Page 85 of Provoke You

25

The Longest Day Ever

Ela

My life was at a new time low if seeing a rental, that up until two days ago had been no more than a safe house, made me tear up out of pure joy. I stood at the door, afraid to ring the bell and find out no one was there. Where would I go if I couldn’t stay here? The Baroness wasn’t mine anymore.

Poor little rich girl.

I glanced up at the dark sky. My whole body ached as I stood in the rain with my feet throbbing and tears streaming down my cheeks. Dad did this to me. I couldn’t defend him anymore. I raised a trembling hand to ring the doorbell, but before I could reach it, the door swung open.

“What the fuck?” Kitt crowded the threshold. “What the hell happened to you? I thought you were in the hospital.”

As soon as I saw Kitt’s face, my legs gave out from under me. He reached out and caught me before I hit the sidewalk. He hooked his arm under my knees and carried me to the couch in the living room.

“I escaped.” Tears streamed down my cheeks. The nightmare was over.

Chase rushed into the room and came to a dead stop when he saw me. “Jesus Christ.” He sprang into action. “Get her out of that wet jacket.” When he came back, he had a bunch of towels with him. He lay a couple on the couch and two others over my shoulders.

“I didn’t do this. I swear.”

“We know.” Kitt sat next to me. “I thought the boss might want to know how you were doing before we left.” He winced when I placed a hand over my mouth and cried. “Sorry. He was pretty beaten up about it.”

Chase slapped Kitt’s shoulder. “Anyway, your hospital papers were sketchy at best. Your name was misspelled. Easy way to lose a patient who’s unconscious, if you ask me.”

“Your report made it look like you were a junkie in serious need of rehab.”

“I don’t do drugs. And I didn’t have anything to drink.” I was tired of repeating those words, over and over.

“You got hit with the date-rape drug.” Chase rubbed the deep V between his eyebrows. “What happened?”

“How do you know that?”

“The hospital ran a bunch of tests on you. They even checked for STDs.”

“You’re good, by the way.” Kitt shrugged when Chase gave him the stink eye.

“On paper, you look like a regular junkie. We tried to see you, and they wouldn’t let us. They buried you in their system. It was a stroke of luck that we found you.”

“Not so much luck as good hacking skills.” Kitt smiled at me. “You got out.”

I returned the gesture, feeling lighter and not so beat up anymore. “I got out.” They exchanged a meaningful look as if they knew what I’d ask next. “Where’s Matt?”

“Went to his brother’s engagement party in Atlanta. He’ll be back soon. I think.” Kitt exhaled. Of all the news they had for me, this one had to be the toughest. They had no idea if Matt was coming back.

“I don’t blame him. Listen, I need your help.”

“Anything,” Chase said before I even finished asking. The noise outside the door made both of them jerk to their feet. Kitt had a weapon out before I could process what was going on. Chase picked his way around the window without making a single sound. When he peeked through the curtains, he released a breath. “What a night.”

Chase opened the door to a sopping wet Matt, and my heart squeezed tight. I wiped my face with the towel as I tried to think how to best explain why I was back here.

He didn’t give me a chance. He rushed toward me and knelt by my feet. “Christ, Ela. I went to the hospital, and you were gone. Will you ever forgive me?”

“Double or nothing.” Kitt extended his hand to Chase.

Matt pressed his forehead to my thigh, then glanced up. “What was the bet this time? That I’d come back.”

“No, we knew you’d come back.” Kitt counted his money before he stuffed it in the back pocket of his pants. “He didn’t think you’d grovel.”

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