Page 48 of More Than Nothing
Chapter 23
Elenie
Roman held out her jacket and Elenie slipped her arms into the sleeves. He pulled her back against his body, wrapping his arms around her from behind and stuffing his hands into her front pockets. The heat of his chest burned like a brand of fire, a tattoo on her skin she’d wear forever. She summoned a laugh and pressed backward, the butterflies in her stomach no longer from desire.
When Roman’s body went still behind her, Elenie’s heart stuttered, struggling to beat within the icy crust forming around it. He removed his hands slowly from her pockets.
“Are you kidding me?” He held a small plastic bag in his fingers. Inside were two tiny, colorful pills. His face had transformed to a grim mask of disdain and the change was devastating.
She held her breath.
“For Christ’s sake, Elenie. What part of ‘I’m a fucking police officer’ don’t you get?” Roman’s voice, carefully moderated to reach and penetrate the conversations of nearby drinkers, was dangerous.
“I didn’t—”
“Save it.” His disgust pierced her chest, even though she’d steeled herself to expect it. Roman pinched the bridge of his nose,then wiped a hand across his face. “Everyone told me not to trust a Dax. I should have listened.”
He towered before her like a rockface. A statue of untouchable masculinity, so far above her that she’d never felt so small.
“Roman, it’s not mine. I didn’t know it was there. Please!”
All chatter had died in their section of the bar as everyone listened avidly to Elenie’s unconvincing denial. She reached for his arm, dropping her hand again when he stepped back. The distance felt like a chasm.
“Forget it. You’re not worth the risk to my career.” His eyes could cut glass. The cruel twist of his mouth was alien. “You’re barely worth an evening of my time.”
She flinched as his words hooked themselves right into her soul. Undeniably true and achingly painful. They hurt even knowing why he said them.
Roman shoved his hands into his pockets—bag, drugs, and all—and walked away from her. Weaving between the late-night drinkers, he pushed through the doors of the bar and strode out into the dark.
It felt symbolic to be left behind. It felt like foreshadowing. While Elenie’s head knew the plan and exactly what to expect, her heart didn’t seem to get it.
Tyson’s buddies had noisily shushed each other to eavesdrop but now they let out a whooping round of applause. Several of them reached for their phones. All had big mouths and a love of trouble; it wouldn’t take long for the gossip to spread.
Craig Perry pushed himself up from the table. “That was bloody priceless, babe! Let me know in advance next time and I’ll sell tickets.”
Elenie took the half dozen steps needed to stand in front of him. Lifting a full shot glass from the tabletop, she downed itin one, wiping her mouth with the cuff of her jacket. “He’s an arrogant fucker.”
Her voice broke on the last word. She let her lips tremble, made sure Craig noticed. Swiping at her eyes with heels of her hands, she turned away and left the bar.
Roman was nowhere in sight.
The night air wasn’t cold but her teeth chattered. Shuddering inside her thin jacket, she squinted across the parking lot, indecision freezing her feet. Where to go and what to do? Her brain felt like cotton candy. And cotton candy made her think of Roman.
A breathy sob escaped Elenie’s lips before she clamped them together. She would be OK. She could get through this. All was going as expected. The pills she’d lifted from the pocket of Dean’s ripped jeans, dumped on the floor of his room, had served their purpose. Although he’d kicked off when he found them missing, Elenie was right at the bottom of his list of suspects and she’d flown under the radar of his temper tantrum.
She lifted her chin. Going home tonight wasn’t an option, so she just had to think of somewhere else to hole up for a while. It wasn’t something they’d discussed. She didn’t like to disturb Otto this late but his house was only a fifteen-minute walk away and the moon was more than three-quarters full.
“Hey!”
She turned toward the soft call. Caitlyn stood by the open passenger door of an SUV. Milo, his face mostly in shadow, leaned against the fender.
“Here!” Caitlyn called again. “Jump in.”
Elenie ran over. Flicking a grateful smile at Milo, she ducked behind Caitlyn to pull open the rear door. “Thank you so much!”
She didn’t realize she’d let out a wobbly sigh until she met Milo’s eyes in the rearview mirror. There was quiet sympathy in his smile. He started the car and drove smoothly out of the lot.Five minutes later, they pulled up in front of a pretty little house, painted in soft green, near the center of town. Caitlyn ushered Elenie inside.
“Alcohol, coffee, or a cold drink?” she offered, heading for the kitchen.
