Page 35 of My Grumpy Alpha

“Everything okay?” Gabe asks.

“I can take you back to the hospital if you aren’t feeling well. You didn’t throw up, so that’s a good sign and your pupils are normal.”

“Yeah,” I say after a few seconds.

“I think I’m fine, I think? I’m just thinking about one of the dreams I had.”

“I used to have dreams about chickens.” Gabe nods slowly.

“And now when I see them—the live ones—I literally want to power walk in the other direction. It’s just weird that you can cut their heads off and they still run around, it’s not natural.”

“I’m sure there are a lot of things in this world that aren’t natural, just my opinion.” I joke.

Maybe it falls flat, because he suddenly looks so serious and tense I want to jump out of the car, kind of out of character from what I’ve seen so far.

“Yeah, well… life is full of the misunderstood, you know?”

“Including chickens?”

“Always and I do mean always including chickens.” He nods up to the apartment.

“Get some sleep, oh and I’ll text you the code, okay?”

I nod.

“Thanks again.”

“Don’t mention it.” He flashes a smile as I get out of the car and walk into the building, the doorman in his black and white uniform with his red tie opens the door and lets me through the marble-floored lobby to the elevator.

He’s elderly, maybe in his seventies, his eyes are very blue, and his hair very white.

“Heard you had a fall Miss Ava, how are you faring?”

I smile and look down at the elevator floor as he presses the button.

“I’m feeling much better thanks to Gabe and Eli.”

“Heroes those boys.” His chuckle is full of happiness and trust, I can taste it in the air.

“Hired me after I already retired to help take care of my family, best job I ever had. Good people. Really good people.”

I wasn’t so sure about Eli yet, but I agreed with his assumption of Gabe.

“Yes. Yes, they are.”

The elevator dings, he holds out his hand.

“Oh, did you need the code to Mr. Eli’s apartment?” He starts digging around in his jacket.

“No need.” I grab my phone and hold it up as a text from Gabe comes through.

“I have it right here.”

He nods.

“We have alarms set up for you just in case and the assistant next door was a nurse in another life, no need to be concerned, you’ll have a restful sleep.”

What if I want a fitful one where I get my hair pulled though?