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The accident.
Thinking Eli was dead.
Guns. Mafia. Penthouses. Men who look like they belong in the secret service.
The events from the last few hours begin to crash into me at full force making me dizzy and lightheaded. Taking a deep breath, I focus on my surroundings. The quick ascent of the elevator. The heavy panting from Joe behind me. The heat radiating off of the men surrounding us. The tension, anger, and turmoil that fills the small space to an almost suffocating level. Eli’s scent; pepper and bergamot beneath a layer of sweat. Masculine.
That’s what I choose to hold onto, allowing it to ground me as we grow closer and closer to the wolf’s den, or perhaps the Devil’s lair. The ding that signifies our arrival has me jumping and I have to fight against the urge to wrap myself around Eli. Shoving my fear to the deep, dark recesses of my mind, knowing it won’t do me any good here, I stand tall and wipe all emotion from my face, giving nothing away.
The door slides open, revealing a dimly lit foyer that I can barely make out given the massive bodies of the barricade in front of us. The men step out first, scanning the area as they go, but quickly settle into a more casual demeanor as they move to the left and disappear completely out of sight. I glance up at Eli, my mouth opening to say what…I don’t know. To demand he explains what the hell is going on or to tell me where we are. Maybe to at least let me know if I’m in danger.
The fleeting thought fills me, taking root in my brain and making me unsteady on my feet. Did I fuck up by following him? Expose some sort of secret that will wind up getting me punished or worse—I gulp. No. No, Eli wouldn’t hurt me let alone kill me, of that, I’m sure.
But then, he steps past me, practically shouldering me out of the way as he goes. He turns to the right, stepping further into the penthouse. Without a second thought, I follow, jogging to keep up. I’ll be fucked if I’m going to be left alone. I look behind us, finding the two men still carrying Joe who definitely looks worse for the wear. They make a sharp left, going down a hallway I’d yet to notice. I watch them disappear and then continue to stare into the empty space even after they’re gone.
My mind is both full and empty all at once. A maelstrom of thoughts ping-pong rapidly back and forth as I try to come to terms with everything that I’ve just witnessed. My emotions aren’t any better. They flit from anger at Eli’s dismissive behavior, to fear of what’s to come, back to anger that morphs into anxiety. I want to be numb. I want to shove everything away, but I can’t seem to get a grip on things no matter how hard I try.
So instead, I stare.
Distant shouting draws my attention away from my thoughts and I jerk at the sound.Stupid, foolish, idiot,I chastise myself for my lack of awareness.
Following silently behind Eli’s long strides, I take in the room. No, not room. Room is too simple of a word to describe the utter vastness of this space. Home doesn’t suit it either.
The penthouse is beyond anything I’ve ever seen and it’s not just due to the obvious expensive additions. I come from money; I’ve seen wealth. This is more than just a costly home…it’s over-the-top elegance while somehow still leaving my skin itching with an overwhelming feeling of discomfort.
The living room, informal dining space, and kitchen are all open concept, flowing seamlessly from one to the next. That combined with the towering windows that cover the entirety of one wall, makes me feel tiny and insignificant as I take it all in.
It’s white.
Pure, flawless, clean, and bright, almost to the point of annoyance. It’s sterile. Simple modern lines, and vaulted ceilings stretch at least three floors, making it obvious that this space is at the very top of the tall building. White floating stairs with a glass half-wall banister lead up to a second floor. Crystal chandeliers hang from above, bathing the wide-open space in bright light.
The minimal furniture is contemporary, sleek, and uncomfortable looking, not to mentionwhite.It’s all white and while it looks nice and well cared for, it doesn’t suit the man standing next to me whatsoever. It doesn’t suit any of them. There is nothing out of place, no personal touches to be seen. It’s staged. Unlived in. Unloved.
No. Not a home at all.
“Holy doctor’s office,” I murmur, the words flying from my mouth before I can stop them. Eli snickers, surprising me, but he cuts the sound off abruptly.
Finally,finally, he looks down at me, taking in my shocked expression. His jaw ticks as I glare at him, frustration, adrenaline, and anxiety all running high inside of me. That, coupled with the anger from him ignoring me for the last however long, has me crossing my arms and daring him to keep up this ridiculous behavior.
“What and the ever-loving fuck is going on?” I growl, tapping my tennis shoe on the marble flooring.White, because of course it is.
Eli runs a hand through his hair and lets out a huff of irritation. “Why did you follow me?”
I stare, mouth hanging open. Seriously? “That’s what you have to say for yourself? Are you freaking kidding me, Eli?” I snap, reaching out to shove him only for my hands to be snatched midair as he pulls me into his body.
Eli glowers down at me, making me feel even smaller than the extravagant space. He opens his mouth to respond but the sound of something crashing in the distance followed by yelling has me yanking my hands back and stepping away from him as I remember where we are.
“You can’t even get a fucking haircut! This is ridiculous. It’s gone too damn far. Call him,now!” A man bellows and his angry shout sends shivers up my spine.
At first, I’d been too distracted to focus on the yelling men but now that I’m really paying attention, they become familiar. No, more than familiar. The slightly accented voices that bounce off of the vaulted ceilings are ones that echo through my brain, my memories, regularly, like a damaged record skipping and replaying the same verse again and again.
“Do you wanna play, Princess?”
“You’re our dirty little whore, aren’t you Kitten?”
“God, you look so perfect taking my cock.”
A hand wraps around my body and shoves me backward, causing me to stumble. It shakes me from the blissful memories I’d fallen into. My eyes snap up only to find Eli’s back directly in my line of sight, his large body blocking me from view. Before I can ask what his problem is, a deep, rough voice rakes over me in a way that I can only describe as a tidal wave.
