He nods. “I’m going to talk to the motel owners,” he says. “They’ve got sixty days to get their shit together, or they’re getting shut down.”
“Can you do that?”
“I’m the sheriff,” he says. “It’s my job to keep this town and the people in it safe. I can’t have places like that operating if they’re openly putting people at risk.”
I nod. “Makes sense. Uh, thank you. I know I already said that, but… Cora’s comfortable, and even though this all feels weird as hell, I know it’s better than the motel.”
He tips his head to one side, watching me. “Why is it so weird? Because you’re living with three guys for the next little bit?”
I snort. “That’s part of it. But it’s just… I don’t know. It’s been a long time since I didn’t feel like I was completely on my own. Or at least it feels like a long time.”
Something passes over Everett’s face as I say that. It’s dark and there’s a protective edge to it that makes my pulse skitter. The look in his eyes goes even more intense, and I feel caught, like I can’t look away.
“You should never have to feel like that,” he says, his voice low and rich.
“Well, you know how it goes,” I tell him with a shrug. I swallow, trying to seem unaffected by the way he’s looking at me. “‘Should’ doesn’t always carry a lot of weight in this world.”
“Maybe not, but right now, you’re not alone. All three of us will help you if you need it. Remember that.”
I suck in a breath because those words hit me hard. I’m not even sure what to say to that, but before I can decide, Everett clears his throat and turns to leave.
He sets the mug down on the dresser by the door and leaves me with the curling scent of chamomile with nothing to do but stare after him.
Chapter 8
Harper
In the morning, it’s the smell of bacon and coffee that finally rouse me from sleep. Usually, it’s the sound of the woman down the hall in the motel slamming her door or stomping her feet like a herd of elephants that wakes me up, and for a long few seconds, I have no idea where I am.
There’s sunlight streaming through the picture window, and I blink in confusion until the events of the night before start coming back to me. I’m at the house of the three Alphas. Cora is somewhere down the hall, and judging from the fact that I woke up alone, she didn’t need to come get me in the night.
Whatever relief I might have felt from that is immediately washed out by the sensation of panic that I definitely have slept later than I meant to.
I jump out of bed, not even bothering to get dressed or brush my hair or anything, too focused on getting downstairs to make sure I’m not late or being rude or anything like that.
Of course, all three of the men are in the kitchen. It smells comfortingly of breakfast foods and rich coffee, and their low voices only add to the atmosphere. Cash is at the stove, flipping pancakes with a practiced hand, and Lincoln works the coffeemaker, eyeing the grounds as he adds them. At the long breakfast bar, Everett is cutting up fruit and adding it to a plate.
As soon as I burst into the kitchen, all three of them look up and see me.
It hits me then that I’m still in my sleep clothes, and they are getting a great look at me in an oversized shirt that does nothing to hide my curves, the collar slipping down over one shoulder, and the tiny shorts that can barely be seen under it. Their gazes linger—not in a gross, obvious way, but enough that I can catch their heated looks before they look away politely.
“Morning,” Cash says, smiling brightly. “How’d you sleep?”
“I slept well,” I mumble back. “Maybe too well.”
“Is there such a thing as sleeping too well?”
There is when I don’t know if I should be getting comfortable and relaxing here. But I don’t say that.
I debate going back upstairs to change, to save what’s left of my dignity, but then Cora appears behind me, hugging the back of my leg.
“Morning, squirt,” I murmur.
She tugs on my shirt and looks into the kitchen with wide eyes, clearly following the smell of bacon. She’s been eating better lately, now that I’m making money, but bacon in the morning is still kind of a luxury for her.
I don’t want to leave her alone with the three of them while I get dressed. I don’t think they’d do anything to her, but it’s all still too new. I have no idea what to expect.
“I’ll just get dressed and then head into town to grab Cora and me some breakfast,” I say.