XIV

I hadn’t had it in me to go to Djinn and Juice tonight. I was a busy girl, so I could take a night off. It’s not like it would actually impact my client list, anyway. So, I was curled up with a book again, but a totally different book.

A dirty book.

Leah was out, working a late shift, so wouldn’t be back until the early hours of the morning. So, I was curled up with a cheesy romance that portrayed mate stricken werewolves in the wrong light, and it was just getting to the good part.

The thrum through my chest could have been perceived as anticipation, but the way it festered could not be written off as such. I swallowed hard, trying to choke down the heartburn that refused to subside. The thing that sent me rolling off the couch and to my knees, though, was a sharp, stabbing feeling in my stomach. I massaged it, trying to soothe the pain, but it was no use. I felt like I was burning from the inside out, so I struggled to stand, stripping off every layer I had on as I stumbled t