Saving the Beast(9)

Clara nodded, and Diane felt so much sadness for what the other woman had faced.

“I’m sorry,” she told Clara. “About Lydia,” she clarified. “Nothing we try seems to be working.”

“I’m planning to go talk to Dillon, myself,” Clara said.

“I thought Logan asked you to stay away?”

“He did, and I have,” Clara stated. “I think that’s going to have to change.”

“I can’t see Logan agreeing to that.”

Clara grinned. “He won’t.”

“And that makes you happy?” Diane asked.

“We’ll argue. He’ll yell. I’ll yell back. He’ll threaten to spank me, and I’ll challenge him to try.”

“Spank you?” Diane squeaked out.

“Oh, yeah,” Clara breathed. “Then we’ll fuck. Next, we’ll make love. Finally, we’ll talk. He’ll reluctantly agree to let me talk to Dillon as long as he’s there, and I’ll follow his guidelines to ensure my safety.”

“He loves you,” Diane said again, this time with a sigh of envy.

“He does,” Clara agreed. “And I’ll agree and follow his wishes because I love him.”

“You’re very lucky,” Diane said.

“I am. You could be just as lucky.”

“I want that. I want a love like the one you and Logan share.”

Clara wrapped her hands around Diane’s and squeezed. “You could have it.”

“Am I interrupting?” Abby called from the hallway outside the lab.

Diane was immediately on her feet. “Not at all. Are you okay? Is something wrong?”

Abby smiled and waddled over to join them. Her stomach was huge, making her look as if she was nine months along instead of the thirteen weeks she actually was. Lion gestation. That’s what Abby was experiencing. And if it played out the way Diana thought it would, Abby should be going into labor within the next week to ten days.

“I’m fine,” Abby assured her and took a seat on the stool Diane had jumped off of. “My little guy gets more and more active every day. I think he’s excited to join us.”

Abby and Clara shared a look and the next thing Diane knew, Clara was moving.

“I’m going to leave you guys to chat. I’ve got a conversation of my own to have.” Clara wiggled her eyebrows and grinned.

Diane felt her face flush red. She knew exactly what talk Clara planned to have and the outcome the other woman anticipated. Damn it! Diane was a little jealous.

“Give Logan my best,” Abby called.

“I will,” Clara said and was gone, her footfalls echoing as she went up the staircase that led from the lab to the main floor.

“The Professor called me,” Abby said after a brief moment of silence. “He’s worried.”

“He called you? We’re in the same house! And why the hell would he call you? The last thing you need to do is worry about me. You need to be concentrating on your health and the baby getting ready to make his appearance in this world.”

Abby smiled. “Trust me. I’m not going to do anything to put my child at risk. That doesn’t mean I’m not here for my friends. And we are, you know. Friends.”

Diane smiled. “I know.”

“I’ll never forget the moment you came in my bedroom to see Tah. You checked on him and muttered under your breath before you left.”

“I did? What did I say?” Diane asked.

“You vowed that you’d save him. You made a friend for life in that moment. In me. I heard you, and I found comfort. I knew you would do everything you could to save him.”

“Reno saved him,” Diane said.

“Yes,” Abby agreed. “But you kept me sane with that vow. I was less afraid because you were there. You gave me hope at a time when I felt like my whole world was ending. And you’ve continued to do so. When Tah and Logan were shot, you removed the bullets and saved their lives.”

“Oh, Abby, I’m pretty sure Tah would have survived with or without my help on that one. This shifter ability to heal is something else. Plus, the Professor was the one overseeing everything during the surgeries.” Diane said.

“Overseeing isn’t the same, and we both know it. He trusts you implicitly. There is no one else he even considered when I told him what I’d found.”

“I don’t think I can live up to his expectations of me,” Diane admitted.

“You don’t have to,” Abby countered. “You’re family, Diane. We don’t need you to be perfect. We just need you. As soon as this little guy makes his appearance, we’ll both be down here more to help out.”