Page 15 of Chasing Storm

“Tea.”

My voice comes out crackling. “Joey. I’m—”

“I know, Love. Just stay where you are.”

I hear his footsteps coming closer. He sits next to me and takes my hand in his. Anxiety chokes my words, so instead of talking, I tighten my grip on him.

Then the lights flicker on and Joey is still by the doors.

So, whose hand am I holding?

My head slowly turns to the left and lands on Elijah Devane. His hand clutches my gloved one. I inhale fast and snatch my hand back. The last time I saw Elijah, I had danced with him at a charity ball because Joey upset me. It was early in our marriage, and Joey and I hardly spoke to one another. At the time, I didn’t know Elijah was the leader of the gang, Devane’s Deviants. When Joey found us dancing, he yanked Elijah from me and threatened him to stay away. Our fathers didn’t help the situation by not standing up for Joey and informing us our families were in good standing with Devane. Now, with our fathers gone and a bounty on Joey’s head, this will only end in disaster.

Joey’s eyes pierce into Elijah’s as he rushes toward us. “What the fuck is—”

I scream when a man comes from behind Joey, hitting him in the head and knocking him out. My body shoots out of the chair, but Elijah guides me back into it.

He tucks my hair behind my ear and smiles. “It’s good to see you, Teagan.”

My head shakes as tears bubble in my eyes. “Please, Elijah. Please don’t—”

“As long as you two do as I say, no one’s going to get hurt.” I press a gloved hand to my mouth. Elijah wipes away at my tear tracks. “Everything will be fine.”

I glimpse Joey’s body on the ground and swallow hard. My voice comes out like broken glass as I say, “Joey…”

“Is fine. Just unconscious and will probably have a mean-ass headache when he wakes.” From the corner of my eye, he watches me stare at Joey. He takes my hand to get my attention. “This is how it’s going to go. First, no screaming or running. Got it?” I nod. “We’re getting off at the next stop. I have a car waiting to bring us to my penthouse.”

“Elijah, Joey didn’t mean to threaten you at the charity ball.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “Yes, he did. He’s a possessive fucker.”

I wipe the hair from my sweaty forehead, lick my lips, and ask, “Are you going to kill us?”

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“Whether you both cooperate.”

The doors open. One of Devane’s men throws Joey over his shoulder, and I see blood in his hair. I reach for him, but another guy steps between us, blocking my view. Elijah holds my arm as he leads me out of the subway, up the stairs, and out the door to a limousine. The man carrying Joey deposits him on the spacious floor of the limo. Elijah releases me, and I duck inside, sitting on the ground with my hand holding Joey’s head in my lap. My tears drip onto his face as I rub them away. I ease my hand out from under him and there’s blood, which has me shaking at the sight. Elijah sits down, slams the door, and before I ask, hands me a handkerchief. Without giving him another glance, I tend to my Joey, pressing the handkerchief against the bloody area.

The car ride remains quiet. I take quick peeks at Elijah, who is staring at us. We stop in front of a high rise where a doorman opens the car door, greeting Elijah, and he returns the greeting. Elijah tells me to get out of the car, so I gently place Joey’s head on the floor and exit the limousine. Behind us, the same man who carried Joey takes him out and flings him over his shoulder. I inspect what he’s doing, rubbing my arms up and down to expel my nerves as Elijah hands the doorman money. Most likely hush money. We enter the building and pile into an elevator at the end of the hallway with the guy who has Joey flung over his shoulder. There’s only one floor button in the elevator—forty.

It climbs to the fortieth floor, dings, and Elijah extends his arm, suggesting I step out first. The elevator opens onto a tan and white marble foyer with a large vase full of colorful flowers, balanced on top of a single circular table. Bare walls only hold four bronze sconces. I try to go behind the man carrying Joey, but Elijah places his hand on my lower back, directing me into his penthouse. The sheer size of it is overwhelming. An entire wall of windows comes into view when I step into what I’d consider the living room. There’s a burning fireplace, white couches, chairs set up in front of it, and on the other side of the fireplace is a kitchen. All open concept.

Elijah points to the kitchen. “That’s the smaller of the two.”

My jaw drops, but I compose myself quickly. “Elijah. Could I please take care of Joey?”

He waves his hand as if erasing my words and gives a chin nod to the man carrying Joey, saying, “Put him in the guest bedroom on the right-side of the hall from my room.” The man walks down the hallway, and I follow until Elijah says, “Stay here, Teagan.”

I hug myself as my eyes plead for him to let me go with Joey.

“Have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?” I shake my head. My butt hits the edge of a chair, smoothing over my arms while he pours himself some liquid amber. To pass the silence, my eyes roam around the place. On the other side of the living room is a small seating area. The interior walls are covered in bookshelves and overflowing with books. Elijah takes a seat on the couch next to the chair I’m sitting in.

He places his drink on the table, adjusts his jacket, and leans back into the couch. His eyes travel over my face and body, driving me deeper into panic mode.

Elijah rests his hand on the armrest and says, “Why don’t you take off your coat?” I fold my gloved hands in my lap. “You’re going to be here a while.”

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