Broken

Trust

JEREMY DECIDED TO TAKE HULL BACK TO THE HOTEL WITH us. Hull obviously wanted that-the poor guy was convinced Jack the Ripper and killer zombies were on his tail. We were more worried about Anita Barrington coming after him and trying to “trade” him to Shanahan, but either way, it seemed wise to keep him close.

While some of us wanted to discuss the night’s events before turning in, Jeremy refused, feigning exhaustion, with Antonio backing him up, as if they hoped a few yawns would convince us we were tired too. I certainly wasn’t. That’s the problem with sleeping until early afternoon: twelve hours later, I was still raring to go.

So after we tossed our suitcases into the corner of the room, Clay and I left as Nick made a phone call. We headed into the hall, looking for a diversion…and hoping Jeremy and Antonio might reappear after they were certain Hull had retired.

No such luck. Even after pacing past their door three times, talking loudly, they didn’t come out. As we wandered along the hotel corridor, Clay spotted a communal balcony. The sign on the door warned that it was locked after eleven. But when Clay tried the handle, it opened…though I’m sure his extrahard twist helped.

The balcony was about the size of a hotel room, with a brick railing overlooking the streetscape. There were two lounge chairs-one nearly hidden by the wall, the other on the far side, as if the people who’d used them last had been strangers, and had intended to stay that way.

Clay stretched out in the shadow-shrouded lounger. I walked to the railing and looked down at the city.

“Do you think we did it?” I asked.

“Did what?”

“Let him out. With Jaime’s séance.”

“And none of us noticed him strolling out of that portal?”

I nodded. “You’re right.”

“Timing’s off too. Even if he jumped out the moment Jaime started doing her thing, there’s no way he got over to that corner, met up with his zombies, picked out a girl and killed her, all before we finished. Your friend said the 911 call came in almost an hour before she got the news-while we were still in Cabbagetown.”

The door slid open behind me. I turned, expecting to see Nick. A slight figure hovered in the doorway. Hull. I nodded, but didn’t extend an invitation. He still walked in-right past Clay without seeing him there in the dark-and took a spot beside me at the railing.

“Nice night,” Hull said, gazing out at the city.

I nodded.

“It’s all very…” He looked around. “Different. It’s hard to believe how much can change in a hundred years.” He gestured at the side of the hotel. “Hardly a common roadside inn.”

A stab of guilt raced through me. Any other time, I’d have been fascinated by Hull ’s situation, but here I was unable to muster more than a twinge of empathy.

Granted, empathy and I are not close friends, but I can usually put myself in someone else’s shoes, imagine his situation and feel the appropriate response. Yet, with Hull, there was nothing. Not even curiosity. Maybe I had a lot on my mind, but I should make the effort.

“This must be…” I began, then shook my head. “I can’t imagine what it’s like. Did you have a family? Wife, kids?”

He shook his head. “My work took up much of my time, I’m afraid.”

I managed a few more questions, but his answers were simple, none opening the gate to anything approaching spirited conversation.

I glanced over at Clay, but it looked as if he’d fallen asleep. No rescue there. Hull just watched me, as if waiting for the next question. I struggled to think of one, but under that blankly polite gaze, any spark of interest I could manage sputtered out. It was like being cornered by the most boring person at the party.

“This must be very difficult for you as well,” Hull said after a moment. “In your…condition.” He sidestepped closer. “I don’t mean to be rude but, all things considered, I’m surprised your husband is putting you through this, dragging you here and there, trying to catch these monsters-”

“Her husband doesn’t drag her anywhere,” Clay drawled, appearing at my shoulder. “She goes where she pleases; he just tries to keep up.”

Hull jumped at the sight of Clay. “My apologies. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“That’s because I didn’t.”

Clay nodded at the lounge chair.

“Oh, oh, yes, of course. I should have known. You’re quite…attentive.”

“You could say that,” I murmured.

Hull searched for something to say, but under Clay’s steady stare, he wilted. With a murmured good night, he hurried out the door, closing it behind him.

“Scared off another one,” I said. “No wonder I don’t have any friends.”

“You have me,” Clay said, leaning beside me. “What more do you need?”

“You really want me to answer that?”

“And you have Nick.”

“Doesn’t count.”

“Bet he’d be happy to hear that.”

“You know what I mean. Pack brothers don’t count.”

“Okay. You have Paige.”

