Wild and Free (The Three #3)(56)

“It is for me. Sometimes I don’t dream good dreams. And all my premonitions came through my dreams.” He kept stroking my cheek and gave me a small, sweet smile. “Tamed that in me, *cat. Just by sleepin’ at my side.”

Wow. Weird.

And awesome.

“Cool,” I whispered.

“Yeah,” he whispered back.

I gave his wrist a squeeze. “Don’t worry about my nightmare, honey. It happens and I’ve never premonitioned anything.”

His sweet smile turned into an amused one. “Good to know.”

“Is it morning?”

“No,” he answered.

“Is there a reason, since you can walk in the day, why your windows are blacked out?” I asked.

“So no one can see inside,” he answered.

“Oh,” I mumbled.

“You gonna go back to sleep?”

“You gonna turn off the light so I can do that?”

“I turned it on, hoping it would wake you,” he informed me.

“I’m awake, baby. Now I need more sleep.”

He gave me a new look, one I hadn’t seen before, one that I read as a my-Lilah-is-adorable-and-also-kind-of-a-pain-in-my-ass-but-I-still-like-it look.

It was a look I liked.

Then he twisted, reached his long arm out, giving me a lovely view of the bunched muscles of his defined biceps, and the light went out.

He settled in.

I snuggled close.

“Glad you’re okay, bao bei,” he murmured.

It was safe to say I was so totally digging my werewolf vampire.

I cuddled closer. “I’m more than okay, honey.”

He drew me even closer.

I grinned into his chest.

Then I fell back to sleep.

*

I opened my eyes to see the light by the chair dimly illuminating the space. Abel was not in the chair or in bed with me, but there was a note tacked to the back of the chair.

I got up on a forearm, throwing my hair back with my hand, and looked around in confusion.

The door to the toilet was opened, no one inside. The shower curtain was closed, but no shower noises. The rest of the room was empty.

Sleepily, I threw back the covers and padded to the chair.

I tore off the note that was pinned to it with a thumbtack, then lifted and read it.

Bao Bei,

I’m out. You get up before I return and want company, just call one of the boys to take you upstairs. I’ll be home as soon as I can.

Abel

He ended this with a list of all of his brothers’ cell phone numbers.

But…

He was out?

I thought he needed to stay in so none of the supernaturals could catch his scent.

This did not make me happy, and since I didn’t have my werewolf vampire close to share that sentiment with, I went to my phone, programmed the guys’ numbers in, and called Xun.

“Yo,” he answered.

“Hey. It’s Lilah. Abel’s out and—”

Xun cut me off. “Uh, say what?”

“Abel’s out.”

“You’re shittin’ me.”

Yeah, he didn’t like it either.

Shit.

And I was beginning to feel that hole open up inside me again.

Shit.

“I wish I was,” I told Xun. “I need to come upstairs. Can you come get me?”

“I’m not there, but Chen is. I’ll call him.”

“Thanks, Xun.”

“Now, where’s Abel?” he asked.

“No clue. Maybe donuts?” I suggested hopefully, trying to rein in the feelings of anger and fear that were battling for supremacy inside me as well as trying to ignore that hole that was opening wider.

“The man likes his sugar, but he is not gonna get his ass scented for donuts. He’s doin’ somethin’ stupid.”

This was my thought.

Fucking shit.

“I’ll call Chen. Then I’m on my bike to find his stupid ass,” he muttered.

“Thanks again, Xun.”

“Don’t mention it,” he replied, still muttering, before he hung up.

I brushed, flossed, washed my face, and threw on some clothes, doing my morning routine breaking two cardinal rules.

One, I did not shower or do my hair and makeup even though I intended to be seen by someone that was not me (or, now, Abel).

And two, I did not make a pot of coffee so I could suck back some caffeine as a morning priority.

As I was tugging on my boots, I heard pounding on the door.

“Come in!” I shouted.

Chen opened the steel door. With one look at him I knew he wasn’t happy, just like me.

“Please tell me there’s coffee upstairs,” I begged as I walked to him.

“Ma’s got a war room filled with bikers. There’s coffee,” he replied.

This surprised me. My phone said it wasn’t even nine yet. Bikers didn’t do before nine.

I didn’t take this as a good sign.

Then again, maybe The Chain didn’t offer coffee, and bikers did coffee for certain.

“Have you heard from Abel?” I asked.

“Called him. Xun’s called him. No answer. Xun’s lookin’ for him. Called Wei. He’s gonna be lookin’ for him too.”