Hunting Human - Amanda E. Alvarez [69]
“A car and directions back to Portland,” Beth blurted out before she could stop herself. She knew she couldn’t leave. A part of her even acknowledged that Markko was as responsible for that as Braden was. Still, the lack of choice rankled.
“Anything else?” The words came out as a quiet apology that Beth didn’t want to deal with.
“I could use some sleep. I didn’t get much last night.” She let the accusation hang between them.
“Right. I’ll show you where my room is.”
Beth followed him quietly up the stairs and down a sunlit hallway. They passed a loft showcasing an ornate pool table, a forgotten game still laid out on the green surface. The room overlooked the entryway and a portion of the family room. The two-story windows at the front of the house poured light in and provided a breathtaking view of the forest.
Their home was everything she might have imagined of Braden’s family, had her arrival not been so hostile. The picture of normalcy, the warmth of his parents, Lucy’s constant laughter; all of that a weighty force that made it difficult to believe she’d arrived in the trunk of a car. The contradiction exhausted her.
Braden opened the second door on the left and allowed Beth to precede him into the room. A queen-size, cherry sleigh bed dominated the middle of the room, crisp white sheets and what looked like a down comforter were pulled back invitingly.
Fatigue overtook her in a rush. She ignored the rest of the room, sat on the edge of the bed, toed off her shoes and ignored Braden hovering in the doorway.
“Do you need anything?”
“I’m fine.”
“Beth, I…”
Beth cut him off with a jerk of her hand. She didn’t want to hear what he had to say. “Go away, Braden.”
“Look, I just want to…”
“I don’t care what you want.” She tucked her feet underneath the sheets and sank into a mattress as soft as a cloud. “Go away.” She closed her eyes, willing Braden to leave her alone. Maybe she’d have a better idea of what to say to him after she slept.
He sighed, but switched off the light. “I’ll be down the hall in the office, third door to the right, if you need me.”
Beth turned her back to him and burrowed into the pillows. “I won’t.”
***
Beth had been lying awake for a little more than an hour, staring out the window, watching the sun’s steady arc toward the horizon. She knew the moon marched steadily in behind it.
“Knock, knock.” Lucy lightly rapped her knuckles on the door as she pushed it open. “Oh good, you’re awake.” She grabbed four large shopping bags off the floor and marched into the room.
Beth sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, reluctant to leave the quiet behind her. “What’s all that?”
Lucy started pulling things out of the bags she dropped by the dresser.
“The stuff I picked up for you in town,” she answered, pulling out several long-sleeve shirts, a couple of T-shirts, two pairs of jeans and several satin pajama sets.
“You didn’t need to get all of this. Some underwear and a toothbrush would have been plenty,” Beth said as Lucy continued to pull things out of bags, laying them either across the end of the bed or on top of the dresser.
Lucy grinned at her. “Don’t be silly. My clothes don’t fit you and Braden said to make sure you’re comfortable.”
More items appeared by the second: several sets of underwear, a hairbrush, makeup, toothpaste, even a silky robe. Beth felt anything but comfortable. “It’s too much.”
“Nah. Besides, I parted Braden from his credit card before I left.” Lucy looked at her, an earnest expression crossing her face. “He wanted to make sure you have everything you need.”
“Well, thanks, I guess.”
Lucy beamed at her response and started sorting through things. “Okay, I got you a couple of extra bras and some underwear, I followed the sizes you gave me, but I hope I got the right styles. You didn’t say.”
Lucy shoved some lacy undergarments, matching lacy undergarments, Beth realized, into her hands.
“These are great.”
“Oh good.” Lucy began pulling dresser drawers open until she found an empty