Page 85 of Hash

“Alright,” Hash says as he studies my face. “I’ll be back tomorrow night, and I’m staying.”

“Okay. Let me know what you want for dinner, and I’ll make it.”

“Make whatever you want, baby doll. I need to get going. My brothers are waiting. Give me those lips.”

I turn to face him, planting a big wet one on him. Just as I’m starting to pull away, Hash’s hand presses into the back of my head, holding me in place as he deepens the kiss.

“That’s how you kiss your man goodbye,” Hash says, his voice low.

He lightly rubs the top of Cormac’s head before giving me one last look and walking down the hall and out the front door.

I sigh before smiling tiredly at Cormac, ready to get on with our evening routine so I can rot in bed and hopefully make this feeling go away.

By the time I get him in bed, I’m exhausted. All I want to do is get an ice-cold Diet Coke and lie in bed and watch TV until my brain shuts off.

As I pad down the hall and into the kitchen, I freeze. Frigg is alert and sitting on the dining room table, staring at the sliding glass door. Her body is taunt and alert.

“What are you looking at, pretty girl?” I coo to her, trying to keep the fear that’s creeping up my spine out of my voice.

Not that it’s going to do any good. Animals can sense when you’re in distress without you talking.

An eerie feeling creeps up my spine with each step I take as I move toward the sliding glass door. Frigg moves with me, coming to a stop at the edge of the table, her eyes wide and unblinking as she locks in on the same spot she was looking at when I found her.

I can’t see past the patio because the lights are off.

Do I risk turning them on?

What if someone’s out there?

Oh, my God.

They can see me, but I can’t see them.

“Is someone out there, Frigg?” I ask again; this time I’m not able to keep the fear out of my voice.

Frigg doesn’t move.

Okay, I need to put my big-girl panties on and turn the lights on to see. It’s probably nothing, and I’m just being crazy. Frigg probably saw a moth or something fly up against the glass from the light coming from inside the house.

I move along the bar part of the counter until I reach the end where it butts up to the wall right next to the glass. The switch is right next to it.

My finger finds the switch. I inhale deeply as I count in my head to psych myself up to turn it on. “One… two… three.”

I squeeze my eyes shut as I flip the switch on. I slowly open one eye, taking in the patio furniture first.

Nothing.

I press my nose up against the glass and cup my hands around my face as my eyes strain to see further into the yard.

I still don’t see anything.

The tiny hairs on the back of my neck are standing tall from the feeling of being watched. At this point, it’s probably my paranoia.

I need to get a grip. Nothing has happened all day. Maybe Frankie is right. I just need to relax. I did have a crazy-ass weekend, and I’m not even sure I’ve really processed it.

Hash and I did a complete one eighty in the best way possible. I just hope it stays that way.

“Come on, Frigg, let’s go to bed.” I sigh as I shut the patio light off, turn off the kitchen light, and grab my drink and head to bed.