They’d kept her wrapped up in blankets all day with the fireplace blazing. For a while, they’d lain on either side of her to provide her with their body heat. He was happy to note it was working.
Gazing out the window, Ace watched as the snow fell as heavy as a summer rainstorm. It was a complete wall of white, and he knew enough about Canadian winter storms to know it wasn’t stopping anytime soon. They would be snowed in for days.
“What about Snow?” He looked to Nick to see a smile light his face.
“It’s pretty fitting.”
“Snow it is.” He smiled at her.
Snow.
A whimpering sound from the doorway had them both whipping their heads to see Roxie laying there, her eyes intent on Snow, her body vibrating with the need to meet her new mistress.
“Fuckin’ dog,” Nick grumbled patting his leg from his perch on the chair beside his bed. Roxie quickly made her way to him. Looking from Nick to the woman, she jumped on the bed and lay her head on Snow’s chest, nuzzling her and whining faintly.
“What is with her?” Ace wondered aloud.
“Not a clue. Come on, let’s go eat.” Nick stood as Ace followed suit, walking out of the room, leaving Roxie to care for their guest.
Pulling two containers of last night’s leftover stew out of the fridge, Nick handed him one as he walked past to place his own in the microwave. They sat in silence as their meals reheated, neither sure what to do about their guest. Would she even remember what had happened to her? If she did, he was a little afraid that she’d want to leave them. It was ridiculous, but Ace felt connected to her. He didn’t know her name, her eye color, or where she was from. He’d be fucked if he didn’t admit the attraction he felt for her.
“Do you think she’ll remember?” he blurted out, wondering if some type of amnesia could be a problem when she came to.
“What?” Nick looked towards him, a confused light in his dark brown eyes.
“Do you think she’ll know what happened?” he reiterated.
“Are you thinking she might have amnesia?”
“I don’t know. I mean, would it be so far-fetched? We don’t know how long she was out there for, she has a head injury, and she was fucking beaten. Can’t say I’d be surprised if that is how she protects herself when she wakes up…If she wakes up.”
“Shit,” Nick mumbled under his breath. “We’ll take turns watching her overnight.”
With his last command, Ace watched as his cousin walked away. They were in a shitty fucking position. Neither of them had voiced it aloud, but he knew they were both thinking it. She could be it. She could be theirs. And yet, she might already be taken.
“Fuck,” he growled, rubbing a rough hand down his face.
She could reject them.