Out of the Storm(22)

"Don't turn away from me when I'm talking to you."



       
         
       
        

Freezing, I bite my tongue to keep myself from saying what I want to because I have to see this through. My life depends on it in more than one way. I can't show him I've changed over the course of the day with all these revelations. Turning around, I stare at him.

He caresses my cheek. "Who was the potential client?"

Theo didn't tell me what to say to this. Did he? I can't remember. I can barely breathe. Biting my lip, I try to go through all the possible scenarios of what he told me. The only thought that comes to my mind is that I'm a terrible liar. I don't think I can do this.





Sitting in my car, I cut the engine so I can hear better. Part of me can't believe the fucker tracked her phone, but the other side of me isn't a bit surprised. I didn't realize I'd been holding my breath during their conversation until I finally started again after he said she'd been in the building the whole time.

For a minute, I think Jules is going to get in her car and leave him, but there's a pause. I'm too far up to see anything. Why's it so quiet? What's she doing?

"Who was the potential client?" the fucker asks.

More quiet. She's not answering quickly. This isn't good. "C'mon, Jules. We talked about this at dinner. Remember. Tell the truth. Don't blow this."

Everything in me wants to go down there, interrupt their meeting, give her a reason to bail, but I don't see how that would work. It'll just piss Charlie off more, and dicks like him typically take their aggression out on innocent people. I can't do anything that I think may put her in more danger.

"Turns out I didn't meet the actual client. I met his rep." There's another pause. "I don't know his name. Anonymity was a condition if we wanted the account."

Good girl. I can't see her, but the way she said it would have convinced me. It was partially true.

"Where did you go to dinner?"

She huffs. "You're quizzing me like you don't trust me, Charlie, and I don't like it."

There's shuffling, and then it sounds like someone being thrown against a car. My fists clench, my jaw tightens. So help me, if he's doing what I think he is, I'm not sure I will be able to control myself when I get down there. I nearly toss the phone into my seat, but something tells me to stay put, to listen and not act impulsively.

"You better not be lying to me, Jules. Do you understand me?"

"I'm not. The account is a potentially large one, and I don't want to screw it up."

Truth.

"How big?"

"Millions. And I was looking over reports tonight. It looks like we could use it, so I would think you wouldn't want to blow the chance either. The rep said they'd only work with me. So, I need you to trust me." 

I can't even attempt to hide my grin, except I think about him having her pinned against a car, jerking her around. It makes my blood boil. Maybe I could act like I was going into work to get something or do something. Maybe that wouldn't be obvious.

That's when the idea pops into my head. I get out of my car, close my door, lock it, and go to the stairwell. I go to the ground floor, which thank fuck isn't the one they're on, and I run to the front of the building. The phone is still to my ear. When I reach the front door, I see Calvin sitting there. I never knew his name, but I suddenly want to fucking hug him for what he said to Jules. It just further proves my point, lets her know she can trust me, that I wasn't just planting shit in her ear to try to get my way with her.

Pulling my wallet from my pocket, I show him my ID. He nods, not saying anything, probably because he thinks I'm on the phone. And I am. I'm listening. And there's way too much silence. Maybe this was a horrible fucking idea.

I had briefly thought about running up to my office to get my gym bag, but I fear I'd drop the call in the elevator. Instead, I walk right past them to the back entrance. The back entrance is one floor up from the ground level. That's where she's parked.

"I'm sorry, baby," he says.

Gag me with a fucking spoon. I'm convinced he doesn't have an ounce of regret in his body. Or a conscience.

"It's okay. I'm really tired. I'm gonna head home. I'll see you tomorrow."

I contemplate not walking out the back door. If he saw me pull in, he'll know I wasn't inside the whole time. Even if he didn't see me, he may wait for me to leave, and if he sees me get into my car, he could put two and two together. I don't need that happening. Shit. No matter what I do, I'm fucking screwed.

Running my free hand through my hair, I want to kick myself for leaving my car. I should be following her, watching her. Not in here. Nothing feels right. Everything feels so wrong. Maybe it's because she's with him instead of me. But I don't like any of this.

