Page 23

Chapter Twenty-three

I wake up to the sound of screaming, followed promptly by thudding footsteps. Before I can even get untangled from the mess of sheet’s I’ve found myself in, the thudding footsteps turn into my door slamming open and three half naked, weapon brandishing and very angry men bursting into the room.

I realise, somewhat belatedly, that the screaming must have been me. I must have had a nightmare. I come to this conclusion at about the same time as the guys must, because they lower their various pointy objects and relax their posture.

I’m still trying to detangle my sweaty body from the sheets and Chase’s huge shirt but eventually I manage to free myself without tumbling to the ground in an ungraceful lump. I quickly peer up at the concerned faces surrounding the bed and decide to state the obvious.

“I had a nightmare.”

“No shit, Trouble. You scared us half to fucking death.” Nate, of course, is the one to answer and I glower at him a little because it’s easier than letting them see how shaken I am.

“Do you remember what it was about?” Chase asks, perching his huge frame on the edge of the bed I just escaped.

I try to think back to what I was dreaming but it’s gone. Though I do get a flash of red hair and sweet brown eyes that makes me think of the harem girls. I just shake my head at Chase and move in closer to him until I’m pressed against his warmth to help me ward off the sudden chill. Then I continue moving in until I am sufficiently plastered against his back like a giant band-aid. Only then do I let out a sleepy sigh and feel Chase relax underneath me. I allow his warmth to pull me peacefully back towards the land of sleep. At least until a strong arm hooks around my waist and hauls me backwards over the bed with an undignified squeak. Straight into another hard, warm chest.

I twist my neck a little to peer at the source of my disturbance and Nate glares back at me with some sort of challenge in his eyes. I try to puzzle out his emotions for half a second before my brain switches back into sleep mode and I simply twist in his arms and plaster myself against his chest. Tired me is a hug slut. What can I say? Nate makes a satisfied grunting noise before sweeping me into his arms and moving back towards the top of the bed.

“I’m staying with her tonight, to make sure she doesn’t have any more nightmares.” Nate tells the room and I groggily lift my head to peer at him, because he’s using a decidedly bossy tone that I don’t think will sit all that well with Hunter… but Hunter is already gone. Its only Chase left in the room, standing awkwardly on the other side of the bed while Nate glowers at him. “Straighten up the bed for us and get out.” Grumpy Nate snaps. He might still be a bit pissed at Chase for my earlier panic attack.

I expect Chase to get upset because, heck if I wouldn’t have handed Nate his own ass with a tone like that if he were trying to order me around, but Chase just grimaces and moves to do as he’s told. Huh, guess I’ll have to hand Nate his ass anyway. I just need to wake up a little so I’m not too aggressive in my newly rediscovered badassery…

“The fuck you talkin’ to him like that for?” I slur at him, sounding like a drunken wannabe gangster. So. Sleepy.

Nate rears his head back like I just slapped him and gives me an incredulous look that my tired brain does not appreciate.

“Um, in case you have forgotten, he caused a pretty major panic attack in you not that long ago Trouble. Most people wouldn’t be cuddling up to someone who hurt them so easily.”

“He didn’t hurt me, you wally. Far bloody from it. It was definitely unfortunate but not at all Chase’s fault.” Nate gives me a disbelieving, and confused, look and as he opens his mouth, I quickly cut him off. “Mate, if I was mad at Chase, I’d be mad at him. I don’t need you to defend my honour or whatever when it’s between us. I mean, like if anyone else sends me into a panic attack feel free to… I don’t know… crush them or whatever…” I taper off my tirade, a little unsure where to go from here. I’m so tired I can’t think straight.

“Who, or what, and I say this with as much respect as possible, the fuck is a Wally?” asks Nate after a significant pause. I feel like he might have been struggling to process and landed on the first part. Whatever, I’m sure he gets the gist. His lips are twisted in a way that makes me think he’s trying not to smile so I just shrug and answer his question.

“A Wally. You know, Wally wombat?” blank stares all round. Must just be an Australian insult then. I roll my tired eyes and mutter “An idiot.”

“Ah.” Nate nods his head in understanding as a yawn splits my face again. “Well, we better let you get some more sleep so you end up a bit more coherent tomorrow. As it is now, I know you’re speaking English, but… are you?” I swat at his arm lazily as he drops me back to the mattress then climbs in after me. I’m already drifting away but when the other side of the bed doesn’t dip under Chase’s weight, I force my eyelids open once more to glare at him.

“You. Sleep.” I manage to grunt, pointing to the space next to me demandingly. Chase’s handsome, beat-up face softens and he gives me a lopsided smile before slipping in next to me and curling his huge arm across my hip. I immediately close my eyes and let sleep take me, but just before unconsciousness steals me completely, I think I hear Nate murmur to Chase.

“I don’t know if I should be impressed or terrified of the hold she has on us already.”

“A little bit of both, I think.” Is Chase’s reply. If they spoke any more, my body is too tired to hear it as I finally succumb to a deep and dreamless sleep.