Publicly Exhibited [Werewolves of Hanson Mall 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Cara Adams

thirty?”
    “Damn!”
    Hawthorne sank down onto the couch, Willow beside her. Rhion was starting to feel like he’d walked onto the stage in the middle of a play, and had no idea who he was or what his role should be. Fortunately, right then Cadfael put on his managing director’s voice and demanded sternly, “Hawthorne Cunliffe, for fuck’s sake tell us what the fuck is the problem?”
    Both Willow and Hawthorne turned startled faces toward Cadfael, but he stayed over by the wall, where they’d both transformed. Rhion had pulled his jeans back on and now Cadfael got dressed as well.
    “Oh, I was bored and asked Eilidh if we could go to the gym. I’m used to going walking most days. She said people would still be there but suggested we could walk up the stairs or even run up some of them. It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind but it was exercise and out of the apartment so we ran together down to the fifth level, then back up to the seventh.”
    That all sounded fair enough to Rhion. “So what’s the problem?” he asked.
    “I decided to walk right up to the top of the building and a damn huge wolf came running down the stairs toward me. I thought he was going to fucking bite me. Eilidh pushed me behind her and shouted at him and he ran back up the stairs. Eilidh dragged me into the elevator and back here and that’s when I realized she wasn’t surprised or anything. Finally she told me some of the people here are wolves which is why you’d believed my story and had hidden Willow and me. But why the fuck didn’t you tell me? Do you know how often I’ve wondered if I could possibly have been wrong? If I was going mad? If I truly was insane?” Hawthorne broke into sobs and Willow pulled her sister into her arms to hug her. Eilidh went across to the refrigerator, poured a glass of water, picked up a box of tissues, and brought them back for Hawthorne.
    “It’s not my secret to tell,” said Cadfael gently.
    Rhion was impressed by the way his friend had changed from the boss demanding an answer to sympathetic listener in a heartbeat. But Cadfael truly cared, Rhion knew that. Just as he cared. These two women had been subject to a lot of trauma and dealt with it very capably. He really shouldn’t be surprised that Hawthorne’s nerves were stretched tight.
    “Yeah. That’s what Ay-lee said.” Hawthorne sniffed and used the tissues, then took a drink of water.
    Rhion hid his smile at the way both women reverted to pronouncing Eilidh’s name how they’d first learned it when they were stressed. To him, it was a perfectly simple, normal name. But he guessed to someone without Celtic heritage it might seem a little weird. He wondered if either woman realized Rhion wasn’t spelled Ryan.
    “Who was it on the staircase?” Cadfael asked Eilidh.
    “Maelor. He’s texted me twice asking if he can come around and apologize. He also said he goes for a run up and down the stairs most nights about eleven and he’s never so much as heard a door slam in the past, far less seen anyone. He also said you two are the only people he knows who regularly use the stairs instead of the elevators, apart from himself.”
    “You knew who it was?” asked Hawthorne.
    “But it wasn’t my secret to share,” said Eilidh.
    Hawthorne looked down apparently accepting Eilidh’s reiterated response. Poor Maelor. He was attracted to Hawthorne and now he’d scared her witless. That was going to upset him, almost as much as it’d upset her.
    “What happens now?” asked Willow.
    Yeah. Good question.
    Cadfael rubbed his hands over his face. “Tomorrow, well today that is, Rhion and I will pull out all the stops to get answers to our questions about Bailey Hamilton. Until we know what is driving him, or who’s behind him, you women won’t be safe. We asked for answers long enough ago we can push for responses now. Also I’ll ask Georgia and Wynn who are leading our family research team to come talk to you both in the afternoon. I