Out of the Storm - COMPLETE

Chapter 15

Jules

THEO KATAIGÍDA IS comfort. In his arms, this time, that's what this feeling is. And safe. How is that even possible?

"When do you want us to try again, boss?"

My eyes widen, and I glance up at Theo. He puts a finger over my lips, his jaw ticks, and he ever so quietly says, "Shh."

My body is shivering, my teeth still near chattering. He shrugs out of his jacket and puts it around me, then pulls me into his body.

"Try again tomorrow."

"That everything?"

There's silence, and I don't want Charlie to see me, to know that I've heard his plan. Or to see me in Theo's arms.

"Get me out of here." Bile creeps up my throat, burning and giving me the sourest taste in my mouth. My chest feels like someone cracked it open, ripped out my heart, and stomped on it. This has been the worst day ever.

He takes my hand, leading me between two of the buildings. Of course, while I'm tall, two of his strides equal one of mine, and I practically have to run to keep up with him. Once we're far enough away from Charlie, I kind of laugh. It's one of those nervous laughs, but also has a hint of relief, and a lot of hurt in it. One that keeps you from crying. One where you're trying to find silver linings when you aren't sure there are any. "If I had on those fuck me shoes you wanted me to wear, I wouldn't be able to keep up with you. So, I think I should keep these ugly ass shoes."

"I would gladly carry you if you had those on. Not the romantic way. I'd just toss you over my shoulder. It'd be my fucking pleasure. Want me to show you right now?" He stops and acts like he's about to pick me up from the bottom of my legs.

I swat his arm. "Walk. Or Run. But don't you even dare pick me up like that here. Right now."

"So one day it will be okay for me to show you?" He winks. "I see what you did there. Left your options open."

"Ugh. Where are you taking me? This isn't the way we came."

He shakes his head. "No. I don't want to risk him seeing us. I'm going in the opposite direction I think he'd be going. The parking lot is too lit, too open."

"So, where are we going?"

But before he can answer, we're on the street, several blocks away from our office building. "We're walking back?"

"Nope." He points to the subway entrance in front of us. "We're going for a little ride."

"I don't think that's a good idea. I'll just walk back to my car."

Theo keeps walking, pulling me behind him and into the stairwell. "Hell no. Did you not just hear the fucker say he's got people out to do only God knows what to you?"

Swallowing back the tears, I hang my head. Hearing him say it so bluntly makes it sound so much worse. I mean, I knew it was disturbing, but this isn't that. It's sinister. It's incomprehensible. "Yeah," I mutter.

"We're not going back to my car yet. We're not going back to your office, either." He pulls his wallet from his back pocket and swipes his Metro card twice. He never lets go of my hand, and for some reason, I'm in no hurry to release it. He crosses through the gate and watches as I do the same, still grasping my hand.

"Where are we going then if we're not going back to either of those places?"

His head is down, and he peers up through his lashes. He. Looks. So. Sexy when he does that. My knees nearly buckle, and everything in my body comes to life. "My place."