Fuck it. Walking back to the elevator, I punch the button to go up and say a little prayer I don't lose her, and if I do, that she'll call me back when she can. I need to get my gym bag. I need to look like I've been here the entire time.

But when the doors open, I can't will myself to walk in there. If I lose her, she'll think I hung up. What if she doesn't believe me that I want to protect her? What if something happens to her?

Closing my eyes, I shake my head. I feel eyes staring at me, and I glance over at Calvin. He looks thoroughly confused. I shrug, covering the phone like I've got something to hide. "Can't decide if I want to bother going back to the gym. And this person on the other end won't stop." I do my hand in the yapping motion. It's not Jules I wish would shut up. It's skatá prósopo. I wish he'd just suddenly die of a fucking heart attack. Or something. Never have I held so much contempt for a person.

Calvin nods.

Why is it so damn quiet on Jules' line? I glance at the phone. We're still connected. Screw this. I can't take not knowing what's going on with her. I wish we had thought of some kind of code word for her to say if she was in trouble while we were thinking of nicknames for our phones. That would have been way too smart of us.

Blowing a breath out, I mute my phone before shoving it in my pocket, then I walk back to the parking garage. I'm just going to have to take my chances. When I open the door, I see them. She's safe. But my heart twists. Everything in me cringes. I want to fucking throw up. I wasn't prepared for this scenario even though I knew it was going to probably happen.



       
         
       
        

Charlie has her pinned to her car. He's kissing her neck. Her eyes are closed, but I guess the sound of the door alerts her that she's not alone, and she opens them. We stare each other right in the eye. It's a look I saw on her face when she thought I was legit kidnapping her. Horror.

Closing my eyes, I bite down on my lips and shove my hands in my pockets to keep from throwing a punch at the son of a bitch. He's a piece of work. Do I just go to my car or do I go interrupt them?

Her eyes plead with me, but I don't know what for. To intervene or to go. Is she enjoying that? Does she want that? She mouths, "Go." My heart sinks.

That's not what I want to do.

The bástardos growls, runs his hand up her leg, and it's like watching a train wreck, but I can't look away. I never asked her if he raped her. I just asked if he hit her. What if she doesn't want this?

But she wouldn't have told me to go if she wanted help. What the fuck is this? My stomach rolls. I think I'm going to be sick. I can't go. I can't watch this either.

"Charlie, is that you?" I ask, laughing. "This isn't the same girl you were with earlier in the gym. Is this your fiancé?"

Her eyes look like they're going to pop out of her head. She shoves him off her. "Girl in the gym?" she asks, incredulously.

He turns around and narrows his eyes, but he has a sly smile. "I don't know what the hell he's talking about or who this idiot is."

"Well, he apparently knows you," she says.

"Lots of people know me that I don't know, babe." Note to self. Never ever call her babe again.

I smirk. "He's right. We've never met. I'm just a huge fan of his storm chasing videos." I throw my hand out to him. "Theo. Nice to meet you."

He doesn't take it. His smile vanishes. It's like I can see his brain spinning trying to connect the dots as to how I would know about his storm chasing, so I figure I'll help him out. Jules says he's smart, but I can think of a bunch of adjectives to describe him, and that's not one of them. "I saw your video where you won a million on that bet on Katrina. Don't seem so surprised. It went viral." I shrug. "Who hasn't seen it? I started following you after that."

He lips curve up into a smug, proud grin. I ball my fists in my pockets. One day, I'm going to beat the shit out of him.

He nods. "Is that so?"

Lies. Jules may be a terrible liar, but apparently I'm not. I keep digging myself in deeper and deeper. They keep rolling off my tongue like it's nothing, like I do it every day. It's bothersome. "Yeah." 

Charlie glares at me. "Then you should have recognized this is my fiancé, asshole. She was in the video."

I wink at Jules. "Oh that. It was a joke." I look over at Jules. "Forgive me. You're even more stunning in person."