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demanded in a high pitched squeal while trying to wiggle away from him. But he was too big and strong and didn't seem to notice my attempts to move him aside.
    I saw his hand reach up for his shoulder and he pressed a button and said, “She's out of her room. What should I do?”
    His finger pressed against his ear and I barely heard a tinny voice saying something to him in response, but I couldn't make out what it was.
    “Mr. Hawthorne will see you now,” he said in his slow way.
    He pivoted quickly and gracefully hauled me up unto his shoulder like a sack of flour.
    The walls sped past as he walked swiftly towards the center of the hallway. My arms were pinned to my sides and I was pressed so tightly against him breathing was a chore.
    Before I had a chance to protest, he said, “broken glass on the floor,” and marched me down the hall and to the staircase before setting me onto my feet. He helpfully adjusted my nightgown and robe so that they covered my butt again and I whispered an embarrassed 'thanks'
    to which he gave a quick nod.
    His large hand was on my shoulder propelling me down the stairs. He walked so fast I had to practically run to keep up with him. I was out of breath and not a little pissed off by the time we reached the bottom. Gage walked out from between the double doors to the library with a concerned expression on his face. I saw him and the Mountain exchange looks that were full of male sympathy and I felt an urge to kick them both.
    “What's wrong Anna? You should be asleep now.” I glanced between Gage and the
    mountain sized man who had dragged me down the staircase and tossed me around like a football.
    I crossed my arms my arms over my chest and I glared at Gage, “I need to use the phone.”
    Gage nodded at the Mountain and said, “Thank you, I'll handle this.”
    Handle this? Boy was I getting tired of being managed and as soon as I used the phone, had a chance to meet my family and arrange transportation back to Portland I would be sure to tell Gage what he could do with his 'handling.'
    I saw the Mountain, bow, yes, actually bow to Gage, wink at me and walk away. What next? Did the housekeeper genuflect? Was I supposed to do that? I almost snorted out loud at the thought of bowing to Gage. Not in a million years!
    I looked back at Gage with an annoyed grimace.
    “Who do you want to call?” He returned with a mild look.
    “Not that's it's any of your business, but I need to call my friend Patty to find out what I can do to smooth things over at the firm where I work. I've missed two days of work, I could lose my job over this.”
    My voice rose a bit on the last as I thought about the beautiful new bedroom set I bought on credit at Steinhaus furniture (a needless extravagance now, considering I might be unemployed and homeless soon). I mentally calculated rent, utilities, car insurance, the myriad of monthly bills I had to pay to keep the lifestyle that I had become accustomed to. What was I going to do if I lost my job? I didn't have much in my savings account, definitely not enough to last through several weeks of job hunting.
    “I can take care of that, don't worry about it. I'll take care of it right now. Why don't you go back upstairs and try to get some sleep,” he said with an encouraging smile as he walked WARLOCK’S BRIDE JENNIFER RINEHART 29

    forward and reached for my elbow to direct me back upstairs. I pulled away from him with a frown.
    “Wait a minute, what do you mean? How can you take care of it? Take care of what exactly? If I call Patty, my friend in Human Resources, she might be able to help me smooth things over with my boss, Lillian. I don't know what you think you can do!”
    I was really getting annoyed now and I could feel my face heating up as I got more angry.
    Really, the nerve of him! I was the only one who could salvage the situation I found myself in and I wasn't even sure there was anything that could be done now.
    “Well, you must realize that