Page 22 of Sheltered By Love

Zane

While Felicity takes a shower, I stumble around my old house, legs dragging, muscles aching from lack of sleep as I rethink my entire security strategy.

What I really need is cameras hidden on the outside of the house so I can see what I’m dealing with.

It’s installing them without anyone noticing I’m going to have an issue with.

Garrett’s probably getting some sleep, but I sit at the kitchen table, frowning at the rabbit in his pen, and start to jot down a few notes.

What I need, other than sleep is a team. Guys who know what to look out for, who can monitor both points of access into the street.

I scrawl a list of all the other things I’ll need.

Felicity doesn’t have a cell phone, so that makes it easier to monitor incoming phone calls.

I glance at the phone attached to the wall and make a note to buy another phone and an extension cord so I can listen in to her business calls.

When another yawn overtakes my body and the lines are blurring on the paper, I admit defeat and wander into the living room where I’m planning on napping for the next few hours.

I tap out a quick text to Garrett, forward it to Levi, and to my cousin Jax, and hope they’ll be able to pull a few night watches to back me up.

I hear soft footfalls as Felicity walks into the room, hair wet, and wrapped in a fluffy blue robe and matching slippers.

She swallows as she looks at me. “So, I’m going to try to nap for a few hours. Will you be okay? I mean, do you need anything?”

I shake my head. “Go sleep. I’ll be doing the same as soon as I’ve set the alarms again. I’ll wake you when I hear from Garrett.”

“About the cameras…”

“What about them?”

“They’ll just be facing outside, won’t they?”

I crouch down and unroll my sleeping bag. Not that I need it. After the storm last night, it’s back to seventy degrees.

“That’s right.” When she’s quiet, I glance up at her. “Do we have a problem?”

Her back straightens. “No problem.”

I give her a nod, too interested in unfurling my sleeping bag so I can get some shut-eye before I drop. “Don’t make any phone calls, and don’t mention this to anyone. Especially not to Nicki,” I mutter.

Felicity

Don’t make any phone calls!

Of all the rude, obnoxious…

I stomp up the stairs, anger overriding my need to rest.

Does he think I’m an idiot? I know Nicki will blast this all over the Blueskin Bay hotline. That’s the last thing I want.

I’m trying to make friends, not lose them.

I slide my hand into the pocket of my gown and look at the card his brother handed me.

His pleasant, polite, and understanding brother.

Completely disregarding Zane’s command, I sneak into my office and dial Garrett’s number.

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