Page 12 of Ours

“Here, take these,” Zack said as he stroked her hair.

She downed two tablets with the water before curling into a ball and closing her eyes. They slowly started to walk away when she muttered, “Will you both just hold me for a while?”

Zack looked at Jake who was already getting in behind her. Without saying a word, Zack got in the opposite side, kissed her forehead, and watched as her breathing slowed and she snuggled into them.

“I could get used to this.”

Zack barely caught her whisper before he closed his own eyes, but he was in one hundred percent agreement.

****

Zack awoke to a mobile ringing and Jake’s rough voice growling “What’s up?”

He watched his cousin go from barely awake to jackknifing up and out of bed to gather his stuff.

Ending the phone call, Jake looked over at him. “Stay with her. I have to go. There’s been another murder.”

Zack nodded, pulled Sandy closer to him, and watched Jake rush out of the room before he drifted back off to sleep.

The next time he woke an alarm clock was going off.

Sandy groaned into his chest. “No, it can’t be six o’clock already. I don’t want to go to work. I hate early shifts.” She pushed against his chest. “Where’s Jake?”

Zack leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. “He got called into work, so it’s just me. How about you get a shower and dressed, and I’ll make coffee, or would you rather some tea with a piece of toast?” He smiled at her shocked expression.

“You know how to cook?”

“Well, I wouldn’t call putting toast into a toaster cooking, but yes, I can cook. I have to feed myself somehow.”

She closed her eyes and snuggled into him for a moment. “A coffee and toast with butter would be heaven. I like mine milky with one big sugar.” She gave him a quick kiss, got out of bed, and walked straight to her bathroom.

Zack watched her walk away in a lace bra and undies. Adjusting himself, he knew he wouldn’t be getting rid of his morning boner anytime soon. He moaned and got out of bed.

Zack looked in almost every cupboard in the kitchen until he found what he needed. After making coffee and toast, he sat at the table and waited. A moment later Sandy came out tucking her white shirt into a black tight-fitting pencil skirt. She held black high heels in her other hand. Sandy dropped the shoes on the ground and slipped into them, then sat next to him before downing the coffee and shoving the toast in her mouth.

“Thanks for doing this. I have to run. It’s my turn to open.” She kissed his stunned cheek and rushed for the door yelling, “Don’t forget to fix the front door.”

Following her, he grabbed her arm just as she was about to leave. “You never told us where you work.” Zack let go of her arm, and she walked to her car.

“I work at a construction company as an assistant.” She got in her car and drove away, leaving him standing in front of her house in just his boxers.

Sighing, Zack walked back into the house and told himself he would get more information that night. He pulled his mobile out and called one of his cousins who owned a hardware store. Zack asked if he could send people over to fix Sandy’s broken front door and said he would be there for an hour or so to help.

Chapter Five

Jake dragged himself into his house. He was dying for a shower and clean clothes. It was currently six o’clock in the afternoon, and he’d been up since 4:40 that morning and hadn’t stopped. All he could think of was getting a shower, packing some clothes in a bag, and going back to spend time snuggling with his mate.

Letting the hot spray wash away the dirt, he wished it could wash the images of the old werepanther couple slashed to pieces with “Animal” written above their bodies in blood.

The couple had been friends of his family. Jake was still close friends with their sons and daughter. That’d been the worst part of his day, having to go and talk to the victims’ family. He’d felt like a schmuck referring to them like that, but he had no choice. It was all a part of his job. He tried not to close his eyes, afraid of what he would see.

After turning the taps off, he reached for the towel, wrapped it around himself, and walked to his closet. He chucked a couple of days’ clothes and work uniforms in his large black backpack. He slipped into track pants, needing to feel comfortable. Not bothering with a shirt, he slipped into his shoes and picked up his joggers, slung the bag over his shoulder, and walked through his house to his car.

Jake arrived at Sandy’s to see the lights on. Jake couldn’t see Zack’s motorbike, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t here. He frowned when Sandy’s front door opened with a slight creak. Why the hell didn’t she lock her door? Anyone could get in. He knew it had been fixed today, so there was no excuse. Jake didn’t even want to think of all the things that could happen.

Locking the door behind him, Jake stormed into the house and followed the strongest smell of honey and strawberries. Sandy sat on the lounge in the family room opposite the kitchen with a book in her hand. He could smell a roast chicken in the oven, almost done.

Angry that she’d left the door open for anyone to enter and do unthinkable things to her, he grabbed her as she gave a startled squeal and sat in her spot with her on his lap.

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