chapter 3

Abby woke up confused and disoriented. The white room was not the cheerful gold of her bedroom. The bed linens were all white, too, as were the few pieces of furniture in the room. The curtains were a shade of blue so pale, they were almost white. It was so bright, she wanted to dig out her sunglasses.

She wasn’t in a hospital. There wasn’t a muted beeping sound, or squeaky nurse’s shoes. It wasn’t a hotel, either.

Suddenly, she remembered where she was, and why.

For you, my love.

She shuddered. She’d spent last night in a daze, the date with Seth postponed while she dealt with the emotional fallout of Doug’s return. Now it was Monday, and she had to go to work. They both did.

Seth had been so sweet to her, holding her when she cried, listening as she ranted. The only thing he’d refused to do was leave her alone.

She couldn’t stay here. Doug would kill Seth just for smiling at her. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, pushing her hair out of her face. She glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was six thirty in the morning. Hopefully she’d be able to sneak out without Seth seeing her. Maybe she could catch a flight to Abu Dhabi before anyone was the wiser. Who the hell would look for her there?

“Abby? How do you want your eggs?”

So much for that idea.

He sounded sleepy. She opened the door a crack and peeked at him. Seth’s hair was in disarray, as if he hadn’t combed it yet. He needed a shave, and his eyes were hooded with the last bits of sleep.

He wore nothing but a pair of red pajama bottoms. He yawned behind his fist.

He had the nicest chest of any man she’d ever seen, even on TV. Lean and muscular, with a smattering of dark hair and a washboard stomach, it was obvious he put that home gym he had to good use. She had to stifle the urge to run her fingers through those curly hairs to feel the smooth, golden skin beneath. “You have any salsa?” She tried to get her pulse to calm down.

Well. If she had to stay, at least she had a nice view.

He blinked. “Yes, I do. I picked some up about a week ago. Is scrambled okay?”

“Yes, please.” She smiled softly, and shut the door as he turned toward the kitchen. Once she knew he was safely out of the hallway, she dashed for the bathroom. She took care of her morning business, then hurried into a pair of tight black jeans and the only top he’d grabbed, a racer-back tank top she worked out in occasionally that was just this side of tight. She decided to switch to the black T-shirt from the day before instead. She felt decidedly uncomfortable wearing the tank to work. It showed off too much of her body. She bent down and put her black high-top sneakers on. She had on her favorite pair of socks. They were so old, all of the elastic was shot and the black had dulled to a dark gray, but she just couldn’t part with them. She stared at herself in the mirror as she applied her mascara. I look like a vampire, she thought, stifling a grin. Blah, I vant to suck your blood! She made claws of

her fingers and raked them at her reflection, trying to appear menacing.

Oh, yeah. Very scary. She grimaced, then began brushing out her long hair. She might terrify a gerbil.

By the time she headed downstairs, breakfast was on the table. He’d made scrambled eggs, salsa, cantaloupe, toast, juice and coffee. “Wow. That looks really good.” It smelled terrific, too, and suddenly her stomach growled loud enough to earn a chuckle from Seth.

“I usually eat cereal and coffee for breakfast, but it’s not every day that I have someone sleep over.”

“Thanks. I have an egg-white omelet, toast and coffee, so this is something of a treat. I’ll have to be careful at lunch, though. Don’t want to add to the junk in my trunk.” She sat and spooned some eggs and salsa onto her plate. God, she needed coffee, if she was talking about the size of her ass before breakfast.

She reached for the toast, and Seth handed her grape jelly. “I like your junk.”

Was it appropriate to tell him she liked his too? Before she could respond, he took a bite of the eggs. She nearly broke into giggles at the look on his face as he tasted scrambled eggs and salsa for the first time. “I’ve never had salsa on my eggs before, though I’d heard about it. The taste is...interesting.” She watched as he spooned more of the egg and salsa mixture into his mouth, the laughter breaking free at his grimace of disgust.