“To your everlasting dismay.”

“No, it just confirms that you still haven’t forgiven me for that biting thing.”

I laughed and leaned into his side.

“Paige is okay,” he said. “Same as Jaime, and anyone else you want to befriend except Cassandra.”

“Had to slide that one in, huh?” I stretched, and stifled a yawn. “About Hull…was that just a general ‘get out of my face, human’ warning, or something more specific?”

“Seemed like you were in danger.” He met my gaze. “Death by boredom.”

I sputtered a laugh. “That’s not nice.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t like him hanging around out here when he thought you were alone, so I wanted to make sure he knew you weren’t alone. Maybe I’m paranoid, but I don’t trust him.”

“You don’t trust anyone.”

“Sure, I do,” he said, sliding his hands around my waist and turning me to face him. “I trust Jeremy.”

I swatted him. “Thanks a hell of a lot.”

“Oh, I trust you…in ways. I trust you not to run off with some other guy. Trust you not even to think about running off with another guy. Trust you to watch my back in a fight. Trust you to watch my back more than your own, no matter how much I tell you otherwise. Trust you not to smother me in my sleep. But do I trust that you’d never throw me off this balcony, no matter how much I pissed you off? Uh-uh. I’m not stupid.”

“More a lack of complacency than a lack of trust, then.”

“Exactly.”

I laughed and leaned over the railing. “It’s only three floors down. You wouldn’t die.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

When I didn’t answer, he growled, scooped me up and kissed me, teeth nipping my lip. I groaned and pressed into him…well, pressed the protruding part of my body into him, which really wasn’t all that sexy.

“Damn,” I muttered. “Even making out is getting tough.”

“Just a matter of ingenuity. And repositioning.”

He hoisted me up, putting my legs around his waist, and my arms around his neck, then moving against the railing. With his hands behind my back, he leaned me over the edge. I turned my head to look down at the cars passing below.

“You trust me?” he said.

I met his eyes. “Absolutely.”

He leaned over and kissed me hard. Still awkward, but after about three seconds, I forgot that. I tried to forget too how much more fun this would be without the clothing barrier. That one was tougher, but you take what you can get, and this was pretty damned fine, feeling him hard against me, tasting him, hearing his low growl of-

A deep sigh. “Figures.”

I glanced over to see Nick carrying an ice bucket of drinks and an armful of snacks.

“Don’t ask me to leave,” he said. “You have sex in public, you get an audience.” He squinted over at us. “You’re…still dressed. Great method of contraception, buddy, but I think it’s a bit late.”

Clay pressed his lips to my ear as he straightened me up. “You have my permission to throw him off the balcony.”

Nick continued, “Elena getting shy in her maternity? Won’t let you do it in public anymore?”

“It’s not in public.” Clay lowered me from the railing. “It’s in a public place. There’s a difference.”

“Hey, if you were working up to the clothing-ripping part, go right ahead. I’ll just sit back and enjoy the show. I have snacks and everything.”

“Unfortunately, until this is over,” I said, waving at my stomach, “making out is all you’re going to see.”

“You mean you can’t have-?” He sputtered a laugh. “Damn, that’s tragic.”

I looked at Clay and jerked my chin toward the railing. “You want to take his arms or legs?”

“Oh, come on,” Nick said. “So you can’t have sex for a while. No big deal. Even I’ve gone without sex for a few weeks.”

“Four months,” I said.

Nick looked up from his lounger. “What?”

“If I go to term, I have four months left.”

“Four…?” He looked from Clay to me. “Good luck with that.”

Clay smacked the top of his head as he walked over to pull out the second lounger and motioned for me to join him on it.

“Better make sure it doesn’t have a weight restriction first,” Nick said.

I seconded Clay’s smack.

Nick rubbed the top of his head. “Hey, don’t take it out on me. I’m not getting any either. Of course, I’ll be home soon, and then that’ll change, unlike some of us…”

He ducked before either of us could smack him again. I settled in beside Clay. As I laid my head back onto Clay’s shoulder, my cheek brushed his.

“You’re warm,” I said, lifting a hand to his forehead.

“Better than being cold. Got enough dead people wandering around this city.”

“I’m serious. You’re…” I tried with my other hand. “No, I guess it’s not too bad. I’ll get Jeremy to check you before bed. He should have another look at your arm too.”

“Sounding more like a mother every day,” Nick said. “Scary.”