Sighing, Rylee headed into the kitchen. One of the first things she’d done once she’d gotten herself on her feet had been to find an apartment and learn to cook. She was no gourmet chef, but she could whip together a chicken stew and dumplings like a champ.
Stressing over something she had no control over wouldn’t help her, or anyone else for that matter. There wasn’t a damned thing she could do until they found the asshole who had the hard drive. She’d meet with Jaxon and give him what little information she had. From there, they’d figure out what to do.
Once the stew was simmering on the stove—and after a quick check to ensure Niko was still sleeping—careful not to make a sound, Rylee slipped out the front door. She’d grab her things from the SUV and bring them in. If the kitchen held state-of-the-art appliances, it stood to reason that if she went looking, she’d find a washer and dryer to launder her new clothes in. Eau de Department Store wasn’t her favorite fragrance.
She paused on the front step, looking and listening. If anything was amiss, she’d go back into the house and wait. With the sun dipping low in the sky, the shadows in the yard lengthened, but she could see well enough to know it was empty. Setting a brisk pace, she headed to the barn.
Her gaze roved over all the shiny metal and chrome until it came to rest on the bright pink Ducati. Ursula’s paint gleamed in the spotlit stall, and Rylee wished she could take her out for a spin, but that would have to wait. If that vampire was still around, she didn’t want to lead it straight to the farm.
Her stomach rumbled as she hefted half the bags out of the SUV. How had she bought so much stuff in one shopping trip? Sweeping the yard again, she left her packages on the front porch and made it all the way back for the rest when that uneasy feeling settled into her stomach again. Peering around her, she picked up her pace, jogging to get back to the house. Nothing looked out of place, but she wasn’t taking chances.
She bounded up the steps heading to the front door, barely registering that the first load of she’d brought up were no longer where she’d left them.
Closing the door and locking it behind her, she dropped her bags to the floor before crossing into the living room. The spot where Niko had been curled and sleeping was empty. Damn it. She listened for any sound that might indicate where he was. If he hurt himself, she was going to be pissed. This was why she worked alone. Worrying about someone else left her vulnerable. Instead of concentrating on what was going on outside, she was focusing on her mate.
She went to the window and peered out. Nothing. Maybe she’d get a better view from upstairs. Not to mention that she could check on Niko. He had to have gone up there, right?
The faint sound of running water greeted her as she bounded up the stairs. If she wasn’t mistaken, it was coming from the room she’d shared with Niko the night before. Her pulse slowed a few beats as some of the tension in her chest released.
Resisting the urge to go straight to him was damned near impossible, but she forced her shaky legs to take her to the window at the end of the hall instead. If he was in the shower, he couldn’t be hurt too badly. Pulling the curtain back enough to peek through, she checked out the tree line at the side of the house. Still nothing.
“What are you looking for?” Luca asked from right behind her, making her heart all but leap out of her chest and a small scream rip from her lips.
“You scared the shit out of me,” she yelled just as the bedroom door crashed open and a very wet—very naked—Niko came barrelling out.
“What’s wrong? Why did you scream?” Niko asked, his chest heaving, his eyes darting between her and Luca.
“Jesus, put some clothes on, bro. I don’t need to see that shit unless you’re about to shift,” Luca said.
“Step away from my mate,” the growl in Niko’s voice would have left lesser men trembling, but Luca just shook his head.
“I’m not after your woman, and you’re an asshole if you think I’d ever do such a thing. She ran into the house like her ass was on fire. I was checking on her.” Even as he said the words, Luca stepped back.
“He just startled me, that’s all,” Rylee interjected, stopping the chest-pounding before it could go any further. She pointed her finger at Niko. “You’re not supposed to be on two legs yet.”
“And you were supposed to stay in the house,” he admonished right back at her.
Luca cleared his throat and shuffled his feet before slipping past them both, heading to the stairs. “I’m going to go check on that stew. I’m starving.”
Niko’s lips thinned, and she’d swear she heard a small grunt as he redistributed his weight. “He didn’t deserve that,” she said once the man was out of sight.
“I know. I’ll apologize later.”
“I went to grab my things out of the SUV so I could wash my new clothes. I came back in right away,” she said as way of explanation for her actions. She had to tell him about her uneasiness, but she needed to know that he was okay first. “You, on the other hand, could have done some serious damage. How’s your leg?”
He narrowed the gap between them. He still looked damned sexy in the middle of a hallway without a stitch of clothes
