Chase Me

Chapter Thirty-Two: Lift

Elio

Scrambling around to try and pick up all the things left here was a mess in itself. There were random guns and knives hidden in almost every corner of the room, but with Nex by me, we were able to pick it all up fast.

It had been days since I'd seen Bellona and the urge to go to her hotel room had been great, but I knew I had to be patient. Just the thought of Amo Griffin near her was something uneasy. I wasn't interested in Bellona in any other way than a friend, she knew that, but something was off about that man. Those frozen eyes were keeping something locked back.

"We need to get going, come on!" Nex shouted from the door.

I snatched my coat and shoes and followed him out. Morales was here and he was after Amo and Bellona. My heart was racing for her. I knew she could hold her own—I had spent years fighting her—but I knew that coming out of an attack like that would have its downfalls.

Nex and I left the room and raced down the hall towards the stairs. The elevator door opened and we stepped inside. Once it closed, the elevator started moving and we both stood there in silence.

Silence.

Silence.

I cleared my throat. "So, how long have you been working with Amo?"

Nex glanced at me from the corner of his eye before lifting a hand and pushing it into his brown hair. "I've worked with him for a few years—known him all my life."

I hummed in acknowledgment,

Silence.

Silence.

"What about you?"

I snapped my attention to him and saw him staring ahead, not looking at me. "How long have you known Bellona?"

I thought for a moment. "I've known her since our fathers met for an alliance a few years ago." I pursed my lips in thought. "I think I was ten? She was eleven." I glanced at Nex and when I saw him looking at me, I quickly looked away. "I met her and Maria at the same time."

I heard Nex hum.

Silence.

Silence.

How long was this elevator ride?

"I heard you were her bodyguard," Nex said from my right.

I nodded. "My father wants me to know the value of hard work and to understand what people who are below me go through. So I can be a good leader." I paused. "Dads, you know," I laughed.

Nothing.

I glanced to my right and saw Nex staring at the floor. I watched him, his blue eyes lost in thought as if what I had just said was a strong wave and the captain in his eyes was trying to calm it. He breathed deeply, his voice sounding almost wistful. "I wouldn't know."

I snapped my gaze away.

Oh.

I placed my hands in my pockets and leaned against the wall of the elevator, trying to wait through the silence.

Silence.

Silence.

Crash.

My head whipped up and hit the wall as I gripped the banister of the elevator on either side of me.

"What the fuck?" Nex cursed.

The elevator had stopped.

Fuck, fuck, fuck—no, no, no.