“It’s an acquired taste.” She ate some of her own eggs with obvious relish, and grinned as he put his fork down and reached for the cantaloupe, leaving the eggs all but untouched on his plate.

“Sorry, guess I just can’t acquire that particular taste. Think I’ll have mine plain next time.” “Do you have a newspaper?”

“Nope. I don’t read anything depressing first thing in the morning. It sours my stomach.” “Ah. You’re one of those people who watch the eleven o’clock news and spoil their sleep?” “Nope. I’m one of those people who read it on the Internet at work.”

“I can’t read at work, or I’d send my customers home with purple Mohawks.”

He grinned. “Yeah, I could see how that would be career altering for a hairdresser.” “What made you decide to be an architect?”

“I like designing pretty things, but I have no aptitude for so-called real art. I kind of liked the idea of building something that someone could live in, make a home in. A place where people could express their own style, or work with the surrounding beauty of nature.” He shrugged. “It’s hard to explain, but I’ve always wanted to do something like that.”

“Practical art.” She’d seen houses in magazines that took her breath away, so she could understand his desire.

He smiled at her slowly, obviously pleased that she got it. “Exactly.” He glanced at his watch. “Speaking of which, we need to start getting ready to go.”

She cleared the breakfast dishes while he went to get dressed. He came out wearing a gray polo shirt and black pants, his hair combed smooth. He threw on his leather trench coat and picked up his briefcase. “Okay, here’s the deal. I’m dropping you off at work. What time do you get done?”

“My shift ends at six, but if I have customers waiting, it could be later. I never get out on time.” She put her own coat on and picked up her purse. Abby followed him to the front door, rolling her eyes at his back. She had the feeling her Abu Dhabi plans were about to go up in smoke.

“Okay. I’ll be at the shop by six.”

She eyed him dubiously. “I may not be ready to go by then, Seth. You’d have to wait.”

“Don’t worry about it. It won’t be a problem.” He opened the door for her, and she stepped out. He followed and pulled the door shut behind them.

“Seth, I’ll be surrounded by people. I’ll be okay. I can call you or Trish as soon as I’m done.” In fact, she’d have an easier time slipping away from Trish.

He turned, finished with locking his door, and smiled down at her gently. “I’ll be there at six.” There was that determination again, the same one that had her out the door of her home the night before.

“You’re too stubborn for my good, you know that?” In spite of her annoyance at his high-handed attitude, she felt reassured. She still didn’t understand why she felt so safe with him. She’d known him pre-Doug, and he was friends with her brother—a man who had once threatened the balls of her prom date right on the front porch, in full view of the entire neighborhood, and didn’t she still want to get even with him for that humiliation.

But something so simple couldn’t lead to the level of trust Seth inspired in her. “Abby?”

She gave in. Seth wasn’t going to back down, and she didn’t really want to visit Abu Dhabi anyway. “Fine. I’ll see you at six.”

“And you’re to stay in the shop for lunch.”

“No, I’m not.” She might be giving up her desert paradise, but no way in hell was she giving up her Girlfriend Date. “I’ve been planning on going to lunch with some friends all week, and I’ve been looking forward to it.” The gleam of battle was in his eye. She’d need to head him off, or her lunch date was off for the foreseeable future. “Nancy is going, so I won’t be alone, okay?”

He seemed to think about it for a moment. “Give me your cell.” She handed it over and watched as he programmed his number into it, both his own cell and his house. “You call me if anything, and I mean anything, gives you even a twitch of a bad feeling, got it?”

She saluted. “Aye, aye, sir.” Exasperation warred with amusement. “Anything else I’m to do today, while you’re handing out orders?”

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, then squinted up at the blue sky. “I’m sure I can come up with a thing or two by tonight.” She watched his mouth quirk as he suppressed a grin.

Abby rolled her eyes.

