Cats in Heat by Asha King Page B

intake of breath at his words.
    “You know, Addie. Whatever gifts she had, you have too. Do you think I found by accident the one person who could save me from death?”
    She said nothing and he wished he could see past the conflicting emotions he felt from her straight into her mind—to know precisely what she was thinking.
    “I didn’t do anything,” she began at last.
    “Yes, you did—”
    “No, I didn’t. I’m nothing special.” She abruptly stood and stalked from the kitchen.
    “Addie, listen to me.”
    She abruptly stopped and looked back at him fearfully.
    She wasn’t ready to hear it. None of it. But keeping her in the dark seemed more dangerous than anything else.
    “You can’t trust anyone right now. Not even the people you think are okay. There’s...there’s a lot going on and just promise me when you’re outside of your house that you’ll be careful.”
    She stared at him and made no promises.
    “Addie—”
    But she turned from him, mumbled something about heading to the shower, and seconds later he heard the bathroom door close.
    Erik glanced back at the over-boiled spaghetti, sighed, and turned the stove off.
     
    ****
     
    Addie couldn’t get the image from the photo album from her head.
    The sand or whatever she was playing with in the doorway—it was right there , a memory on the edge of her mind, pushing and pushing. But even as it threatened to return to her, her adult, rational mind pushed back. The war in her head seemed to be between her grandma and her mother—one wanted her to remember, to embrace some part of herself long-forgotten, while the other cautioned that the only way she could remain safe was to forget about all of it.
    The whole debate was giving Addie a goddamn headache. Spending hours in the dusty attic wasn’t helping matters—she needed sleep. A lot of sleep.
    After turning off the water and mostly drying herself off, she gathered her things and opened the door. Addie stepped out into the dark hallway, startled as she found Erik waiting for her.
    He’d filled out more the past few days as he healed, putting on bulky muscle. Some of his wounds had faded. His shoulders were broad and imposing and she could see, truly, how he would be capable of killing in the ring.
    But there was a gentleness and warmth to him she couldn’t deny either, nor could she deny the sudden heat she felt in his presence or the tingle of energy running along her skin as she met his eyes.
    He’s been keeping things from you, don’t forget. And those amber eyes hold more secrets than you’d care to delve into .
    Her clothes were clutched in her hand and a towel was wrapped around her body from chest to mid-thigh. Her hair was damp still and smelling of the conditioning fruity oil she used to keep it moisturized; water rolled down her back and she suppressed a shiver. The fact that they were both nearly naked—her simply in a towel, him in track pants that sat low on his trim hips—had not escaped her.
    Addie glanced away from him, flipped off the bathroom light, and skirted past him for the door to her bedroom.
    “Addie,” he called after her in a warm voice she felt straight to her bones.
    She paused with her hand on the bedroom doorknob. “Just tell me this: are you safe here?”
    He didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
    “And am I safe while you’re here?”
    Dread plummeted when he didn’t answer right away. “For the time being.”
    “Then stay and we’ll talk tomorrow. I need to sleep.” And stay out of my dreams , she nearly added, though that wasn’t fair—it had been her invading his, hadn’t it?
    You know, Addie. Whatever gifts she had, you have too.
    Just eight hours of sleep not worrying about any of this—that was all she wanted at the moment.
    She stepped in her bedroom and closed the door behind her. The room was dark and would be warm if not for the breeze drifting through the windows. Even without the lights she could make out the outline of the boxes she’d