Werewolves of New York by Faleena Hopkins Page B

together and called her friend. It was in the neighborhood and he insisted on walking her there, happy when she was relieved.
    She put on her coat and grabbed her black suitcase. Glancing at the broken door, she walked out with him behind her. “Let me get that.” He picked up the suitcase and she studied his ability to lift such a heavy thing without signs of strain.
    They walked the chilly streets into the night together, Eli keeping an ear out for Louise to ensure she wasn’t following them. He kept Diana’s mind occupied with light and friendly conversation about his run through the park that day, how he’d gotten a hot dog, and then another one. He even shared with her that he’d recently moved, too, and was enjoying the change. Diana listened, but she was still in shock about what was happening.
    When they arrived at her co-workers brownstone apartment, she was waiting on the steps in her pajamas. With kind eyes and a warm hug, she greeted her friend and thanked Eli with a silent smile, guiding Diana upstairs. Before they went into the building, Diana waved to him. He waved back and waited until they were both safely inside.
    For two hours he remained there, keeping watch in case Louise showed up. She might know about this place, might have come here for a dinner one night, he couldn’t be sure. It wasn’t up to him after all. He could only do so much. But for tonight at least, he could make sure Diana was protected.
    After one in the morning when the lights were long out upstairs, he headed home, feeling he’d done the best he could do, knowing it wasn’t enough.

Chapter Eighteen
    J ust after eleven on Saturday morning, Rose rolled over and stared at the ceiling, feeling like she'd caught up on three adrenaline-filled years of sleep. She stretched her body under the covers and snuggled with them, bunching them around her and smiling toward the window. The pale blue curtains were halfway open and the sky outside looked overcast but bright.
    Having spent a good part of yesterday with Michelle, drinking and then ditching the booze to shop for new sweaters, she felt loved. The kind of loved you feel when you spend time with a friend who gets you. They’d separated in time for Rose to come home and send the company laptop and all her files by courier back to Hewlett, Leonard and Clarkson as promised. Then she happily binge-watched her favorite T.V. shows, The Walking Dead and Jane The Virgin, sticking her head in the sand so she didn’t obsess over what Eli and Michelle were hiding.
    Staring out the bedroom window, she gave some thought to what she should do today. With no job, there was no schedule of pressing problems. No witnesses to set up with interviews. No cases. No money coming in.
    She sat up and stared as images of poverty and destitution flashed before her way-too-ambitious eyes. "Oh my God. I've got no clients. Am I even a lawyer anymore?"
    Throwing off the comforter, she paced around her apartment making a plan. First she’d need her own laptop and maybe a tablet. Then a website. Or maybe website first and then…wait, no she needed a laptop to set up the website. Also, what would her company name be? And...
    "How am I going to get clients?” Anxiety drove her into her kitchen where she searched for coffee. If she were going to build a whole online profile in one day, she'd need brain juice.
    The canister was empty.
    She shook it. “Great.”

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    A t Bluestone Lane Coffee , the line was manageable, but it wasn’t moving fast enough for her. She tapped her foot while her mind made big plans, spinning in circles about how to make a website. She could hire someone but would they work fast enough? She wanted the damn thing up today! Digging in her bag for her purse, she heard a male voice say, "Why the frown on a Saturday? Don't tell me you're working on the weekend."
    She glanced up and saw a nice looking man with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. He had no accent but with those features and that