Page 2 of Embers of Torment

I attempted to swallow the lump in my throat, but it wasn't going away. I took a swig from my water bottle on the tableby the couch to see if it would help. "Umm, yeah. That sounds exciting. I better let you go since you're celebrating."

"No, it's okay. You called for a reason, and you sound stressed. What's up."

Do I tell him what happened or say it's unimportant and we can talk later? I don't want to screw up his night.

"Della? Say something."

I hung my head, feeling umpteen shades of silly. "I got spooked. That's why I was calling. I just wanted to chat."

"Are you still at Sofie and Reid's?"

"Yeah, I'm still babysitting. I was watching a horror flick—well, it was more like a home invasion thriller—and I heard a noise outside. I thought I saw someone on the deck, and it turned out to be an armchair." Hearing Adam chuckle, I stuck my tongue out at my phone as I held it away from my ear. Satisfied, I brought it back in time to catch him chastising me.

"You aren't supposed to watch those without me, and this is what happens when you do it. You get too freaked out. Speaking of movies, guess what the twentieth century's first American horror film was?"

"Adam! Not now, okay. Save the darn trivia for later."

"Hey, you don't have to yell. And even though you don't care, it was Frankenstein."

"Terrific. I have another priceless piece of information I'll never refer to or remember. Thanks, bunches." I rolled my eyes. I could swear Adam was an occasionally irritating walking encyclopedia.

"You're welcome. Are you going to say something to Sofie and Reid about the noise in the backyard?"

"Nah, they'll think I'm being an overreacting idiot."

"Uhh…I think you better tell them. It might be nothing, but you never know after all that stuff that happened a few years back."

"That was five years ago. Besides, Sofie's scary-as-shit stalker brother, her mother, and her mother's pimp are all out of the picture. Not to mention, Reid's cousin wouldn't dare terrorize Sofie again after getting caught for his bullshit last time. Sofie said it's been super quiet since then. Tonight was just a case of my imagination running wild on me."

"Nevertheless, you should still tell them. Anyway, I have to go. Theo's making a face at me."

"Okie dokie. I'll talk to you at work Monday. Tell Theo I said congratulations."

"I will. See you then."

I hung up and tossed my phone on the coffee table. That didn't go as I had hoped, but I was calmer, at least. Adam was right, though. After all the terror and drama from five years ago, neglecting to say something about earlier would be wrong. If Reid found out, he'd never forgive me.

The front door opened and closed, and familiar voices drifted to me from the foyer. Sofie and Reid were back. Perking up, I turned off the television and crawled under the nearby credenza to retrieve my sandals.

"Della, we're home," Sofie called from the hallway.

"I'm in the family room." I plopped on the couch and slipped on my shoes. "How did your evening go?"

"The dinner and entertainment were enjoyable, and the awards presentation was fun. The committee recognized Morgan Systems for its contributions to the local community." Sofie pursed her lips, appearing thoughtful. "Thanks again for watching the kids so Reid and I could attend. It's unusual for Allison to cancel on us at the last second, and she sounded odd on the phone."

"Was she sick?"

"No. Allison would have mentioned it if she had been. All she said was that something had come up, and she seemed in a hurryto end the call. I'll have to speak to her about it later. So, how were they?"

"Angels, like always. Evie had me read her a couple of books before bed. Wyatt was a teeny grumpy."

"I think he has another tooth coming in. At least he's acting like he does, and the timing is about right." Sofie walked over to the sliding door and picked the pillow up from the floor. The corner of her mouth curled upward as she arched a brow. "Pillow fight?"

My face instantly warmed. "Not exactly. I…umm…threw it. I was watching something on the TV and got a little freaked out. I thought I saw a person on the deck, but it turned out to be one of the chairs."

Reid strolled into the room, his presence commanding as usual. He ran his hand through his wavy blond hair and pierced me with his gray-blue eyes. "What's this about someone on the deck?"

Sofie snickered and shook her head at me, her mahogany hair swaying with the movement. "Della was watching television and got spooked. It must have been a thriller or horror movie, which she isn't supposed to watch without Adam. Come Monday morning, she's going to tell me she had nightmares all weekend and couldn't sleep."

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