Shadows Of Desire

Chapter 7

Leandra Moreno

Zade approaches my apartment, bringing the car to a halt with a smooth motion. Without a word, he steps out, rounding to my side before opening the door.

I step out of the car, brushing past him with a deliberate flick of my hair. "So chivalrous," I remark, my voice dripping with sarcasm. His response is a cold, indifferent stare, his jaw set in a firm line.

"Just ensuring your safety," he mutters, his tone flat

I roll my eyes, the irritation bubbling beneath the surface. "I can take care of myself, you know."

"Clearly," he replies, his voice laced with irony, his eyes cutting into me with an intensity that makes my skin prickle.

As we enter the building, the silence between us grows louder, every step echoing in the emptiness of the hallway. We reach the elevator, and the doors slide open with a soft ding. I step inside, Zade following closely behind, his presence a looming shadow over my thoughts.

"So, why are you following me? Did you forget that you don't live here?"

He doesn't respond and keeps his eyes on the floor indicator.

The elevator starts to go up, the hum of the machinery the only sound. But then, without warning, it jolts to a stop. The lights flicker, and we're plunged into a dim, oppressive silence.

"This day just keeps getting better," I mutter under my breath, already feeling the walls closing in. I press the emergency button with dramatic flair, my voice tinged with annoyance as I speak into the intercom. "Hello? I'm stuck in an elevator with someone who sucks all the air out of the room. Send help before I die within the next hour!"

Zade's gaze snaps to mine, his eyes narrowing, a muscle ticking in his jaw. "Really?"

"What?" I shrug, my tone flippant. "Just stating the obvious."

For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of our breathing in the confined space. My pulse quickened, not just from the situation but from the proximity, his presence, as infuriating as it was, still had a pull on me. I could feel his gaze on me, even in the darkness, the heat between us building in the silence.

Zura shifted in my arms, her tiny paws pressing against my chest as if sensing the tension. "Tranqui, Zura," I murmured, my voice softer for her, though my eyes never left where I knew Zade stood.

But then, in the closeness of the elevator, something shifted. The coldness between us started to melt, replaced by something hotter. The frustration, the anger it all twisted into a different kind of tension, one that had been simmering beneath the surface for just a moment too long.

"Leandra," Zade's voice was low, rough, cutting through the darkness. "You drive me insane, you know that?"

"Good," I shot back, my own voice equally charged. "You deserve it."

We've been here for what feels like an eternity.

I lean against the opposite wall from Zade, my arms cross and my temper flaring.

Why?

Because every small inconvenience is the end of the world to Zade, as if this is my fault! Who's the one who followed me in here? I didn't ask for this.

Zade slams his fist against the wall, causing the elevator to jolt slightly. Zura's anxious meowing echoes off the metal walls.

"Careful with the damn wall, want us to die here too?" I reply, my voice mixed with annoyance.