He chuckled as he grabbed her arm and escorted her out to his car. “I’m serious. I don’t want you alone until we know what’s going on.” He stopped, turning her to face him. All the humor had left his expression. “Promise me.”

She almost melted at the expression of concern on his face. “Seth, I’ll be fine. Really. I won’t go anywhere alone.”

He looked unconvinced. “You’ll call me.”

“I have your cell-phone number.” She’d use it, too, if she thought for even a second that Doug was anywhere near her.

He leaned in closer, his face inches from her own, and the worry in his gaze morphed into that hot- as-hell determination. “Promise me, Abby.” His voice had dropped, the smoky quality all but taking over, and something shivered inside her. She wanted to hear that tone when he was deep inside—

No. It was too soon to think about things like that. She swallowed the saliva pooling in her mouth. “I promise.”

As his lips touched hers, she thought she heard him say, “Good.”

It hardly qualified as a kiss. Just a touch of his lips to hers. But the feel of his mouth rocked her to her toes. She swayed toward him, desperate to take it deeper, but he lifted his head. She found herself unable to look away from his eyes. They’d turned pure blue, dark and mysterious.

He didn’t smile. His head lowered, his eyes never leaving hers until they closed at the last possible minute. This kiss rocked her to her toes. She’d never felt anything so powerful in her entire life. This kiss took, demanded, forced her to respond to him, and she loved it. She put her hands on his chest, flexing her fingers, willing to make some demands of her own. He felt so good, so strong.

He groaned at her touch. His tongue invaded her mouth, exploring, probing. His arms tightened around her, and one of his hands moved to the back of her head and pressed her closer to him. She began her own exploration of his mouth that left her trembling and breathless. She moved her hands up his chest slowly, feeling the softness of the cloth and the hardness of his flesh beneath it, until they met around his neck. He deepened the kiss and she drowned in his scent, his touch, the feel of him under her hands.

Dear God, he was perfect.

When he lifted his mouth from hers, they were both breathing hard. A couple of kids cat-calling from the street corner startled them, forced them apart. He grinned, a sexy expression full of promise. “C’mon, or we’ll be late for work.” He helped her into his car, then moved to the driver’s side. He slid behind the wheel and started the car, sliding on his seat belt before putting it in gear. She put her seat belt on, too, and he drove out of the parking lot. Not a word passed between them until he pulled up in front of the doors of Mane Frame.

“Call me if anything weird happens today. Anything. Got it?”

“Okay, Seth. I promised, remember?” And she would, too. She had no desire to become the brisket at a psycho’s all-you-can-eat buffet.

He stared into her eyes, and moved closer to her. She heard him whisper “Good” before he kissed her goodbye. The kiss didn’t last long, but it started her nerve endings tingling all the same. She knew he watched her as she stepped out of the car and all the way into the salon. It didn’t matter that she walked past at least three of her closest friends on her way into the shop. She was grinning like a Cheshire cat, but she couldn’t seem to stop.

Today was going to be a really good day.

* * *

Seth watched as Dante walked into the living room of Gabriel’s home. “Well?”

“He’s human.” Damien leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees, his hands clasped. It was his classic I’m worried pose, and Seth ground his teeth together. “I haven’t found anything about Finleys in the Archives, on either side of Doug’s family.”

The Archives held the names of all the angel-born, Neph or Shem. None of them wrote in it. The name would magically appear, but only if the angel-born showed powers. Which meant that—

“He could be a by-blow.” Gabriel, towering above all of them, paced before the fireplace. His golden hair gleamed in the sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Seth grimaced. A by-blow was an angel-born who had no powers but had the ability to pass them on to children. By-blows didn’t always know what they were, unless their parent informed them, and

never showed up in the Archives. If Finley were a by-blow and knew what the angel-born were, he could have set things up so that he was working willingly with the Shem.

A by-blow was able to go places and do things that an angel-born couldn’t, making them a useful resource, as they had no aura to alert either side to their presence. Both sides had been known to employ by-blows, and payment varied from employer to employer. Handing Abby over to Doug for his cooperation would be a small price to pay in the eyes of a Shem.

