At that, he chuckled, his fingers sliding up in my hair and bringing my face down to get his kiss. It was long, slow, gentle, and sweet, perfect after we had quick, hard, and rough.

He broke it at the same time he tensed, his head turning sharply toward the door.

“What?” I whispered.

“Fuck. Wei,” he replied and looked up at me. “Dress, pussycat. Nightshirt’s okay. He won’t be here long.”

I nodded and we were out of bed in a flash, this including me losing him from inside me, which made me gasp for two reasons.

He set me on my feet, bent, retrieved my nightgown and panties, and handed them to me.

I took them and dashed to the bathroom while Abel moved to the chair where he’d thrown his jeans the night before, just as there was a knock at the door.

I got behind the closed door and dressed, deciding to take care of some other pertinent business while I was in there, doing this as I heard Abel open the door.

“Special delivery,” Wei said as greeting.

“We’re gonna hang tight outside, give Lilah some privacy,” Abel returned, and I heard the door close, knowing from the silence they were on the other side of it and feeling that settle in my belly. There was a door to the toilet but no ceiling, and even though I didn’t have a ton of hang-ups, taking care of business while two guys could hear it wasn’t something I was hankering to do.

I got it done and left the bathroom, calling, “All clear,” knowing at least Abel would hear me through the steel and cement (which meant he could probably hear the other parts, but…whatever).

The door opened.

I had a loaded toothbrush in my hand when it did and I moved back, shoving it in my mouth and lifting a hand to wave to Wei.

“Yo, Lilah,” Wei greeted.

I waved harder and smiled through building foam.

The men walked in, both carrying coolers. I went to the sink but did it turned, watching them move to the kitchen.

Also listening.

“All’s clear on the home front,” Wei reported as he put his cooler on the floor. Abel went to the fridge and opened it, setting his cooler on the floor also, but he kept bent and slid the lid open.

He then commenced loading bags of blood into the fridge as I felt my eyes widen.

“Good,” Abel replied.

“You think they got a load of us, then turned tail and ran, thinkin’ whatever beef they have isn’t worth it?” Wei suggested with what I figured was more hope than realism.

“I’m thinkin’ they got a load of us and they’re off for reinforcements and a strategy session,” Abel replied, his eyes sliding to me.