The 34th Floor

The 34th Floor - Chapter 49 - Rachel

The 34th Floor

Chapter 49:

Rachel

I pressed down on my chest, rubbing circles with the pads of my fingers. A sharp pain circulated through my upper body. I waved it off, assuming it had to be from the soreness or tiredness of running circles in this building.

I took a tentative seat on the sofa. I could not peal my eyes off of the photo frame resting on the mantle. There was something beautiful about Richard's love for Patricia. He was a man unwilling to allow another man to have the love he could not have. Some might consider Richard to be selfish or insane, but I see his commitment to Patricia as sheer loyalty. Patricia had the love and respect of a man, willing to sacrifice his health and safety for her love and allegiance. A part of me was disappointed that Patricia did not see Richard's true worth. I am not quite sure what transpired between the two, but if Patricia had been in the dark of this house, she should know that Richard's methods may have been dark and wrong, but his love was pure.

"What is making you think this hard?" Cade asked, pressing down on my forehead with the tip of his finger. "You'll get permanent wrinkles at this rate."

I relaxed my face, smiling up at Cade, who was towering over me. I got a good look at him. His clothes were in shambles, thin scraps of an old plaid shirt and dull blue jeans. Yet, he managed to look so good. I remember when I first saw him. He had opened the door to the room just when I thought no one else would. I had been convinced that I would be trapped in the bedroom of this forsaken place, but there he was, a saving grace in the form of an unknown stranger. It had to have only been a few weeks, maybe a month at most since we were here, yet Cade had wormed into my heart in a way that no one had before. He was willing to dive into a body of water just to pull me out from under. He saw worth and value in my life when I did not.

"Now you are busy staring at me with heart eyes. Get a grip, Rachel."

A chuckle escaped his lips as his face broke out into a smile, revealing his dimples.

I cleared my throat, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, you just looked really sexy in those clothes. I mean, all that skin you're showing."

Cade blushed as he looked down at his shirt, which was covered in holes, revealing the outlines of hard muscle. But as he looked up to meet my gaze, the familiar smirk had returned to his face.

"I could easily rip the shirt off for you. It's not serving its purpose anyways," he suggested, wiggling his eyebrow.

I shook my head. "No, please, don't. My hands might have a mind of their own. And I won't be able to control them."

Cade laughed, throwing his head back. I smiled.

He took a seat on the couch next to me, his arms hanging over the back edge of the sofa. "But honestly, what were you thinking about, Rachel?"

The familiar pain in my chest had returned. My hand reached out to rub circles, but I held it down on my lap firmly. It was not something I wished for Cade to question or worry about.

"I...I," I struggled to say, swallowing hard. "I was just thinking about Richard and Patricia."

"Oh," Cade answered. "Like how they give a whole new definition to 'crazy stupid love,'" he muttered.

I ignored him. "He loved her so much to have done all of this for her. Can you believe it? All of this for just one person."

"There are other ways to express your unconditional love. It doesn't have to be something so dangerous," he countered.