Page 143 of By His Rule

“Shit,” I hiss as the building's emergency lighting flickers to life around me.

The front doors burst open before Jamie’s voice fills the foyer. “Is she in the elevator?”

“Yeah, it stopped on level five.”

“She needs six.”

“Yeah,” I call, already running toward the stairwell.

Jamie’s heavy footfalls follow me as I take the stairs two at a time.

My chest is heaving by the time I hit the fifth floor and fly through the doors that will lead me to the elevator.

It’s darker up here than it was downstairs, but I don’t let that stop me.

“Lorelei,” I bellow the second I get to the closed elevator doors.

There’s silence for a beat that allows a little hope to slip in.

Maybe she got out on this floor for some reason. For all I know, she has a friend on this floor.

But despite trying to convince myself, I don’t believe a word of it.

She’s in there, I know she is.

“Lorelei.”

“Kian?” a quiet voice says.

“Yeah, babe. Are you okay?”

Nothing.

“The power’s gone out,” I explain. “We’re gonna get you out, okay?”

Silence.

“Have you called for help?” It’s a stupid question, I know, but I ask it anyway.

When she doesn’t respond again, I begin to think she’s ignoring me, but then I hear her.

“It’s dead. No one is answering.”

“Shit.” Spinning around, I face Jamie. “We need to get her out.”

“Leave it to me,” he says before confidently striding back down the hallway and disappearing into the stairwell.

The fuck?

“Jamie has gone to get help,” I tell her, hoping like hell it’s true. “Can you call me so we can talk properly?”

“My cell is dead,” she calls back. There’s a waver in her voice that makes my heart fracture.

She’s not okay.

“Have you been thinking about my offer?” I ask in the hope of distracting her from the situation.

I’m sure I hear a laugh, but I can’t be sure.

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