What the hell was Mack going to do about her? Crash thought about getting her out of there before Mack showed up, but hell, she had nowhere to go. Best to just let Mack come, blow his temper, and hopefully afterward he’d be reasonable.
Crash walked over to the door to the bedroom. He swiped the paperclips aside that Shannon had painstakingly rehung. Looking at the bed, he took in the sight of her sleeping. It never failed to stir him, the sight of her in his bed. “Shannon.”
The kitten looked at him from its spot curled up on the bed next to her and meowed.
She stirred slightly, but her eyes remained closed. “Shannon. Babe, wake up.”
This time her eyes fluttered open, and then she yawned and stretched. “Morning.”
“We got company coming. Get dressed.” He let the paperclip strands drop and went to make coffee.
He was on his second cup when he heard the pipes rumbling up the street. Getting up from the island, he strode over to the security console and punched in the code to raise the steel door. Then he sent the elevator to the ground floor. Strolling back to the island, he sipped his coffee and waited, listening to the sounds of not one, but three bikes roll in.
Fuck.
He heard the bikes shut off, and then the gate of the elevator slam shut. Its gears strained and creaked as it rose to the second level. He looked over at Shannon who was leaning back against the sink, her legs crossed at the ankles. She looked cute as hell dressed in a pair of black yoga pants and a hot pink racer-back tank. Her hair was up in a messy twist, and a coffee mug was clutched in her hand. The only giveaway of how nervous she was, was the way her foot was bouncing up and down like she was on speed.
Crash’s eyes flew back to the elevator as Mack threw the gate open and he, Wolf and Red Dog walked in.
“I suppose Cole told you I was coming,” Mack surmised.
Crash nodded. “Yeah, he did.”
Mack just glared at him and then stalked across the room toward the island. He paused, taking in Shannon. Then he spun around, stalking across the room and back, his hand raking through his hair, frustration rolling off him.
Crash noted his eyes taking in the pillow and blanket on the couch. He rose and moved toward the coffeemaker. Pulling down a mug, he picked up the pot and filled it, then held it out to Mack, who glared at him, then accepted the cup.
“Suppose this is why you’ve been AWOL for so much shit.”
“I haven’t been AWOL for anything.”
“Yeah, Cole’s covered your ass. His ass I’ll deal with later.”
Shannon turned toward Wolf and Red Dog and whispered, “Would you like some coffee?”
Wolf smiled at her. “I’ll have some, darlin’.”
Red Dog looked over at him. “What, one brush with death ain’t enough for you?”
Shannon shook her head. “No rat poison. Cross my heart.”
Mack looked down at his cup. “Wait. What?”
Crash fought to not smile. “It’s fine, Mack. Just an inside joke about her coffee making abilities.”
“Brother, right now, her coffee making abilities are the least of your worries.”
“Maybe we could have this discussion up on the roof? Just you and me?”
Mack grunted. “Maybe you should let the little heiress hear this.”
“Mack.”
“Fine. I could use a smoke anyway.”
Crash led him outside. Dropping to a chair, he pulled his pack of smokes out from under his seat. It was definitely a two-smoke cheat day. He put the cigarette to his lips and flicked his lighter open. Drawing deep, he looked over at Mack, who’d taken a seat next to him and was puffing on a cigar to get it lit. “How much do you know?”
“Apparently, I don’t know shit. You wanna fill me in?”