Page 24 of Betrayed in the Dark
The two of us catch our breath while the cool night air caresses our sweat-soaked skin.
His lips sweep over mine. “I could spend forever like this with you.”
My heart flutters, the corners of my lips tugging up. “I’d be okay with that.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I tilt back, staring into his eyes, wishing forever could start right now.
Chapter six
Eli
Quietly, I walk past Madeleine’s bedroom door, make my way down the stairs, and out the front door, where Mauro and Leo are waiting for me by their cars.
“You ready?” Leo asks, a puff of white smoke escaping his lips into the cold night air. He rubs his palms together and holds them in front of his mouth, exhaling against them for warmth.
“I’m ready.” We don’t want Madeleine to know what lengths we’re going to in order to stop this wedding, so we waited until after Scarlett left and Madeleine fell asleep before embarking on this mission. I glance at Mauro. “We’ll be back in the morning. If she wakes up, notify me, and I’ll return right away.”
He gives a two-finger salute as we turn and depart.
I look at Leo. “Scarlett’s secure?” He raises an eyebrow, and I chuckle. “I know, dumb question.”
“Asher’s on duty now,” he replies. “I let Scarlett know I had some business to take care of in the city. I won’t lie to her, butI don’t want her to know more than she needs to. There’s no reason to add any additional stress to her life.”
I nod as I open the driver’s side door to my SUV. Leo slides into the passenger seat and adjusts his gun inside his jacket.
I start the car, and the gentle purr of the engine vibrates through the cabin. Unease fills me as we leave the estate and head toward the city, not knowing if we might be walking straight into a goddamn trap.
But I trust that Vin knows what he’s doing.
After entering the club with a guard escort, I find myself on high alert as we navigate through the crowd.
I hate fucking crowds.
Too many faces to read.
Too many movements to watch for.
My chest tightens as my heart rate begins to accelerate.
Every square inch of this place is packed to the brim like a can of sardines.
The strobe lights dance around the room, heightening my sense of impending doom.
And the noise…
There’s so much goddamn noise.
If a bomb went off right now, we’d be—
“This way,” the guard says, leading us down a quiet hallway toward an open elevator that seems to be waiting for us. I step inside with Leo beside me and immediately notice that there are no buttons on the walls.
“Floor three.” The guard’s deep voice echoes in the enclosed space, prompting the doors to close before the elevator ascends.
“Neat trick,” I remark, clasping my hands behind my back.
After a brief moment, the elevator comes to a stop, and the doors slide open, revealing an office. The guard gestures for us to enter, and we step cautiously into the room, alert to our surroundings.
