of the bedroom, nearly tripping over a discarded pair of tennis shoes in the hallway in my haste to escape. Just as I reached for the doorknob I heard the sound of the lock disengaging, and the door opened.
“Well, now,” Collin smirked at me. “And where are you off to at…” he lifted his arm and scanned his watch, “12:15 in the morning, missy?”
“Uh…” I shifted uncomfortably. “Home?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and I got the distinct impression he knew I was doing something I wasn’t supposed to. “And does Richard know you’re sneaking off?”
“Uh…” Think, damn you! “Yes?” Why? Why had I been forsaken and born without the gift of lying? Jace had always been so good at it. It wasn’t fair! Instead of trying to formulate a believable lie, I did the only thing I could. I propped my hands on my hips and scowled at the big man. “Not that I see how it’s any of your business, but I’m a grown ass woman who can do whatever I want. And what I want right now is to go to sleep in my own bed. So if you’ll excuse me…” I didn’t wait for a response before shoving past him and scuttling down the hall to my door.
“Please be awake, please be awake, please be awake,” I chanted under my breath as I knocked on my own front door. Without my keys or cellphone, I was at the mercy of Devon. And let me tell you, sometimes that wasn’t the best place to be.
I chanced a quick glance over my shoulder as I continued to rap my knuckles against the wood in quick succession. Sure enough, Collin stood in the doorway watching me with a humorous grin plastered across his face. A sudden sense of dread caused my stomach to plummet to my feet as I watched, almost in slow motion, as he opened his mouth and shouted. “Richard! I think your girl’s pulling a runner! Might want to get your ass out here, man!”
“Oh no,” I gasped. Instead of knocking, I began pounding on the front door. “Devon! Open up! Let me in, let me in! Devon!” My fists beat against the wood and I could hear Shady barking furiously as I watched Richard’s doorway with growing panic as a mussed Richard barreled through wearing nothing but the jeans he’d had on earlier. From the looks of it, he’d pulled them on so fast he hadn’t bothered to do more than zip them up. His face looked furious when he caught sight of me. My heart tripped and my lungs all but seized up at his expression. With just one look, he intended to hand out that punishment he’d promised if I attempted to run again.
“Devon!” I shouted just as the door flew open. “Oh, thank God.
“What in the world’s going on?” she asked as I pushed past her, using my foot to push Shady’s hyper little body out of the way so he didn’t get stomped on.
“Delilah.” Richard’s voice held a warning as he stormed after me. “Don’t do it—” I cut him off by slamming the door just moments before he reached it, throwing the deadbolt and taking several steps back, watching as though I expected him to Hulk out and bust through at any second.
“Jesus Christ on a cracker,” Devon muttered, rubbing her tired eyes. “Will someone tell me what’s happening? I was having the best Adam Levine dream before you interrupted it.
“Delilah!” Richard called through the door. “Open up right now!”
Devon’s now much more alert gaze bounced from me to the door. “Start talking, Del. Why is our neighbor beating on our door in the middle of the night?”
More pounding sounded as I twisted my fingers together. “I kind of… snuck out.”
“Why?” she asked incredulously. Before going wide-eyed.
“I don’t know!” I yelled over Richard’s incessant knocking. “I just… freaked out a little bit.”
“Fucking swear to God, Del,” Richard shouted. “I will beat this door down and spank your ass until you can’t sit down if you don’t open up!”
“You freaked out a little bit,” she said in a dry voice.
“Yeah.”
“Because you had really, really good sex?” When my only response was a murderous glare, she laughed. “Oh, honey, don’t look so upset, I’m pretty sure the entire floor heard you screaming his name. Hell, I thought he was two seconds from fucking you right through the wall.”
“Shut up,” I grumbled, wrapping my arms around my waist.
“It’s a good thing, Del.