Page 18 of Chasing the Fall

“What other reason would I have, Boss?”

“You tell me.”

I force myself to remain silent. Babbling won’t do me any favors and might reveal more than I want.

“Send me everything you have on this guy. I’ll send someone to Virginia to work the situation from another end.”

“I’ll do it in the morning. A lot of what intel we have is in your cousin’s head, and she’s gone to bed. Can you send her a computer, too? She’s been whining about it.”

Kael murmurs agreement, and we conclude the call. I release a breath, feeling like I just safely crossed a tightrope strung between two high rises. Kael’s no idiot.

He’s also not forgiving. I’m going to have to tread carefully over the next week or so and squash this inconvenient attraction I have for Tallulah Gentry.

Otherwise, she won’t be the only one in mortal danger.

Nine

Twiggy

I am losing mymind, one second at a time.

I’m not used to sitting around and twiddling my thumbs, and so far, that’s all we’ve done the two days we’ve been here. There’s TV to watch, meals to prepare and eat, and…more TV. I don’t even have my computer or anything sweet to munch on.

And my arm itches. I know that means it’s healing, but it’s an annoyance I don’t appreciate on top of everything else.

“Stop scratching your arm.”

I growl and jerk my hand away from the bandage, where I had been lightly scratching the wound beneath.

I peek over the edge of the sofa, finding Bran where he’s putting something together in the kitchen. “How did you even see me from over there? My soul is dying, you don’t even know.”

Bran glances over at me, his expression mild. He went somewhere this morning before I awakened and came back with bags full of groceries, and now it looks like he’s chopping vegetables.

I don’t need vegetables. I need donuts. Karla’s, preferably, but at this point I’ll take Krispy Kreme.

Bran is managing to keep himself busy, but even when he’s busy, he’s watching. His gaze follows me without ceasing, and I can’t make a move without the awareness of his attention stalking me.

“Dramatic much?” He replies now.

“I can’t take this.” I rise from where I’m sprawled, legs hanging over the armrest, and pace toward the kitchen. “I need something to keep me occupied.”

His gaze flickers over me, tracing my legs in the leggings he procured for me and pausing on the swell of my breasts beneath his sweater before finally settling on my face. His shoulder lifts in a shrug, and it’s the last straw.

I’m tired of him watching me with those relentless eyes.

Looking, watching, seeing.It makes me uncomfortable, puts me on edge, makes my skin itch more than this stupid wound does. I feel like a rabbit in a snare with a wolf circling. He needs to bite or find something else to prey on.

“Stop looking at me!” I burst. “You’re always doing that—watching. Looking at me.”

Bran’s left eyebrow arches, and with painstaking slowness, he dries his hands on a dish towel. “What’s the matter, Tallulah? Afraid I’ll see something you don’t want me to see?” He moves around the counter to stand before me, and all I can see and feel ishim.

His heat.

His bulk.

His presence.

I cross my arms over my chest. “You’re looking at me like you want…”

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