Page 59 of Dark Christmas
I tighten my grip around her, pulling her closer. “You’re safe here.”
She shakes her head softly. “I’m not worried about me. I’m worried aboutyou.”
That catches me off guard. I brush my lips against her neck, letting out a breath. “I’ll be fine,” I assure her. “I’m working with Sasha. We’ve got solid leads, and we’re getting to the bottom of it. I’m not letting them get close again.”
She seems to relax a little at that, but I can still sense there’s more on her mind. Something deeper she’s not ready to share. I don’t push.
Instead, I keep holding her, my hand stroking her side, tracing soft patterns along her skin. Slowly, her breathing evens out, and she drifts off to sleep, warm and safe in my arms.
I gently ease out of bed, careful not to wake her, pulling on some clothes before heading downstairs.
The house is quiet, and I find myself standing in the kitchen, staring at the calendar on the wall. Christmas is just around the corner. A part of me wonders what it would feel like to spend itwith her, all of this danger behind us.
What a perfect Christmas gift it would be to have this nightmare over, to know she’s truly safe.
I pour myself a cup of coffee, the warmth spreading through my chest as I take a sip. But my mind keeps drifting back to Sasha. I need to hear from him soon, to get the next steps locked down. We can’t afford to lose momentum.
A chime from my phone interrupts my thoughts, the familiar alert from the Ring cam app. I pull it up, bringing up the view of the front door. Nothing. The porch is empty.
Frowning, I grab my gun from the counter, heading toward the front door. I open it slowly, scanning the area. No one’s there.
Then, out of nowhere, a little black kitten appears, padding up to the porch as if he owns the place.
I laugh under my breath, shaking my head. So, this is what set off the alert? The kitten doesn’t even hesitate, he walks right inside like he belongs here.
I’m about to shoo the little guy back out when something stops me. The cat food we picked up at the store earlier flashes through my mind. With a shrug, I head into the kitchen, the kitten following close behind, its tiny paws padding along behind me.
I grab the bag from the counter, shaking it slightly as I open it. The kitten’s ears perk up, and it lets out a tiny meow, eager for the meal. I grab a bowl, pour some of the food in, add a bowl of water, and set both down on the floor.
The kitten pounces on it like it hasn’t eaten in days, digging in with its little face buried in the bowl. I lean back against thecounter, arms crossed, watching the scene unfold.
Thinking about Amelia’s “lie” earlier that we needed cat food settles in. It’s as if she knew the universe was sending us a kitten.
Chapter 30
Amelia
Iwake up late the next morning, my stomach doing somersaults.
Great. The nausea’s back. I barely make it to the bathroom before I throw up. My head spins as I flush the toilet, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
I need to go to the doctor and confirm what the test said, though, at this point, I know in my gut its true.
I splash some water on my face and go to find Melor.
He’s in his office, pacing with his phone pressed to his ear. I stop at the doorway, catching snippets of the conversation.
“…need to know where they are… no, we can’t wait until it’s too late. You understand?”
His tone is dark, serious, and dangerous. Whoever’s on the other end, it’s clear the conversation is heavy. But then his eyes land on me, and he immediately knows something’s up. He ends the call, not even bothering to say goodbye.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, his eyes locked on mine, concern written all over his face.
I take a deep breath. “I need to see a doctor.”
Before Melor can respond, I catch a glimpse of something that makes me do a double take. Curled up on the leather couch is a tiny black kitten.
I walk over slowly, half-expecting it to vanish like some strange hallucination. But nope, there really is a tiny black kitten there, curled up and fast asleep, purring softly.