Page 18 of Sheltered By Love

I turn around and wince as I look at my own panel and see it’s also dead.

It was sloppy not to set up a battery backup. I should have done it immediately after installing both alarms.

I rub my hand over the back of my neck as she stares at me like I’m a monster, shivering and probably in shock.

When I can’t think of a single word to say, I go with my brand of lousy hospitality. “Come sit down,” I say.

Felicity

I follow him into the front room as I try to ward off any thoughts of crying in front of him, both for coming over here and for Roger getting loose.

He’s obviously angry with me, and after making my ridiculous decision, I now know Zane is fuming he is being forced to babysit me.

At his direction to sit, I perch myself on the edge of his sofa, trembling so hard my teeth occasionally chatter.

His voice is clipped but less severe as he points to a bottle of Jack Daniels sitting on a coffee table.

“Help yourself and get the fire going if you want. I need to go booby-trap the doors,” he says.

I nod limply as he hands me something soft and dry to wrap myself in. “Stay in here. Bad enough I have a rodent running around in the dark.”

I have no desire to go anywhere, so I cuddle into what I soon find is his shirt and listen to the storm as it batters the house outside.

Rather than continue to sit in my wet clothes, I crawl toward the fireplace and somehow manage to get it going.

I sit as close as I can get, pleased to have something to occupy my mind instead of thinking about what possessed me to run straight to the one person I shouldn’t have.

I have no idea how long I sit there guarding the flames but eventually, Zane returns, wearing a shirt and with something hugged to his chest.

He kneels beside me, and in the most striking act of kindness thrusts Roger toward me.

I let out a stifled sob as I cradle him against me. “Thank you,” I mumble.

Zane sits beside me, his back to the fire, his gun still in his hand, and places his mobile beside him. “He was chewing on my cell phone cord,” he grumbles.

I wince and find a piece of pine kindling for Roger to gnaw on instead. “I’m sorry. I can buy you another one.”

He glances at Roger. “Lucky the power’s out or he’d have been electrocuted.”

I shudder as we look at Roger happily munching on the wood. “That’s why I usually keep him penned off when he’s inside.”

“Why a rabbit? And why inside?” he says.

“Rabbits are very smart, affectionate, and clean animals. Even their poop is clean. They can eat it,” I say.

His lip curls. “That’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard,” he says.

He looks so horrified, that I have the strangest desire to laugh. Something I doubt he’d appreciate right now.

Lucky for me he changes the topic. “I didn’t know there was another key.”

“Mrs. Davis gave it to me. She had mine in case of emergency too,” she says.

He frowns and looks like he’s making a mental note to get the locks changed.

“You really were that close with her?”

A lump grows in my throat. “I liked her company.”

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