When human life meant less to you than ordering a burger at a fast-food restaurant, it was easy to hand off a number one with Diet Coke to a peon who was doing you favors.

Piercing violet eyes pinned Seth in place. “What have you discovered so far?”

Abby tastes exquisite. “Abby is beginning to trust me. I’ve got her in my home, where I can keep a close watch on her.” He straightened his shoulders, aware that Gabriel wasn’t going to like the decision he’d come to as he watched Abby enter the salon. “If anything else happens, I’m taking her to Piotr’s estate. It’s the most defensible position I know of.”

“No. Piotr is still dealing with some things for me and is unavailable. Take her to your parents first.

Your father will be able to help you protect her. Only take her to Piotr if your father’s security is breached.” Gabriel turned to Damien, and Seth almost sagged. Sometimes the weight of Gabriel’s gaze was too much to bear. “I want you to find all those associated with Douglas Finley. If he is a by- blow, he’ll have ties to the Shem we’re unaware of. Look into it.”

“Do they want her for something more than as payment to Finley?” Damien stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light.

Seth stiffened. “No matter what, they won’t get her. Not on my watch.”

Not ever. The way he’d reacted to the knowledge that she’d been in danger haunted him. His hands had been shaking. He’d been absolutely terrified for her, angry at himself for leaving her alone, even for a second. She’d been vulnerable, and the knowledge damn near killed him.

All of which led him to only one conclusion. Abby was his.

Mates of the Nephilim were guarded by all. Fiona might not have known it, but she had been one of the safest women on the planet. If he could get Abby to accept him, she would learn all about Seth’s real work, and who he worked with.

She’d love Piotr. He was sure of it. Once she got past his scary outer shell, she’d find the warm, loving man Seth was honored to call brother.

“Did you know that Abby is friends with Piotr’s PA?”

Seth blinked and turned his gaze back to Damien. Had the Malachi discovered how to read minds? “Excuse me?”

“Andrea Hancock is one of Abby Marcheson’s best friends.” Damien shot him an innocent expression that Seth wasn’t buying for a moment.

“You think they’re going to use Abby to get to Ms. Hancock, thus forcing Piotr out into the open?” Gabriel shook his head. Only Gabriel and Seth knew that Piotr was actually the son of the head of the Shemyaza, Ivan Romanov. If the others found out, it wouldn’t matter how many times Piotr had put his neck on the line for them. Both Seth and Gabriel were positive they’d turn on Piotr and drive him out. Gabriel had gone so far as to order Piotr to keep it a secret, an order his brother had reluctantly obeyed. Seth wouldn’t put it past Ivan the Terrible to use an innocent to flush his son out of hiding. “No. Piotr knows how important the mission is. He won’t be used that way, especially for a woman.”

Seth grimaced. He knew what Gabriel meant, but to Damien and Dante it sounded like the

commander was damning Piotr as cold, willing to toss aside human lives for the sake of stopping the Shemyaza. Seth knew better. Piotr would act to save a woman, but only if it was the right woman.

So far, his brother hadn’t found her.

“Where is Abby now?” That piercing violet gaze was on him once more, and Seth shivered. “She’s at work, surrounded by customers and her coworkers. She’s planning on meeting some of

her friends for lunch, but she won’t be alone then either. Nancy, her boss, will be going with her.”

Gabriel nodded. “Keep me posted.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “So far we have very little to go on. We know the Shem have been in Abby’s home, but they’re using the specter of her ex- boyfriend to force her into, what? Running? Ramping up her fear for a feeding? Something about this doesn’t feel like a normal Shem hunt. I want to know what they’re up to, and why Ms. Marcheson has been targeted. All we have are more questions than answers, and I don’t like it.”

