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"Oh, I know you are." I squeezed her ass, and she sucked her breath in through her teeth. "Whoops. Forgot you were pretty in pink." I caressed her firm ass in gentle circles instead.

"Hmm. Yes, and it feels good." She brushed her lips over mine. "Gonna help me meddle?"

"You know it."

"Good. We can start after dinner with Maya tonight."

"Anita's going to kill you for this." I smirked and ran my fingers through her hair. "You know that, right?"

"Uh huh." Nora snickered and played with my hair again, springing back each curl one at a time. "Your hair got long."

"I know. Time for a trip to Jordan's. Cin works magic on this mess," I said.

"Speaking of…you know she's started hooking up with Mercy?"

"That's a nightmare waiting to happen."

"Yes. Mercy is…kind of free spirited in that way." A small smile tugged the corner of her mouth.

"Did you just try not to insult Mercy?" I cocked a brow at her, and she nodded.

"I'm not any better…or wasn't any better before you."

"What changed?"

"You. I've always ever wanted just you… And now that I have you, I don't want anything or anyone else ever," she said, her gaze landing on my lips. "I don't…"

"I know, Kitten." I nudged her chin so that she'd look at me properly. "Neither do I."

"Anita deserves to be happy, too…"

"She does. We'll do our best to help her out like she helped us out, okay?"

"While Sali and Maggie are in Hawaii, I'll stay with her when you're traveling or have long days. Unless she has a long work shift, then I'd just be stuck there."

"That's a good start. We should think about getting you a car, honey…"

She shook her head. "No. I'm okay without it."

"I want you to think about it, okay?" I stroked her cheek. "It doesn't have to be your car. It can be my second car that you drive."

"Okay." She nodded, holding my hand against her lips. "Is Sami still coming over this week?"

"So far."

Nora's phone rang and she reached across me to scoop it up. Her brow crinkled and the way her body tensed told me whatever appeared on the screen freaked her out. I caught a glimpse of the number without a name, but the word Alabama appeared under it. She stood from my lap and swiped the screen before swinging her phone up to her ear. At first, she didn't say anything, just listened.

"No. It's me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Every inch of her tensed as she fiddled with the fabric of her robe. She listened to whatever the person said, and closed the garment around herself, fastening the belt tightly around her middle. The way she stood there, frozen and tightly held together with her eyes staring down at the tile in front of the fireplace disturbed me enough to fly out of my seat.

I moved in front of her and gripped the phone on top of her hand. "Who is it?"

Nora didn't answer me, and it took her a second before glancing at me. Heaviness darkened her eyes, turning her pale skin to ash.

"Give it to me." I pried her fingers from the phone. "Give it, Nora."

She let me take it and I pulled her frozen body against me.

"Who is this?"