Page 73 of Saving Stella

“You’d have finished me off or run away while I was unconscious. And?—”

“Cliff! What the fuck—” Jacob’s eyes grew to the size of dinner plates when his gaze landed on Stella and her twin. “There’s … you … two …”

“We’re naked, pervert!” her sister screamed. “Turn the fuck around!”

Jacob quickly spun around. “Cliff?”

Cliff? Her head snapped toward him where he stood a few feet away, his jaw practically unhinging itself. A surge of happiness threatened to overwhelm her at the sight of him—until she remembered that he had left without saying goodbye. “What are you doing here?”

“Stella … sweetheart …” He took off his shirt and walked over to them, then handed it to her.

“Thanks,” she said coldly, but took the shirt anyway.

“Hey now …” Her twin let out a whistle as she glanced at Cliff’s naked torso appreciatively, earning her a growl from Stella. “Whoops, sorry. Didn’t mean to encroach.”

“You’re not,” she said flatly.

“You probably have questions,” Cliff said. “And so do I, obviously.”

“Me too!” piped in Jacob.

“Jacob, give the lady your shirt,” Cliff ordered.

“Mine? Why?”

“Because there’s no one else here, and I’m showing my hoo-haa and tatas to the world,” Stella’s twin snarked.

Grumbling, Jacob did as Cliff asked, tossing the shirt over his shoulder.

As soon as they were both dressed, Stella helped her twin up. “So … uh …”

“Sloane,” she introduced herself. “My name is Sloane.”

“Sloane? Sloane what?” Stella asked. “I mean, what’s your last name?”

“Don’t got one.” She pulled the neck of Jacob’s shirt aside, revealing a wolf’s tattoo.

“You’re a Lone Wolf,” Jacob exclaimed.

“Ding, ding, ding!” Sloane clapped. “Give the man a prize.”

Stella frowned. “What’s a Lone Wolf?”

“A very long story,” Cliff said with a sigh. “We should probably get out of here before hotel security or the cops come.”

“We can go to my house,” Stella said, “and get everything cleared up.”

“Like, why you tried to kidnap your own sister,” Jacob scoffed.

“I have my reasons.” Sloane crossed her arms over her chest.

“I hope they’re good ones,” he retorted.

“As good as that roundhouse kick to the face that knocked you out.”

Jacob’s entire face turned red, and Stella swore she saw steam coming out of his ears.

“Come on, children.” Cliff seized his cousin’s arm. “Jacob, let’s go get your car.”

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