Page 36 of Evil Hearts

“Where are the s-s-suits of armor?” she asked. “And s-s-shouldn’t there be tap-tap tap…wall hangings?”

“There was armor, tapestries, pikes, and all sorts of stuff hanging on the walls,” Reed said. “The guy who built this in the 1950s recreated an actual castle from medieval England. Then he filled it with fake antiques from movie sets. After he died, his son sold it to Silas with everything inside. It’s all stored in the old stables out back if you want to look through it. I swear, some of that stuff is haunted.”

“By the sp-sp-spirits of movie extras?” she quipped, surprised when all the men chuckled. Most people were so focused on her stuttering that they never got her jokes.

“That would explain the over actin’ ghosts,” Reed agreed, making her laugh.

“How does a g-g-ghost over act?” she asked.

“Wear several sheets instead of one?” Idris suggested as they turned right at the top of the stairs.

“Maybe they’d sing opera instead of moaning,” Silas offered. They kept coming up with ideas until they got to an open door. As if they practiced the maneuver, Silas and Idris stopped at the door and let go of her hands.

“Here we are,” Silas said. “I had one of my employees pack an overnight bag for you, it’s on the bed.”

“Y-y-ou d-d-did what?” she asked, stepping away from them and into the room. Crossing her arms over her chest, she stared at Silas and raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t want you to go without familiar things, so I had an employee stop by your apartment and pack. I assure you she didn’t snoop, she’s very trustworthy. She’s worked for me for years.”

“M-m-my place!” she protested.

“She’s a pixie so she didn’t break anything to get in,” he said, tilting in his head. “Or do you object that she was there at all?”

“That!” she said, jabbing a finger at him.

He looked hurt. “Oh, well, I only wanted you to be comfortable.”

She couldn’t stay mad at that expression. With a sigh she dropped her arms to the side. “Ask next t-t-time. Okay?

What was she saying? This was a twenty-four-hour deal, there would be no next time. No more being carried around my Idris, holding hands with Silas, or eating food made by Reed. It was weird to realize she was going to miss these guys when their time was up. She’d only been with them for a few hours, and she was already attached.

Rubbing her hands over her face, she pulled in a deep breath and looked around the room. The bed was queen sized and definitely not big enough for the four of them.

“Will you guys be s-s-sleeping in here?” she asked.

Reed laughed and pointed at a door across the hall and about ten feet down. “Our room is right there.”

“Th-th-this isn’t your room?” she asked, confused.

“Of course not,” Silas said, then stepped forward. “It’s almost midnight, and you’re probably used to being in bed by now.”

When he leaned over, she closed her eyes in anticipation of a kiss. Instead, he brushed his lips across her forehead.

“If you need anything, please call for us,” he murmured, straightening up. “Rest now so we can spend the day together.”

Reed and Idris wished her a good night as Silas stepped out of the room. She saw longing looks from all three men, but none of them insisted on staying as Silas softly closed the door.

That was it?

She’d expected to be ravished, but the guys had all left her alone as if she really was a guest instead of a blackmailer. Or was she the one being blackmailed now?

Whatever, it didn’t matter. Throwing up her hands, she grabbed her bag and marched into the bathroom. A shower and comfy pajamas sounded really good right now.

Chapter 4

Flopping onto herback, Cassi stared up at the dark ceiling. Giving up, she grabbed her cell phone from the nightstand. The screen was painfully bright after staring into the dark. It took her a moment to make out 2 AM. She was no closer to falling asleep than she’d been several hours ago.

She was usually a good sleeper, but the previous events would give anyone a bout of insomnia. Well, she could stay in bed moaning about it as the night ticked by one agonizing minute at a time, or she could head down to the kitchen and make a warm drink. That had helped in the past, maybe it would do the trick this time.

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