looks concerned. “Seeing if you’re all right.”

“I feel fine. Do I look sick?”

“Yeah . . . lovesick.”

“Fuck you.” I shove him out the door. “Thanks for coming.”

“You bet.”

I know what Chris will do from here. He’s going straight to the office to tell the guys about my houseguest. If he hasn’t already.

It’s only a matter of time now before they all come snooping around.