Page 27 of Gone Hunting

“You do?”

“I did this to myself.” Her gaze drifts to the opened door. “I think my tigress let you in.”

I stare at the door, as if it can somehow clue me in to what happened.

“Aric, last night, after you left, I locked the door and shoved your dresser in front of it.”

“Why?” It’s stupid question, seeing how I woke up in bed next to her, but here I am, asking it anyway.

Her breathing slows, becoming more purposeful. “I was scared what you might do.”

I’m already to her, clasping her bare shoulders gently. “I wouldneverhurt you.”

She nods like she believes me, despite the tears brimming in her eyes. I hold her carefully, trying to comfort her.

“No,way.”

Liam’s voice booms into the room. I whip around, growling and shielding Celia with my body.

“What?” Liam says, his elated smile immediately fading.

Koda stands behind him, his eyebrows practically to his hairline, while Gemini gapes back at me, shock and disappointment marching across his features.

“What are you doing here?” I snarl, menace stabbing each word.

Liam frowns. “We came by to help.” He hops on top of my dresser and sits, swinging his legs like a little kid. “I was wracking my brain all night trying to figure out how to help Celia.”

“And?” I ask.

“I’ve got nothin’.’” He shrugs. “I stopped at Koda’s and Gem’s on my way here to see if they had any ideas, but they don’t have nothin’, either. Hey, you have any food?”

“We should give Aric and Celia some space,” Gemini says. He backs out of the room when he sees what’s left of Celia’s clothes. “We’ll wait for you downstairs.”

Koda follows without a word. Liam continues to sit there like he’s waiting on the Tooth Fairy.

“Liam?” I say.

“Yeah?”

“Go.” Do I have to spell it out for him?

“Huh?” he asks. “Okay. I guess I can do that.”

“And shut the door,” I say, when he doesn’t.

He jogs back to the door and shuts it, but not before giving us a big thumbs up.

Celia is officially the color of fire. “They think we . . .”

“Oh, yeah,” I agree, pulling on a T-shirt. “I’ll grab you something from my Mom’s closet. She’s bigger than you, but a lot smaller than me.”

“Aric?” Celia’s soft tone holds me in place. “You don’t think we . . .”

My gaze melds with hers. “Trust me when I say I would have remembered that.”

Her mouth pops open and she says nothing more. I head toward the door, my face growing hotter with each step. “I’ll leave the clothes by the door. Come down when you’re ready.”

I pick out a blue cotton dress my mom gardens in for Celia. It’s the one thing Mom wears that Celia won’t have to roll up or risk tripping over. I leave it and the pack of Wonder Woman underwear I find, just outside my bedroom door.

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