Real Shadows - M.E. Clayton Page 0,40

walked out of the room. My bladder was screaming, and I really needed to brush my teeth and wash my face. It wasn’t a vanity thing; it was a cleanliness thing. Plus, it gave him time to face the day too if he chose. Truth is, Xander Raynes was so hot, morning breath wouldn’t be a factor.

After taking care of business, I grabbed some underwear and a t-shirt, threw them on, and then headed for the kitchen. Xander may have done most of the work last night, but I was feeling it everywhere and that made me feel exhausted. Had it not been for my bladder, I probably could still sleep a good couple of more hours.

I started the pot for a cup of tea while also making some coffee for Xander. Even though he thought I hadn’t been paying attention, I had noticed little things he did throughout his day. Coffee-strong coffee-first thing in the morning was one of those things.

I toyed with making some breakfast, but the desire to crawl back in bed with Xander was stronger than my growling stomach. I knew we’d have to eat soon or later, but the comfort of Xander and his bed felt more needed than sustenance right now.

Besides, if anything could make me forget I was hungry, it was Xander and the skills he unleashed last night. Xander Raynes was a beast in bed.

Xander liked his coffee black, so after testing the strength of my tea, I grabbed both mugs and headed back towards Xander’s bedroom-or, I don’t know. Maybe he was serious, and it would be our bedroom by the end of the day. I wasn’t sure. I just knew I liked the sound of that.

Out of habit, I glanced at the wall shelf that hung on the left side of the hallway that led to the bedrooms, and just like that, my world came crashing down once again.

When I had moved in with Xander, I had placed my rabbit on the dresser in the bedroom he had assigned me, but Xander had been kind enough to order me an identical one, and he had placed it on the wall shelf in his hallway. He thought having more than one rabbit would help make me feel safer, and it had.

Until now.

Everything happened in slow motion as my body went into its familiar state of panic.

The rabbit had been moved.

The accustomed sensation of blood thrumming in my ears blocked out the sound of crashing ceramic on the tile floor of the kitchen. Panic blocked out the sensation of hot, scalding tea and coffee splashing against my feet, ankles, and legs. Fear blocked out the sound of my name being yelled from somewhere in the house.

I’d been found.

Again.

But this time, it only took a matter of a couple of months. He’s never moved this fast before. Whoever was doing this usually waiting until I was settled; comfortable. Well…as comfortable as I could ever be.

I sensed movement all around me, but my eyes couldn’t tear themselves away from that goddamn rabbit. It wasn’t until I felt Xander’s hands on my shoulders that I snapped out of my fearful trance.

“Fallon!” he yelled with a shake of my shoulders. I blinked and looked into his worried face. Whatever he saw there, it caused his shoulders to sag. “Baby…” he whispered.

“Did you move the rabbit?” That’s all that mattered. That’s the only question that needed to be asked.

“What?” His brow drew down. “No. Fallon, I need to look at your feet and legs, baby. They’re turning red.”

I reared back, hurt, confused, scared, and…unhinged. “Who cares about my legs, Xander? Did you move the fucking rabbit?!”

“No!” he snapped. “Why in the fuck would I move either of the rabbits?”

Breathe.

Dawning raced across Xander’s face. “Fallon,” he said sternly, as if he knew I was about to crack, “I need you check your legs. Let me check your legs then…then we’ll check the rabbits, okay?”

I shook my head.

Fuck. My. Legs.

That was until I took a step and heat radiated all over my lower extremities. “Fuck,” I hissed.

Fed up, Xander grabbed my hips, lifted me, and placed me on the kitchen island. He went to go…well, I don’t know where, but I grabbed his arm. When he turned towards me, I could see the worry in every part of his face. “Check the rabbits, Xander,” I begged. “Please.”

I could tell he didn’t want to leave me, but I was two seconds away from full-blown hysteria and I think he knew