Rising Storm (Westin Force #2) - Julie Trettel Page 0,20

food in the fridge. Can you manage it okay?”

She nodded in response. Clearly that was the only response I was going to get.

I was so frustrated. I wanted to shake her or beg her to shift and talk to me, let me touch her, something, anything. It was driving me crazy, especially after she’d so easily shifted under Baine’s accusations. Why didn’t she want to be with me?

That pain shot through my heart again.

To distract myself, I went to the fridge to ensure she’d have enough to get by for the next week if needed. I really didn’t think we’d be gone that long. The job sounded pretty cut and dry. We’d be in and out in a matter of hours and on our way back home. I was stressing over nothing and letting my own frustrations get the best of me. I slapped the fridge door shut a little harder than I meant to.

I saw Emma cringe and shrink back.

I ran my hand over my head. It was a bit prickly. I needed to shave soon. I’d always kept my head shaved. It just made life easier, one less thing to worry about.

I started to apologize, but my cell phone rang, and I picked it up to see Ben.

“What do you want, Shay?” I barked.

I didn’t want to take my aggression out on him anymore than I did Emma, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. I was on edge and I didn’t even understand why.

“Well, that sounds a lot better. You looked thrilled when she told you to go on this mission. I was getting worried.”

“So a shitty attitude makes you feel better?”

“Much. Thanks. You’re still going?”

“Of course I’m going.”

“Figured. So, Clara and Gage stuck around for a couple of weeks after we got back. They’re between jobs and wanted to spend time with Shelby and the babies while in town so they’ve been staying with us.”

“Okay,” I said, wishing he’d get around to his point already.

“So, Clara was wondering if she could come by in the morning and keep Emma company. She wanted to check on her incision and stuff.”

“Her incision is fine but tell her thanks. Grant kept an eye on it until she was fully healed.”

“So can she come and keep her company then?”

“Ben, Emma was under anesthetics just about the entire time Clara was around. I doubt she even remembers her.”

Emma waved her arms in the air and hooted.

“You remember Clara? She helped with your rescue and did your surgery.”

She nodded.

“Ben wants to know if she can come by tomorrow to visit with you?”

She hesitated and I was about to tell him no, but then she nodded.

I sighed. “Yeah, I guess that’s fine. You can give her my guest code. I haven’t changed it.” All of the Lodge rooms could take three codes. I used mine for my personal code, a guest code that all my teammates had, and an emergency code that only Patrick and Silas had. “Oh, warn her that Emma’s still in her gorilla form. She refuses to shift. Maybe she’ll have better luck than I’ve had.”

I hated admitting that. It hurt more than I was willing to admit.

I could hear a struggle on the other end.

“Just give it to me,” Clara said.

“Painter, I know you’ve got to be worried, but honestly this isn’t abnormal behavior for someone that was held in captivity. She was forced to fight for her life daily. We’re lucky we’re not dealing with extreme aggression issues on top of this. Just keep caring for her and being patient. She’ll come around.”

“I hope you’re right.”

I hung up the phone and stared down at it. When I looked up and met Emma’s eyes, she looked so sad, but I didn’t know how to reach her.

By the time I had to leave, things hadn’t improved any and I was in a foul mood, regretting ever agreeing to this mission.

Emma wanted you to go, a small voice reminded me. It wasn’t my gorilla’s voice, no this was my evil subconscious voice that was filled with doubt and reminded me regularly that I wasn’t worth loving.

No one bothered talking to me on the ride to the airfield. On the plane we went through briefing quickly. It was pretty much in and out just as I expected.

I sat by myself stewing over everything that had happened. I tried not to let doubts seep into my life. I made decisions and I accepted the consequences that came without rehashing alternatives and whether I