front of me, making me jolt, gaze finding Christopher's in the mirror.
"What's the matter?" I asked, watching him look at my reflection.
"I brought you a frappe. With chocolate," he added.
"I told Alexander only to get me coffee if someone had already made it."
"Alexander didn't get it. I did," he told me, shrugging.
"Thank you," I said, grabbing it, turning, finding him a lot closer than I anticipated. "What is going on out there?"
"We're making plans."
"What kind of plans?"
"The kind to keep you—and Alexander—safe," he told me, turning, walking away, leaving me before I could ask any other questions.
What went on for the next several hours was anyone's guess. I could hear the low timbre of voices, some shuffling, cell phones ringing. But none of it was close enough to make anything out.
Eventually, I found myself back in the bed, curling into the sheets that smelled so much like Christopher, finding myself fantasizing not of him sexing me up in these ridiculously soft sheets, but simply curling me up, holding me close.
It had me asleep in minutes.
The next time I was conscious of anything, there was a tickling sensation down the side of my cheek, making me pull up my shoulder to brush it away, but trapping a finger there instead.
Eyes shooting open, I found Christopher sitting off the edge of the bed, fully dressed in a deep gray suit. Meaning he'd been moving around in the room getting dressed while I had been passed out.
"What time is it?" I asked, voice groggy.
"After ten," he told me.
"What's going on? Is my room ready for me to go back to?"
"Yes, it's ready. But, no, you're not going back to it."
"Why not?"
"Come on. Let's get you breakfast," he offered instead of answering, the bed bouncing a bit as he got to his feet, reaching over to flick off my covers.
With a grumble, I folded upward, sliding off the bed. "Alright. Just let me go get dressed."
"You're fine," he insisted, leading me into the hall. "Let's go."
He left little room for debate. And I was honestly hungry enough not to care about near nudity around his men.
The house, though, was surprisingly quiet compared to the hubbub of the night before.
"Ah, there she is!" Cora greeted, rushing toward me, arms outstretched, pulling me in for a hug so tight I found it hard to breathe. "How are you? Are you alright? You poor girl!"
"I'm fine, Cora," I insisted, offering her a convincing smile. "Really," I added when she kept giving me small eyes.
"And to think," she said, turning away, going about making me a plate, "you gave that man extra food."
The smile was immediate and big. Turning to Christopher, I saw a similar light in his eyes.
"He had us all fooled, Cora," Christopher said, tone apologetic. "Most of all me."
"Good riddance to him," Cora snapped, turning, putting a bowl of fresh fruit and yogurt in front of me. "Eat up, dear, you have a long day ahead of you."
"I do?" I asked, turning my attention to Christopher, waiting for an explanation.
He moved around the other side of the counter, accepting the coffees from Cora who excused herself into the garden, leaving us alone.
Christopher passed a coffee to me, taking his, and leaning back against the sink. "We are leaving," he told me. "In one hour."
"Leaving to go where? Are you sending me home?" Was that disappointment in my tone? When there should have been relief?
"I'm not," he told me, and there was no accounting for the wave of relief I felt.
"Then where are we leaving to?"
"Somewhere safer for the time being," he informed me.
"Am I going to be told where?"
"The fewer people who know right now, the better."
"Do your men know?"
"They know we are leaving. Only three know where. Only three will be taking the trip with us."
"What about Cora?"
"Cora will stay with her husband. She'll be safe."
"You're sure?"
"I wouldn't leave her in danger."
"How are we going to eat?" I asked, making a strange laugh/snort escape him.
"You've been learning."
"I have no recipes."
"We'll figure something out."
"Where is Alexander?"
"Laird took him to town a few moments ago. Until we are certain of things, not all moving at once is safest. You'll eat. We will pack your things, and then we will go."
"I have no say in this, huh?"
"I have to keep you safe, Melody."
I had almost forgotten I told him my name. And the shock of it made a shiver move through my system. Thankfully, only on the inside.
"I get that," I agreed.
"You're not going to argue with