Page 94 of Under the Ink

“What? Assaulted you? Where the hell are you right now?”

“I’m on the fourth floor by the elevators.”

“I’ll be right there. Are you safe?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hold on.”

After several seconds, she couldn’t hear him anymore. “Sage?” There was no response—and the stupid elevator wasn’t making any progress. If Andy came out of her room, she’d run farther down the hall and take the stairs—maybe yelling the whole way to wake up anyone still in their room.

If she yelledfire, someone might come out.

As she stood in place holding her phone, her hands started to shake and she felt a wave of nausea hit her like the surf. When the elevator bell signaled that it was stopping, she stood in place for just a moment—because if Andy popped out of her room right now, he could make it there before the doors closed on her.

And the last thing she wanted was to be trapped in that small space with him.

Fortunately, Sage walked out, wearing nothing but jeans. No shirt, no shoes. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Physically, at least.

Nodding, Sage asked, “Which room is yours?”

She couldn’t remember the number. “It’s that one,” she said, pointing, but she knew he couldn’t tell from where they stood. “I’ll show you.”

“Hold on.” Sage started typing on his phone. “I’m gonna have Lex come up here.”

“Lex?”

“Yeah. He’s one of the security guys. I don’t think you’ve been introduced.”

She definitely hadn’t, even though she’d seen them plenty. She’d always been under the impression that they were kind of like the guards at Buckingham Palace, with no permission to interact. Even if they were, they had a mission, and that was to identify threats to the band members, so she just tried to stay out of their way.

Sliding his phone in his back pocket, Sage said, “If you want, we can wait till he gets here.”

“It’s okay. I’m pretty sure I knocked Andy out when I broke the lamp over his head.”

Smiling, he said, “You did?Bad ass, baby.” They made their way to just outside her door. “Give me your card.”

Pulling it out of her pocket, she did as he’d asked and noticed her hands were still shaking. When Sage unlocked the door, she said, “Don’t go in there.”

“I’ll be—”

“You said you have security coming up here, so let’s just wait.”

“Aw. You’re worried about me.”

Of course, she was—because she’d just dealt with that maniac and knew what he was capable of. Sage pulled her into a hug, but she wriggled free. “I’m sorry. I can’t right now.”

“Oh. Okay. Sorry.”

But after everything she and Sage had been through so far, she felt like she owed him an explanation at the very least. “It’s not you. It’s because…”

“I get it. Totally cool.” His eyes told her the same, so she nodded, grateful that she wouldn’t have to deal with his hurt feelings in addition to the turmoil inside her chest.

Even from where they stood, they heard the elevator bell ring and the doors slide open just before a huge meaty guy exited. Although Naomi had seen him and the other guys who wore big t-shirts announcing that they wereSECURITYfor the band, she’d never been officially introduced.

Of course, the guards couldn’t have been prepared for someone inside the fold to be the problem. But, even if they had, what could they have done until now?

---