No.No no no.
CHAPTER 21
ELODIE
Maybe he won’t come over here. Maybe he’s going to someone else. I don’t meet those haunting eyes, and my head’s swimming in too much terror to really take his features in. But I know it’s him. The tall frame, the silhouette that birthed a monster in my nightmares.
When he inches closer in this direction, my hand flies to Caden’s lap. I don’t know why. I have no time to question it as the fear takes over. I clamp onto his leg, desperate to anchor myself before I have a full-blown meltdown.
His face instantly flings to me. “Elodie? What’s wrong?”
But no words form. I’m tongue-tied. Nothing but a choked sound bubbles up from my constricting throat.
Caden’s hand comes onto mine, warm fingers curling around my clammy ones, his body angling towards me. “Elodie, talk to me, what’s wrong?”
But then he’s nearly here. He’s on the other side of the table, just feet away, about to make all the nightmares swim to the surface and strangle me.
I dare to look at his face. Smirking as he smirked the last time I saw him. Devilish. Pure fucking evil.
I leap to my feet. “I have to use the bathroom.” I start to dash off but Caden grabs my wrist, jerking me back. I beg him with my eyes. “Please, I’ll be one minute.”
Caden’s eyes flick behind me, possibly at the other two. He’s confused, his eyebrows coming together. “I’ll come with you.”
I laugh, breathless and pathetic. “To the ladies? I’ll be fine.” I wriggle my wrist within his grip. With a reluctant frown, he lets me go. I dart off.
Once I’m in the restroom, I lean on the sink, avoiding looking at the mirror while I focus on feeling the cold porcelain beneath my palms, grounding myself.
I’m not there, I’m here. I’m free.
I can’t gain control over my rapid, shallow breaths. I feel like my makeup’s melting off my face from all the heat and sweat and ice-cold fear.
I’m not there. I’m here. I’m free.
I stare down at my wrists.
I’m not cuffed. I’m here. I’m free.
I suck in loud gasps of air as my chest tightens even more. The flashbacks shooting into my vision from every fucking angle.
Red lights. Black silhouettes. Metal cuffs. Skin.So much skin.
I squeeze my eyes shut, shake my head vigorously. Caden’s blazer suddenly feels like a weighted blanket. A hot cage. But I don’t take it off. Despite the sudden weight of it, the smell of him is weirdly anchoring me, keeping me from falling straight through this floor.
My legs are about to give out when the restroom door opens. I force myself upright and turn the tap on to wash my hands, willing my face into a blank expression while my heart continues to pound.
“Well, well, well,” the person says. And it’s not a fucking lady. “I wondered when I’d get to see you again, my little superstar.”
I close my eyes and take a breath. I’m free, goddammit. I will not be scared.
I straighten my back and turn to Rosco. He’s as formidable and repulsive as I remember. Suffocating and deadly menacing. Tall but strongly built, I know all too well the strength he contains in that lean physique. He’s got on a black suit, like everyone else here. I’ve never seen him with clothes on before. I know every line and every vein, every blemish and every scar, every tattoo and every freckle that’s hidden beneath the fabrics. Short, dark brown hair, blazing amber eyes. The skull tattoo across his throat, below his sharp jaw, stares at me from across the room, the two hollow holes where the eyes should be still burn into me. Still stains my nightmares.
If he’s here, are the others here too?
“This is the ladies, Rosco, get the fuck out.” I’m surprised by how calm I sound. My heart says otherwise.
He chuckles, hands in his black trouser pockets. He circles closer. I instinctively back up. “And there’s a lady in here I want to see.”
I swallow hard, continuing to back up to the wall. I could scream. I could scream right now and Caden would come and save me. Whether he cares about me or not, he cares about protecting what’s his. And tonight, that’s me. I’m his.