“Bill’s checking Finley’s old acquaintances and bolt-holes, but because he’s Abby’s brother, he’s not going to get assigned to the case.” Seth shared a glance with Dante.

Dante grinned back. “I think I can get myself assigned. I went with Bill when he got the call, so she’s already seen me, and the chief won’t think it’s strange if I volunteer to help a friend out. That will make things easier when I have to question her.”

“Thanks. I’d appreciate that.” Having his brother checking into things would ease Seth’s mind considerably, and Bill knew Dante. Bill would have no trouble with Dante taking over for him.

“That works on our end.” Gabriel turned to Damien once more. “Find out what you can on Finley and his associates.” Gabriel’s intense gaze landed on Seth. You would never know what he truly was until that penetrating gaze was directed at you. It was all Seth could do not to bow his head. And Seth understood that around them, Gabriel usually had the angelometer dialed to practically zero. “Guard her. Whoever is doing this knows her, is using Doug Finley’s sickness to terrorize her.”

Damien nodded thoughtfully. “A definite Shem feeding pattern. Get them to practically bleed fear, then—”

“Go in for the kill.” Dante’s expression was fierce, protective.

They all shared a look. The kind of Shem who would prolong their meal was the kind they hated hunting most. The bastards were sneaky fucks who left behind very little evidence of their presence.

“Dismissed.” Gabriel turned his back to stare once more out the windows.

Seth followed Dante and Damien out of the house and shivered. It was cold out on the front lawn compared to the warmth of the commander’s home. “Is it me, or does Gabriel have a bug up his ass?”

Dante chuckled. “He’s worried about Rafe. No one’s been able to find him.”

“Not that he’d admit it. He’ll just chew up our asses until he reaches our necks instead.” Damien shook his head and climbed into his car. “I’m off to work, kiddies. Have a good day.”

“Stay safe, my brother.” Dante banged on Damien’s roof twice, laughing when Damien shot him the finger.

Seth shook his head and ignored their antics. He shivered, his wings ruffling around him. “Time to fly.” He was going to keep watch on Abby whether she liked it or not.

“Keep your mouth closed this time,” Dante shouted. “Remember that gnat swarm?” “Fuck you so very much.” Seth stretched his wings, prepared to take off.

“So not my type, pretty boy.” Dante snickered as Seth flipped him off with his wing. “Later, my brother.”

“Stay safe, my brother.” Seth shook his head, but couldn’t stop his smile. Being around his brothers

always made him feel better.

He lifted his arms to the sky, shuddering with joy. He loved flying under his own power. His form shimmered in the early afternoon air and was soon invisible to mortal eyes. He could fly without anyone seeing him, keep an eye on Abby without her freaking out or finding out too soon what he was.

He prayed as he took off that she would accept him, wings and all. It wasn’t every day a woman was asked to love a half-angel.

* * *

Abby and Nancy walked through the black, red and gold interior of the Golden Lotus. They were running late, as usual. She hoped the girls hadn’t eaten without them. She was starving. Breakfast seemed a long time ago, at least according to her rumbling stomach.

“Nancy, Abby, over here.” They waved to Sam and sat down at the table, smiling when they were told the other women had already ordered for them but asked the waitress to delay until Nancy and Abby arrived. General chitchat filled the air while they waited for their food to be brought around.

Once it was delivered, the women turned to the really hot topic of the day: Seth.

“Who was that absolute hunk who dropped you off this morning?” Grace pulled the moo goo gai pan closer and slurped a baby ear of corn into her mouth. “I’ve seen him around before, but I don’t remember meeting him.” Her long black hair was held back by a sparkly, jeweled clip at the top of her head, keeping it out of her dark eyes. Grace Akita was so dainty, Abby was always afraid she’d blow away in a good, strong wind.

“He looked yummy.” Sam toyed with her pork and mushrooms. She’d been waiting outside the shop for her weekly manicure when Abby and Seth arrived, and Abby bet her spacey, brilliant friend had seen the kiss.

