I smiled at him, though I wasn’t sure what made me want to reassure him that everything was okay.
Everything was not okay. I’d fainted, a first for me, and was being told I wasn’t allowed to go to work, or go home.
My two safe places.
Well, as safe as a place can be when you have a stalker that tracks your every move.
“I’m going to put on some dinner,” Jay said and headed off towards the kitchen.
Dex kissed Claire and moved towards the front door. “I’ve gotta talk to Dad about a few pack matters but will be back with Taylor soon.”
Grayson was still standing by the door with Aaron, and my heart lurched to see them leaving.
They were so much better looking than Dex was. How could Claire go for her guys, when the ones next door were so much hotter?
Grayson’s skin was so clear and healthy I wanted to just rub my own face against his.
Dexter grabbed Grayson and they kind of fell through the doorway.
Clair turned away to grab her phone and my brain clicked into gear.
“Hang on a minute. Did he just say pack?”
What sort of person referred to his family as a pack? A pack of what?
“Oh, yeah. It’s just a nickname. There’s a high percentage of men in the town. Not many females have been born in the last few generations, which is why the guys live together in triads.”
That sounded like something out of a dystopian movie.
“That’s a bit strange. How many is ‘not many?’”
In most communities there was generally an even amount of males and females born, as long as there were no rules about how many children one family could have.
That tended to outweigh the odds.
“Ah… none, actually.?
??
“What? How is that possible?”
I stared at her, watching her face for signs of deceit or misunderstanding.
Claire shrugged. “They don’t know. Dexter’s and Taylor’s moms were some of the last-born females in this town. From then, only males have been born. Which is why I’m hoping I have a girl in here.” Claire stopped to pat her still flat stomach. “Because that would be a miracle.”
I looked away, towards the front door, a chill coursing down my spine.
“So, you’re telling me that out there is an entire town filled with sex-starved men, who haven’t seen a woman in, what… day, weeks? Months?”
My stomach tightened until I wanted to be sick. Was this why Claire had lured me out here? To be some triad’s woman?
“I think I should go home, Claire. You can’t keep me here. Not with this many men… I…”
I couldn’t breathe. My skin was on fire.
“Claire! I… I…”
My breath was wheezing in and out, my lungs hurt too much.