Chapter 141
I gesture toward the door.
“Go p>
They both stand.
Thomas reaches the door first, Aaron follows closely behind.
Then something occurs to me.
“Aaron p>
He stops and turns.
“Yes, sir p>
“Stay p>
Thomas glances between us briefly. Then he walks out without a word, closing the door behind him.
Aaron waits as I study him for a moment.l
Then I say, “When Elaine wakes up, you’re taking her to her brothers’ house p>
He blinks surprised:
“You heard me p>
“Yes, but p>
“You’ll take Marcus with you p>
Aaron nods slowly.
“And two vehicles behind you p>
“Yes, sir p>
The door opens again before he can say anything else and thomas steps halfway back inside.
“You’re sending Marcus?” he asks. I want to question him on eavesdropping on my conversations but I decide to fight my battles one at a time.
“Yes p>
Thomas frowns.
“But we need Marcus here p>
“No, we don’t p>
“He’s your primary close protection asides from me p>
“I’m aware of that p>
Thomas crosses his arms.
“Then why are you sending him away with her p>
Because if someone tries to come after her again, Marcus is the only one in this house asides from Thomas I trust to make sure they fail.
But I don’t say that.
“She’ll have Marcus p>
Thomas shakes his head slowly.
“Zane p>
“She’ll have Marcus p>
The tone in my voice ends the argument. Thomas stares at me for a moment longer, then he exhales.
He steps back out into the hallway.
Aaron looks between the door and me.
“You want her there today?” he asks.
“Yes.
Aaron nods once, then he turns and leaves the office the door closing behind him the room finally falls quiet.
I sit down in my chair and stare out the window at the pale light starting to creep over the horizon.
Today is going to be a long ass day.
Elaine’s POV.
I’m finally going to find out who’s telling the truth. Thay thought stays with me the entire time we walk out of the house. The morning air is cool, the kind that still carries the last bit of night with it.
Marcus leads the way toward the driveway where one of the black SUVs is already waiting with two more vehicles idle a short distance behind it with their engines runninf.
There’s extra security, just like Aaron said. I slow down slightly when I notice them.
“You weren’t kidding about the convoy,” I mutter.
Aaron walks beside me, hands in his jacket pockets.
“Zane wasn’t taking chances p>
That sentence makes something twist in my chest, but I ignore it and focus on the car instead as Marcus reaches the driver’s door first, opening it and sliding into the seat without a word. Aaron pulls open the back door for me.
“After you p>
I slide into the seat, the leather is cool under my palms as I settle in and Aaron climbs in beside me and shuts the door, a second later the engine hum deepens and the SUV begins to move.
I glance out the window as we roll down the long driveway leading away from the estate. The gates ahead begin opening before we even reach them, the guards stepping aside.
One of them lifts a hand to his earpiece probably letting someone know we’re leavin as the gates swing open and Marcus drives through with the other two vehicles following behind us immediatel
The road outside the estate winds through tall trees before connecting to the main road leading toward the city. Early morning traffic is light, which means Marcus moves quickly.
My knee bounces slightlyas we move, I don’t even notice I’m doing it until Aaron glances down at it.
“You’re nervous p>
“I’m not nervous p>
He raises an eyebrow.
“You’re bouncing your knee p>
I know I am but still… “No om not p>
He smirks slightly but lets it go as I turn my attention back to the window. The scenery slowly shifts from long stretches of trees to scattered houses and empty fields.
Aaron shifts slightly beside me as the SUV turns onto a wider road, I recognize immediately.
My stomach tightens slightly.
It’s the bridge Not the one yet but the road leading toward it.
I swallow.
The last time I was here, everything went to hell in seconds.
Gunshots, glass shattering and the sound of metal slamming into concrete.
My fingers curl slightly against my jeans.
It’s fine it’s fine, it’s just a road.
Cars pass us going the opposite direction. Everything is normal.
Marcus checks the mirrors briefly and I look back too, the two vehicles behind us are still there exactly where they should be.
“You okay?” Aarom asks
“Yea I’m Fine p>
The words comeing out too quickly. Je watches me for a second then nods.
“Okay p>
The SUV approaches the bridge now.
I see the metal railings first, then the stretch of road over the water and my chest tightens.
My brain remembers everything before I can stop it.
The screech of tires, the sudden jerk of the car and the sound of Aaron shouting something.
My hands start trembling as I clench them together in my lap.
It’s fine It’s fine
I whisper it under my breath.
“It’s fine p>
Aaron glances at me.
“What p>
“N nothing p>
The car gets closer and my heart starts beating faster Too fast.
The bridge is right there now, the exact same place the accident happened.
And my breathing changes before I can help myself. It’s Shorter and shawoller
“It’s fine,” I whisper again and Aaron turns his head fully this time.
“Elaine p>
I shake my head quickly.
“I’m fine p>
But my hands are shaking badly now and I press them together harder as the SUV starts onto the bridge.
The metal structure passes over the windshield and my stomach flips.
“It’s fine,” I whisper again, barely realizing I’m saying it out loud.
“It’s fine it’s fine it’s fine p>
“Hey p>
Aaron’s voice cuts through the spiral as I feel his hand close around mine, its wam and firm.