Nancy put down her vanilla Coke and grinned. “Careful, Abby, or Diana will steal him right out from under you. He’s just the type she usually goes for.”

Worse, Diana could have been Fiona’s sister. She was tall and blonde, with cool blue eyes. She caught the attention of many men in the salon. “Good point.”

“Who looked yummy?” Beth asked, peering around in confusion. “You know guys aren’t allowed to have secrets without me.”

“Abby’s new boyfriend.” Nancy ignored Abby’s red face, waggling her eyebrows at them. She popped a piece of sweet-and-sour chicken in her mouth, licking delicately at the corner of her mouth to get a stray drop of sauce.

“Abby’s got a new boyfriend?” Sam squealed. She pushed her plate out of the way and propped her chin in her hand. “Do tell.”

“You finally got it on with Mr. Right?” Beth pushed her glasses up her nose with an impatient gesture and a wicked grin.

“Will you all stop? You’re worse than Trish.” Abby hid her head in her hands, torn between the desire to laugh and the desire to choke her friends to death.

She was just grateful that Andi wasn’t there. Not that Andi wouldn’t hear the rumors soon enough.

The gossip tended to fly thick and fast in this group, even when they weren’t all together, like now.

Half of her friends were working, but Grace owned the occult bookshop, Meditations, two doors down from Mane Frame, and almost always made time to meet them for lunch. Sam was currently

unemployed thanks to some bastard who’d accused her of stealing. Pfft. As if. Sam might be flighty, but she was loyal to a fault, and had all the honor of a knight in shining armor. Beth wasn’t working on a case and had been able to join them, but the others had such weird schedules that it was catch-as- catch-can when their monthly lunch date came up.

Abby still figured she’d get a phone call or two at some point that night, long after she should have been asleep. Andi, for instance, kept the same hours as her boss, Piotr Romanov, and that was a man known to ring in the dawn. Andrea Hancock was a hell of a personal assistant. Luckily Mr. Romanov knew it. He paid her friend a crazy salary, and Andi earned every penny of it.

Quinn was off somewhere doing her Indiana Jones impersonation. At least, that’s what she always said. Those Discovery Channel shows depicted something a hell of a lot more boring, but Quinn always came home dusty, bruised and extremely happy, so no one called her on it.

Last, and probably loudest, Kaley was currently in some play that was making her crazy. Whoever thought casting the exuberant, over-the-top Kaley as a misty-eyed Snow White was insane, but Kaley was determined to make it work. So even though the play wasn’t yet being performed, Kaley was practicing her ass off day and night in between rehearsals and costume fittings.

“At least one of us is getting some.” Beth winked at Abby over her glasses.

“It was just a kiss. Sheesh.” Abby laughed as the women booed and hissed. She took another bite of her pork lo mein before answering. “I’m staying temporarily with Seth because someone broke into my town house this weekend.”

Pandemonium broke out at the table. The two most frequent questions thrown at her were “Are you all right? Were you hurt?” and “His name is Seth? What else can you tell us, hmm?”

With many interruptions, she filled them in on what had happened. She neglected the kisses, however, until Sam reminded them all. “Didn’t I see him kissing you goodbye this morning?”

Abby blushed, and pandemonium broke out again among the girls.

“Is he a good kisser?” Sam sighed, her chin on her hand, her gaze going dreamy. “It sounds sooo

romantic.”

“Can’t the girl eat her lunch in peace?” Beth pushed her glasses up, her expression disgusted. “I for one want to know about the break-in. Who’d pull a sick stunt like that?” Beth was a private investigator, and from the looks of things, she was dying to sink her teeth into Abby’s case. She leaned forward, her gaze equal parts troubled and assessing. “You think it has something to do with Doug?”

Even Sam quieted down, her gaze turning sharp as that brilliant intellect turned to the real problem at hand. “If it’s Doug, that’s bad. Very bad.” She bit her lip. “What can we do to help?”

