The Great Disapurrance: BBW Shapeshifter Surprise Pregnancy Romance (Chicago Catastrophe) by Anya Nowlan, Rory Dale Page B

sputter something in response, but Arlen hung up, only barely managing to not toss the phone across the room in a fit of rage.
    He remembered how evasive Sienna had been about her past and family. There was obviously something behind that and he needed to figure out what, fast. The cell couldn’t be tracked. At least that would buy Arlen and Sienna some time. It wouldn’t be long until Foster sent someone to comb through the safehouses.
    And after telling the man off like that, the visit might not be entirely polite, either. He’d have to be careful when broaching the subject with Sienna, make her feel safe, first. A soft rustle came from the bedroom and he braced himself for what was bound to be a difficult conversation.
    They were running out of time.
    Here goes nothing.

Fourteen

Sienna
    S ienna had pressed her ear to the door as soon as she heard Arlen’s voice coming from the other side. She could have just opened the door and asked Arlen who he was talking to… But to be completely honest, and despite how much she wanted to, she couldn’t quite trust him yet.
    And it seemed she was right not to. His words echoed through her mind, filling her with terror.
    “Return her to her parents in exchange for the money, right.”
    From what she could gather, he was talking to his boss or someone who worked at The Firm. He’d promised to keep her out of Holland’s reach, but her family was a whole other ballgame. She wasn’t foolish enough to think Arlen would place his job at risk for someone he barely knew.
    Not to mention, the money her parents were offering for her return was probably very generous.
    I will never go back to the way things were, she swore to herself, hands trembling at the memories that came rushing back.
    She needed to get out before Arlen gave her to his employers to be carted off to New Mexico. She heard him moving around in the kitchen, but his voice was too low for her to make out any more of the conversation. After a while, everything grew silent.
    As soon as she was sure his call had ended, she stepped out of the bedroom, rubbing at her temple and putting on a grimace of pain.
    “I think I’m getting a migraine,” she complained, before Arlen could get a word out.
    Arlen started to step closer but stopped himself, hovering by the table instead.
    “Can I get you something?”
    “I think I saw a pharmacy close by when we drove up, would you mind going and grabbing me some Advil or something? It’s really starting to feel like someone’s building a house up there,” she replied, grabbing hold of her head with one hand.
    Arlen hesitated for a moment, looking like he was going to say something else, before settling on “Sure.”
    He looked coiled up like a spring, tense all over. His grey eyes were steely and his jaw tight.
    “Why don’t you go lie down? I’ll be right back.”
    He brushed past her, giving her shoulder a little squeeze, on his way to get his leather jacket. Sienna’s stomach constricted at the touch, heat spreading through her.
    Stupid body! Haven’t you gotten the message? He’s a traitor!
    “That’s probably a good idea,” she conceded as he made his way to the door.
    He gave her a little nod before stepping out. Pain roiled through her as the door fell shut behind him. The thought of having allowed herself to trust him was so visceral it nearly gutted her.
    Focus. You’ve got this. Move on, bitch about it later, she told herself.
    As soon as his footfalls cleared the hallway, she leapt into action. She got her own clothes out of the dryer and quickly dressed, closing the bedroom door after her once she was done.
    Opening the front door just a sliver, she peeked out into the hallway, just to make sure Arlen hadn’t played her and wasn’t lurking around somewhere. She let out a breath when the coast was clear.
    Sienna tiptoed out of the apartment and down the stairs, looking both ways when she reached the front doors of the building. She didn’t spot him