Chapter 4 Chapter 4

It was clear from the conversation the men were having that Zach was flustered, and Carson had that amused look about him that let her know he was the culprit, not that Ryan or Jake would even try to agitate a guest in their home. Narrowing her eyes at Carson but not speaking directly to him, Ember stopped in front of Zach’s chair. “Hey, there, Zach. Feeling any better?” It was evident by the way his hand was shaking against the armrest and the perspiration still beading his upper lip that he was not.

“I’m fine,” he said, not at all convincingly. “I’d just like to go home now, if that’s possible. I’ve had a long day, and I have to be at work tomorrow morning at 9:00. So….”

“So… I’m afraid that’s not possible, not tonight anyway,” Ember said, reluctantly. Not only did she hate to break the bad news to him, she really wanted him out of  the apartment. Tonight was not going as planned.

Zach’s forehead wrinkled. “What do you mean? That crazy guy wasn’t at my apartment.”

“No, but it’s possible he could come there looking for you.” Ember folded her arms, thinking aloud as she spoke. If somehow what Ruby was reporting had really happened, and Zach did see a Scale, assuming that Scale got away, he could potentially come looking for Zach--and bring reinforcements. Especially if the Scale noticed Zach’s unusual reaction to him. And as stupid as Scales could be, she doubted any of them would miss something like what both Zach and Ruby had described.

Surveying the sea of faces around him, Zach groped for a response. “But… I mean… I have work. And class tomorrow night.”

“Sorry, man,” Jake offered, leaning forward in his seat. “Ember’s right. We don’t know who that guy was yet, but we can see if we can figure it out. In the meantime, you’ll be a lot safer here. This guy could be bad news.”

Ember caught Jake’s eyes, glad to have his chill explanation, even though she knew that he was aware that the circumstances were even more dire than his word choice and tone conveyed. Turning her attention back to Zach, she asked, “Where do you work?”

“Coffee shop over by school.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I guess I could call in sick. I just hate to leave them hanging. We’re usually busy on Fridays. Why can’t I go to work?”

Squeezing the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger, Ember considered the question. She really didn’t see any reason why he couldn’t. She doubted a Scale would come after him in broad daylight. She could always go get him after work, or send one of the guys.

She didn’t get a chance to respond, though. Ruby sounded exasperated. “I already told you. It’s dangerous. Dude, you don’t know what you don’t know. Besides, Ember has a friend you might need to go see tomorrow.”

“A friend?” Zach asked, his eyebrows a unibrow as he stared at Ember, looking for answers.

“What friend?” Carson sounded even more curious than Zach somehow.

Ember addressed him first, shaking her head slowly as if to say, “Not now.” Then, to Zach, she said, “Hopefully, that won’t be necessary, but I have a friend who… might be able to help us figure out what--who--you saw.” She was stammering now. Her overall energy was low, and with her flying power drained almost to the core, she was struggling in other areas, too--like formulating complete sentences. “Tell you what, let’s get some sleep, and we’ll reassess in the morning, okay? Your boss is probably in bed by now if he or she has to be at work before you, so maybe text them first thing in the morning, let them know you might not make it in? And then we’ll see what we can manage before you have to be at work.”

She could tell by the way he nodded his head that he didn’t like it, but Zach mumbled, “‘Kay,” and let out a sigh before he added, “I don’t have any of my stuff.”

Inhaling deeply, Ember looked around. Of course, she’d realized that before, and it had even crossed her mind she’d have to figure out what to do with him when she and Ruby were talking, but now that she was making decisions, some problem solving would need to be done.

“You seem like you’re about my size. I have some pajamas you can borrow,” Jake offered.

“The guest room is full of shit,” Carson chimed in before Zach could even reply to Jake’s statement. “He can’t sleep in there.”

“He can sleep in my room.” Ryan vacated the chair behind her and stepped around the coffee table so he was at her shoulder, where he was most of the time. “I just changed the sheets this morning.”

“You change the sheets every morning,” Carson snickered.

“Better than once every six months,” Ryan shot back, and Ember thumped him in the shoulder, reminding him that Carson was trying to draw him in.

Jake got up, too, and Zach continued to flick his eyes from one of them to the next, like he didn’t even know who to look at, despite the fact that everyone was moving in human mode. “We have extra toothbrushes in the half bath. Come on, I’ll get you situated.”

“But… I don’t want to impose.” Zach pushed down on the armrests like he might stand but didn’t.

“You’re not,” Ember assured him, forcing a smile onto her face. “It’s fine. We’re happy to have you.”

With one eyebrow cocked, Zach surveyed her for a moment, staring into her eyes as if he were giving her a lie detector test. Somehow, Ember managed to hang on and avoid blinking, even though if she’d been any deeper into the lie, her pants would’ve been on fire.

“Doesn’t Ryan need his bed?” Zach wanted to know, finally breaking his stare to look at Ryan.

“Not tonight.” Carson’s grumble was muffled by the fact that he was pulling his large frame up off of the couch, and Ember realized his crankiness had more to do with that than anything else, despite the fact that she’d been giving him plenty of attention lately. Carson always wanted more.

Zach seemed to be trying to sort the situation out and must’ve finally come to the conclusion that Ryan would be spending the night with Ember as a sheepish grin pulled up one corner of his mouth. “Oh, okay. Well, I mean… if you guys are sure you don’t mind.”

“We don’t mind,” Jake said, standing a few feet to Zach’s left in the walkway that led back to where the three guys’ bedrooms were. “Come on, man.”

Instead of going along, Zach seemed to want everyone else’s approval. Ryan smiled, letting him know he was cool, and Ember did the same. Ruby, who was standing nearer the hall that led to the exit now, as if she couldn’t wait to get out of there, said, “I told you they wouldn’t mind, Zach. It’ll be fine. I’ll check in on you tomorrow.”

“Don’t matter what I think.” Once again, Carson’s voice was a low rumble as he headed the other direction, toward the kitchen.

Rolling her eyes, Ember stepped forward ready to be done with this. She pulled Zach up by the shoulder and moved with him toward Jake. “It’ll be fine, Zach. I promise. Go ahead and go with Jake, and he’ll get you sorted out for the night. We’ll ensure you’re safe, and then tomorrow, we’ll see what we can find out. Okay?” Again, she forced a smile, ready to pick the guy up and launch him to the other side of the apartment.

“Okay,” Zach echoed, noting the tone in her voice. “Thanks.”

It was really a thanks-for-nothing, Ember realized, seeing as though he didn’t want to be there any more than the rest of them wanted him there, but she nodded and saw him off to Jake who she was sure could make him feel more comfortable than anyone else.

As soon as they were out of sight, Ember wheeled around on Ruby. Folding her arms, she said, “You tell Lane he owes me.”

Ruby’s eyes sparkled, and a grin split her pretty face. “Thanks, Em. We’ll talk tomorrow.” She was already walking backward toward the exit. But before she turned to go, she paused to run her eyes over Ryan’s entire body, from top to bottom. Her grin morphed into a lustful smirk. “Have fun.”

Narrowing her eyes at her mischievous friend, Ember assured her, “We will,” and watched her disappear around the corner. A few seconds later the door opened and closed, and Ember breathed a sigh of relief. At least one uninvited guest was gone. The other was going to be a much bigger problem. But that could wait until tomorrow.

The sound of Carson clanking around in the kitchen, just out of her sight, let her know he was still upset. But that was something else that would have to wait. She turned her attention to Ryan, and the gleam in his blue eyes let her know they were on the same wavelength. Extending his hand, he moved toward her, and Ember pushed every other thought out of her mind entirely.