Abby smiled at sweet Sam, but before she could reply, Grace piped up. “Of course it has something to do with Doug, but...not, somehow.”

“If Grace had a vision, that’s really bad.” Sam brought out her tablet PC and began tapping at it furiously. “I’m going to do some research into home security systems and send you links.”

“Thanks, hon.”

Sam waved it off, her gaze glued to her tablet.

All of them knew Grace didn’t run Meditations as a hobby. She had some sort of freaky sight that even the pragmatic Beth had to acknowledge was scarily accurate. In fact, Beth was watching Grace like a particularly interesting specimen, a sure sign the PI was on the hunt. “What do you think is going on, then?”

“I’m not sure. I wish I could tell you more, but Doug is definitely tied into this somehow.” Grace

gave Abby a sympathetic shrug. “You know my visions aren’t always clear.”

“It’s okay, Grace.” She shivered. “It’s kind of scary to think Doug is free, though.”

“Yes, I know, but here comes the hero, riding to the heroine’s rescue.” Sam sighed, obviously lost in the fantasy as she placed the tablet back into her purse. She’d barely touched her lunch. She was rail thin, and her usually intelligent hazel eyes were unfocused.

Beth glared at her in disgust. “Does this look like something out of one of those romance novels you read all the time? This is real life, damn it.” She turned back to Abby with obvious concern. “What precautions are you taking?”

“I’m not allowed to ever be alone. Seth’s picking me up tonight at six and I’m staying with him, in my own room,” she yelled over Sam’s fist-pumping cry of “Booyah!” “The cops are still trying to figure out what’s going on. So far it’s just one incident, and without any more to go on, there’s not much they can do. Bill’s checking into it, but until something else happens, we’re stuck.”

“But Seth’s taking it seriously, right?” Beth asked, pushing her dark brown hair out of her eyes. Abby sighed. “Yes. He is taking it seriously. He’s going to escort me to and from work.”

“You need to contact us, any of us, if you need something. You hear me?” Beth could make even fried dumplings look like a lethal weapon as she stabbed at Abby with her chopsticks. “I know you, Abby. You’re going to try and run from this, and you can’t run from someone like Doug.”

“But if I stand my ground, he could hurt someone.” Just like he’d hurt her family. The thought of Doug doing anything to Sam or Beth or, God forbid, Seth was like a knife in her gut.

“And if you don’t, you could find yourself alone and dead.” Beth took hold of her hand. “Trust me. You and Bill both know Seth, and I trust Bill. He’d never let anyone like Doug near you ever again, so if he’s willing to let Seth live with you, then you need to trust his instincts. Okay? Because right now yours are going to be messed up, down and sideways.”

“And I’ve seen the way he watches you.” Nancy’s brows rose as she smirked. “You could have picked someone a lot worse to curl your hair.” She laughed as Beth rolled her eyes.

“Seriously. Ignore these idiots. If you need something, you call me, got it?” Beth poked Nancy in the side. “All Curly will do is buy you condoms, and Sam would buy you a plane ticket.” It didn’t help their cases when both women nodded. “So don’t run unless Seth tells you to, and then for God’s sake take him with you.”

Abby grimaced. “Abu Dhabi is pretty this time of year.”

“Idiot.” Everyone laughed, the tension easing as Beth bopped her on the head. “We worry about you, yeah?” Sam smiled sweetly.

“Worry about yourself, Sam. Any job prospects yet?” Beth leaned back. Her gaze was still sharp, but it was obvious she was making an effort to change the subject.

Abby was grateful. For just an hour, she wanted the subject of Doug to be off limits. And Beth was just the woman to deliver, as she kept the conversation centered around everything but Abby.

But at the end of the meal, Abby couldn’t stop shivering. Grace hadn’t stopped staring at her through the rest of the meal, and her expression had been...unnerving.

Afraid.

And if Grace was afraid, then Abby was in bigger trouble than she thought