She almost groaned out loud at the mess she’d found herself in. The other Enforcers, besides Connor, would need to stay hidden, and Isaac would have to stop spending the night. The loss of his arms around her would hurt. Heck, it already did.
“So, I assume you are staying here?”
“If you wouldn’t mind….”
“I’d have it no other way. I have the most comfortable bed. You’ll see. I, of course, will take the couch.” She held up a hand at her sister’s protest. “I insist. My pregnant sister won’t be sleeping on the couch. End of discussion.”
“We could share—”
“Heck no. Last time you pushed me out of bed!” she exclaimed.
“I was ten,” Marie protested.
“Yeah, and you’re a lot bigger,” Sabrina gestured at Marie’s protruding stomach, “and have an extra person inside you. You’ll take the bed, I’ll take the couch.”
“Did you just call me fat?” Marie asked incredulously.
“No, I called you pregnant.”
“I show up on your doorstep unannounced, and you give me your bed. I’ve missed you.” She promptly burst into tears.
Ah, the joys of hormones and jet lag.
“Shh…don’t cry. You’ll ruin your makeup,” Sabrina half-joked. If anything would upset Marie more than being called fat, it was smudging her makeup. She pulled Marie into her arms and reached around her sister’s stomach to pat her on the back. “There, there now. Everything’s fine.”
“I’m sorry. I’m such a mess.”
“It’s okay. I’m sure you’re exhausted. Why don’t I show you the big, comfortable bed I told you about?” she asked soothingly.
“But I just got here. I haven’t seen anything yet.”
“Yeah, but if you go nap for an hour or two, you’ll be more alert. You’ll see so much more, I promise. Your baby needs a rest. Let’s go.”
“Well, maybe a little nap.” Marie spoke through a yawn. She followed Sabrina silently to the bed. Sabrina bit back a gasp when she pulled back the sheets and saw Isaac’s black shirt lying on the mattress. She tried to nonchalantly ball it up before Marie noticed the shirt, but failed. Her sister snickered and ripped the shirt from her hands.
“Sabrina Hodges, has a man been sleeping in this bed?”
She lunged for the shirt, but Marie moved it out of reach by holding it above her head. Marie stood five-foot-eight, easily towering over Sabrina. Anger washed over her at the childhood trick. She had hated it then, and hated it now.
“Marie, I am not above beating a pregnant woman, I swear,” she threatened. Her sister lowered the shirt, smiling apologetically, but raised it before Sabrina could snatch it back. To her dismay, Marie repeated this action three times before she got it back. She glared at her sister as she clutched the shirt to her chest and fought the urge to bring it to her nose to inhale Isaac’s scent.
“So, he sleeps here, or what? Don’t tell me you’re living together already. I know you’re smarter than that,” Marie stated.
Sabrina knew only one course to her sister’s interrogation. Pure denial. “Of course not. He spent the night once, only once. It just so happened to be last night. You barely missed running into him.”
Marie arched an eyebrow. “Part of the reason I came out here is because I’ve gotten a bad vibe from you lately. You’re always so distracted. You never seem to be listening to me, like you are in your own little universe, or something. I’m worried about you.”
Sabrina flushed. Perhaps she had been a bit preoccupied. But certainly it was normal to be distracted when you found out the man you loved was immortal, and loved you over a hundred years ago? Right?
She thought so, anyway.
“I’m sorry, Marie. My being unfocused isn’t Isaac’s fault, though. I’ve been busy writing, is all. Honestly. You know how distracted I can be when I’m sucked into my writing.” Liar. “Now get some rest, we’ll talk later, okay?”
“Okay, but I want to meet this paragon of a man, and soon,” Marie grumbled while climbing into bed.
“Yeah, sure,” she replied before closing the door and walking downstairs.
She couldn’t help but feel she had just escaped torture as she sat on the couch cradling her head in her hands. She’d missed Marie. God, she had. But now didn’t seem like a good time for a visit. Louisa lurked nearby. Close enough for the Enforcers to sense, but smart enough to evade capture.