Page 75 of He Who Sleeps

“You know him?”

She nodded. “He’s a beat cop on my block. He lives over this way apparently and saw the grate not down, so he investigated, as cops are wont to do...”

"Well, I guess I'm glad that someone is looking out for you," Leo said. "The law is generally useless, but in this case, one more pair of eyes on you can only be a good thing."

“Yeah, but when that pair of eyes is figuring out that it’s my tits on the window...”

Jack chuckled and chucked her on the chin. “Probably gave the guy spank bank material for weeks.”

"You want us to kill him?" Leo asked. "You know...for laying eyes on your tit prints?"

“Well, no. It just was uncomfortable...I mean, he’s a cop.” She shrugged. “So just the two of you picking me up? I assumed Easton would...”

“Ah, but Easton has been here before,” Jack offered. “We haven’t so...”

“Well, to that logic Carter and Rix should be here, too, and Emerson.”

“All of who are already on their way to our destination.”

“Well I gotta grab a bag.”

“All taken care of.” Jack winked. “And there are actual clothes in the bag we packed for you. Not just frilly sexy things.”

"Against my protests, I might add," Leo laughed. "I voted for total nudity, but the birthday boy said no."

She smiled. She hadn’t seen Emerson, and was eager to, considering they had only had phone and video time. “Don’t worry, love,” she told Leo. “For your birthday I’ll go completely starker’s the entire time.”

"I'd like that in writing," he said seriously, despite the twinkle in his eye. "I need to be able to hold you to that."

“You know I would never deny you, Leo. Any of you.”

“Birthdays could be fun going forward,” Jack quipped.

"Oh, I have no doubt whatsoever that you'll make all our birthdays very special," Leo said, glancing at his watch. "You about ready? The car will be here any second. Can we help you lock the place up?"

She nodded. “One of you can make sure the back grating is closed. The other? Make sure the warehouse is empty of people. I can handle the showroom,” she said and they set to work. Mere moments later they were all in the showroom and they were ushering her out to an SUV parked in front of the building, the windows blacked out. She locked the door, hitting the code in, and the grating came down, clicking into place. “There. All done.”

"Well then, my lady," Leo rubbed his hands gleefully. "Your chariot awaits."