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We part slowly, staring into one another’s eyes before someone bangs again. A laugh bubbles up and I have to twist my lips to stop it from slipping free.
Leo reaches over my shoulder and slams his fist on the door twice. “Fuck off, we’re busy.”
There’s some grumbling from the other side, but the banging stops. My heart feels lighter than it has in too long, and with clarity I didn’t have before, I’ve no doubt that this is how my life is supposed to go. This is my journey. With them. It’s maybe the worst time for self-realization, but these types of things aren’t planned. And I have a sneaking suspicion that most people have these moments in those high-stress situations. The kind of scenario where your mettle is tested and your very soul is pushed.
Still, we can’t stay here. We’re already tempting fate enough by spending these few minutes in the bathroom. I envision a swarm of bouncers sifting through the throngs of people looking for Leo. “We need to go.”
He squeezes the back of my head affectionately. “Can I use your phone? We need to call Rafe, and mine got tossed back in the Hamptons.”
“Oh, sure.” I slip it from my pocket, unlock it, and hand it to him. It vibrates in his palm and we both look at the screen. A sudden coldness burns in my gut when I see my mom’s name flashing. I decline her call, and almost immediately, it vibrates again, but I don’t have time to deal with her right now. “I’ll call her back later, she’s probably accidentally drunk dialing me. Call Aries before she calls again.”
His eyebrows draw together, but he dials Aries nonetheless. “It’s me.”
I can’t make out what Aries replies, but I can hear his voice through the phone—it’s loud, and then someone is definitely yelling on his end. Nervousness skitters along my muscles, and I bounce on the balls of my feet to displace some of the energy.
“We’ll meet you at the elevator to underground parking, five minutes. Got it.” Leo hangs up and hands it back to me.
“On a scale from one to ten, how mad are they?”
He chuckles. “I’d expect a proper meltdown from Matteo, but don’t worry. I’ll be by your side every step of the way.”
Warmth settles over me with his reassurance. I’m grateful for his support, but the guys have every right to be mad at me. I completely ditched our plans, even though it ended up panning out in the end. And I know them all well enough by now to know that they’d show frustration over worry any day.
He slides his palm in mine and laces our fingers together. I marvel at the simple touch, amazed that something so innocent can feel so significant. We’re in the middle of a rescue operation that feels more like the plot of a movie than my life, and instead of focusing on escaping, I’m making moon eyes at my boyfriend and thinking about how perfectly his hand fits over mine.
“The elevator isn’t far, and should anything happen, I want you to run like hell. It’s around the corner from the lobby, and there’s a big sign. You can’t miss it.”
“I’m not leaving you behind again.” I purse my lips together, my resolve hardening.
With a nod, he unlocks the door and we enter Carnival once more. I didn’t realize how much the bathroom door acted as a noise barrier until the sounds of the merriment hit me square in the face. I wince, the noise jarring me out of my gooey romantic notions.
Leo navigates with confidence, head held high and shoulders back. No one stops us, and before long, the elevators to the underground parking loom ahead. Of course, I didn’t need a sign pointing to the elevators to know that’s where we’re headed.
I’d recognize my men anywhere.
