She set her sandwich down slowly.
“I don’t have a choice. The information comes to me every seven days. It plays in my head like a market ticker but with just one stock on repeat. If I don’t share the information, it makes me twitchy. The longer I hold it, the more painful it becomes until I’m a mess. Blake figured that out. It became another way for him to control me. I have to share the information with someone. As soon as I do, the countdown to the next premonition resets.”
The headache the first week she was here and her weird reaction on the porch when she’d overheard Winifred speaking to Sam made more sense now.
“And that’s why you didn’t want to tell me.”
The premonitions didn’t just provide wealth, they provided a way to physically control her through her own pain. How had Blake prevented her from sharing the information? A gag? Tied hands? I wanted his blood.
Keeping my expression calm, I nudged her glass. “Drink.”
She barely managed a sip before she set the glass aside.
“There’s more,” she said. “I told you a little about what Blake said the night before I ran. That he wanted me to bite one of his men. Before that, he talked about evolving my abilities. When you asked if I saw what would happen, I meant it. I don’t have those kinds of visions. But since coming here, something has changed. I’ve gotten glimpses of people. Girls like me, mostly. I don’t know why. Those visions don’t work like the stock ones. They don’t repeat.”
I wanted to be angry. To shake with rage. But her anxious expression kept it all in check. I reached for her and wrapped my hand around hers.
“We’ll figure this out. Please, let some of the worry go. Trust us to keep you and your brothers safe.”
She nodded, squeezed my hand before letting go, then picked up her sandwich.
* * * *
For the rest of the afternoon, I kept an eye on Michelle. She didn’t withdraw into her apartment again. Instead, she went to Winifred’s and joined in on the number fun. When Jim came home, Michelle helped cook dinner and hung around for some cards afterward. The three were relaxed when she finally said it was time to get to bed. I didn’t suggest I sleep on her couch again, although I really wanted to. I could see that she didn’t need it, and I didn’t want to push my welcome.
But, come first light, I let myself into their place just to check on them. They were all sleeping peacefully. The boys woke before she did. Not unexpected. She was probably still catching up on sleep. I left a bowl of cereal on the counter for her and took the kids downstairs.
When she finally joined us, we were already on our third board game of the morning. She smiled and sat on the floor by Winifred’s coffee table. We spent the rest of the morning, and most of the afternoon, there having fun.
Yet even as we laughed and played, I was thinking ahead. Michelle had told me she had two secrets. One would test my loyalty and one would give me power over her. She’d shared both with me. There were no secrets standing between us anymore. No reason we couldn’t move beyond friends.
Will you watch the boys tonight? I sent Winifred.
Of course. Do you think she’ll agree to go?
I glanced at Michelle. She grinned at Liam and asked for a four. She loved her brothers as much as any mother would. And leaving them was just as hard for her.
Jim caught my eye and winked a second before he groaned and his stomach rumbled.
“Aden ate half my lunch. Can I have a snack, Michelle?”
Aden giggled and shook his head in denial.
“I’ll see what I can find,” she said, standing.
“There should be chips at my place,” Jim said with a grin.
I followed her to Jim’s kitchen and watched her open several of Jim’s cabinets before pulling her away from her search. She turned in my arms, smiling up at me. I loved that face. Gently, I set my hands on her cheeks, feathering my thumbs over her skin and lips.
“Do you know you’ve been here a month?”
Her smiled faded with each swipe of my thumb, and her scent sweetened.
“Let me take you to dinner tonight. Please.”
Her pulse skipped and she slowly nodded.
“Wear the dress,” I said, stepping back to open a nearby cupboard. The chips were right inside. I took them and waited for Michelle to walk with me.
Her steps were slow as she followed me.
“I’ll watch the boys,” Winifred said for Michelle’s benefit. I began to doubt Michelle even heard, until she nodded.
“Could we leave in an hour?” I asked her while handing Jim his chips.
Michelle frowned slightly. “Sure.” She began backing away, then turn and ran up the stairs.
I glanced at Winifred.
“Nerves most likely. Probably because of the dress.”
“Why?” Jim asked, beating me to it.
“It’s more daring than I would have picked for her.”
“Daring how?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see for yourself.”
Jim stretched and patted Aden’s head.
“Be right back.”
He was out the door before I could catch him. We raced up the stairs and I caught him by the ankle. We fell a few steps, and we each wrestled for our own purpose. His was to get away. Mine was to reach the landing first.
“Boys! I suggest you both stop, or you will lose dessert.”
The warning in Winifred’s tone had me delivering one last punch to Jim’s thigh. He bit me in return.
“Damn it,” I said quietly. “Go find something else to do.”
“No way. Annoying you is more fun. Come on. Let’s see what fancy clothes you brought home with you.”
He followed me into my living room, leaving the door open behind him. We could both hear Michelle moving around in her apartment, mumbling under her breath. Jim grinned at me.
“You going to shower first?”
“And leave you without supervision? No.” I shoved him toward my room just to ensure he didn’t go bother Michelle.
“What if she needs help with a zipper or something?”
“Then I’ll help her. Not you. If you want to be useful, call the restaurant for a reservation.”
He pulled out his cell phone. While he spoke to someone, I opened my closet where the only nice clothes I had were hanging. Dark dress pants, a sport coats and a thin grey V-neck sweater. I took the sweater from the closet.
“You’re going to sweat in that thing,” Jim said when he hung up.
“Nope. It’s one of those thin ones, not the kind Mom tried making us wear during the holidays.”
I tugged my current shirt off and put on a clean white tee, then the sweater. Jim sat on my bed and waited as I finished changing.
“Nervous?” he asked.
“Yes and no.”
“Want me to give you a pep talk?”
“Depends on your idea of a pep talk.”
“Don’t stare at her chest, and if you do, put a protective hand over your baby maker.”
“I should have said no.”
He clapped me on my back as he stood. “Let’s go see how she’s doing. Ten bucks says she tries to back out.”
As soon as I reached the hall, I knew Jim might be right. The sound of her rapid pulse filled my ears even through the closed doors.