Page 80 of Run From Me

She was so at home here, and I guess she should have been. This was her house now, and me? I was just as confused as I was twenty-four hours ago.

“Cali, do you have any idea how many women they have brought to their secret lair?” she asked, still walking through the kitchen and into small living area.

I followed her through the apartment that had the same set up as Xander’s except it was cute. Homey even.

“I… what? Cas let you redo his little bachelor pad?”

The place screamed Rylee more than it did bachelor like Xander’s minimalist gray.

It was logical that Cas would let his wife do as she wanted, something about the guy—or any of them that had tattoos and viewed stab wounds as merely annoying—screamed he might not be into decorating.

The thing was, I think Rylee’s little touches made this homey and gave Cas an almost human aspect to that tough exterior.

“Of course he did, silly. It’s our place. The second floor is us, the third is Xander, and the fourth is Zeiden. I wouldn’t have asked for a little white picket fence even if I didn’t think them together was the safest for any and all of us.”

Rylee tossed me a pair of shorts.

“Still, I’m so excited to have a friend here. Truthfully, when Cas disappears to do Spector-y things, I try and read or watch movies or bake. They really like chocolate chip cookies. But Winnie is allowed over here too, or we can go to her coffee shop.You don’t get to leave without an escort, and there are four guys I can text. I’ll make sure you have their numbers.”

She grabbed a hair elastic and tossed her hair up in a messy bun.

“Maybe I could use one of those too?”

She grabbed a second and handed it to me.

“Sure. We can figure out everything tomorrow. I should have anything you need, assuming when X is home you’ll probably need very little.” She smiled at me and grabbed for my hand again.

“Let’s go downstairs and wait for them. I won’t lie, late nights like tonight? I really hate when he’s gone and I have nothing to do with my nervous energy. But now I have you.”

I pulled my hand away and slipped on the shorts and smiled as Rylee walked around the kitchen grabbing a bowl and microwaving popcorn. She grabbed what looked like gummy bears and licorice next.

“The guys fill the fridge downstairs with all kinds of drinks so we can grab those.”

All I could do was watch. Not because it wasn’t normal for someone to make popcorn, but because this all seemed so normal. Normal for best friends, or sisters, but not me. I didn’t get normal. Except as I stood here, normal didn’t look half bad.

“So, how do you feel about blood?”

That woke me up from my daydream of normal.

“Excuse me? I mean, I deal with dead bodies. Sometimes after months under water being fish food. So, fine?”

She chuckled. The microwave beeped and she pulled out the popcorn. My mouth watered at the scent of butter wafting in the air, and my stomach rumbled.

“Why are you asking about blood anyway? I’m hungry, but I thought you were clear I’m not actually a vampire even though I do enjoy the graveyard shifts.”

I accepted the bowl she thrust at me and the bags of the candy crinkled as she gathered them up.

“No. I mean yes. Not a vampire, believe me your personality doesn’t sparkle enough for that. But I meant that the guys, when they get home this late, chances are there will be blood somewhere. Honestly you being here? It’s going to help my nerves so much. I don’t like to be left alone and it almost never happens at this hour, but, well, grandpa has made me a little jumpy.”

I held onto the popcorn bowl like it would save my sanity or something, but I followed her out.

“Yeah… no… what? Sorry I’ve a lot sucked at being your friend. When you told me you were getting married, I sort of just threw myself at work and, well…” I popped in a buttery bit trying to hold my tongue from admitting I was jealous.

I wouldn’t admit that to save my ever-loving life. I didn’t want to admit it felt like I was being abandoned all over again. It wasn’t fair to Rylee, and I knew that. She hadn’t been the one to give me my trauma.

“Oh, it’s okay. I don’t think I was up for talking right away anyway,” Rylee said, guiding me over to the couches. “Hold on. Let me get drinks. Wine? Soda? Juice? Juice cleanse? I don’t suggest that last one. It’s more for when they are putting in a lot of training for those stupid fights.”

I blew out a breath and flopped onto the couch.

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