Chapter Thirty-Three - Elise
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Elise
“You’re kidding me, right?”
“Moreno said to tell you he’s sorry and that he’ll—uh, ‘make it up to you later.’” Ryder looks uncomfortable repeating what I’m sure is a direct quote.
It’s been a week since my birthday, and I don’t remember the last time I was this happy.
I’ve started cooking again, which takes up most of my time, but I don’t mind. I’ve missed it. Jay and I alternate between who cooks breakfast and lunch, but we normally make dinner together.
I’ve had the opportunity to get to know everyone better, too, even going so far as to spend time with each of the capos without Joshua or Ryder as a buffer.
Ryder had been right in saying I’d feel better knowing the guys who live here. It’s given me a sense of comfort that I thought would be impossible after Tripp’s attack.
Ryder typically joins me for lunch on the days Joshua is caught up in work. It’s easy to talk to him, like I’ve known him all my life, and not merely a month of it.
My relationship with Joshua has grown the most.
Since losing the bet on my birthday, I’ve officially moved into Joshua’s room. All the clothes I bought at the mall were moved into Joshua’s oversized closet, and just like that, it became our room.
I love waking beside him after a dreamless sleep, even if he quickly leaves me to go to work each morning.
He tries to take a break during lunch to eat with me, but it always depends on the calls he gets tangled up in.
Most days, he’s done around dinner time, and we spend the whole evening together.
I always insist that Joshua and I spend time with the capos, playing cards, watching movies, or talking over drinks.
At first, he objected, preferring our alone time, but I think he’s realized that I enjoy hanging out with them.
Even before my kidnapping, I never had a group of friends like this, and these guys give me the small sense of normalcy that I crave—even if they do talk about things like their body count.
And I wish I meant sexually.
Things between Joshua and me have been great over the past week, aside from the occasional argument. I never considered myself a hot-headed person, but Joshua brings out a side of me I hadn’t realized existed.
The characteristics that have defined me for so long are shifting and changing the core of my being, or perhaps Joshua is just revealing what has been inside me all along.
But no matter how well things have been going, it doesn’t give him the right to blow me off again.
Going out for my birthday meant so much to me that Joshua promised we could do it more often.
First, we made plans to go out for lunch, which was canceled for a last-minute meeting.
Next, we’d scheduled time to go hiking, which was postponed because of a shipment delivery error.
Today, we’re going out for lunch and hiking to make up for the other dates, but now he’s canceling on me for the third time.
He’d better have a damn good reason.
“What’s his excuse this time?”
“He has a lot to get done. I didn’t get specifics.”
Turning on my heels, I stalk out of the kitchen and down the hall.
“Where are you going?” Ryder calls from behind me.
I don’t spare him a glance. “To find out what’s so important.”
“He’s not in his office,” he says slowly.
I stop in my tracks. If Joshua isn’t in his office, there’s only one other place Joshua would be.
The warehouse.
Last week, Joshua and I went for a walk around the estate. Until then, I hadn’t realized just how vast the property was. I knew the main road led to a parking garage and a guest house where most of the men stay, but I didn’t know that it also leads to the warehouse.
We walked to the parking garage and guest house, but Joshua made us turn around after that. He’s made it abundantly clear that I’m not allowed to go anywhere near the warehouse—though he spends most of his time there.
Instead of responding, I push past Ryder and make my way to the front door.
“Don’t do it.”
I ignore him and slam the door behind me.
It’s opened a moment later. “Elise!”
I stop dead in my tracks.
Ryder’s voice is a rose—alluring and pleasant, but it’s got the bite of a poisoned thorn. I can imagine it comes in handy in this line of work, but I hate when it’s directed at me.
“Why is he blowing me off?” The anger seeps out of my voice, giving way to my disappointment.
“I’m sure he’d rather be with you.”
I close my eyes, soaking in the sun’s warmth. It’s a beautiful day, and the idea of sunbathing is tempting, but when another idea hits me, I decide it’s worth forgoing my day in the sun.
“There are only three bedrooms in the house, right?” I ask, head tilting toward the sky.
I don’t open my eyes to watch Ryder, but his pause gives away his wariness. “Right. Why?”
“No reason,” I say, turning on my heels to go back inside.
“What are you about to do?”
“I have no idea what you mean.” I close the front door, barely hearing Ryder muttering to himself about cleaning up my messes.
This one shouldn’t get him in trouble.
I haven’t been to the bedroom upstairs since the morning of my birthday. None of the things put here were actually mine, so I didn’t bother having them moved to Joshua’s room. It’s untouched from the last time I was here, bed unmade, bathroom door ajar, and two dresser drawers half open.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m walking back down the steps, surprised that Ryder never came after me. He’s not in an official babysitter role, but he still acts like it sometimes. In fact, none of the guys seem to be hanging around the house today, which is fine by me.
I spend the next hour making food.
I have years of practice making just enough food for one, and I put those skills to use now.
By the time I’m done, I have a club sandwich with a side of chips, broccoli cheddar soup stored in a large thermos, and a small platter of all the cheeses and meats Jay insists on having on hand at all times—including prosciutto, capicola, goat cheese, and an aged cheddar which has recently become a favorite of mine.
I add crackers, wrap the platter in cellophane, and grab the last few items I need—a bag of caramel-filled chocolates, two bottles of wine, and the biggest wine glass I can find.
Then, I write two notes and leave the first one on the kitchen counter.
With my lunch, dinner, snack, dessert, and drink of choice all ready, it’s time to settle in.
It takes three trips from the kitchen to the bedroom to get it all in there, but once it is, I stick the second note on the door, promptly lock it, and then spend a tedious ten minutes pushing the heavy oak dresser in front of it.
My final touch is to close the curtains overlooking the backyard.
If Joshua wants to blow me off, that’s fine, but I won’t be at his beck and call whenever he decides he has the time.
I haven’t had the chance to try out the projector screen in our room, and now is the perfect time. Joshua isn’t logged in to any streaming apps, but his credit card is attached to the digital store profile so I buy all the movies I want to watch.
The Proposal, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Devil Wears Prada, and Pretty Woman are my first round of purchases.
I turn on the first one and pop open the bottle of wine. My first glass is gone before I get halfway through the movie, and when that thought makes me giggle, I make myself eat the club sandwich I made.
Four hours, two movies, half a cheese plate, and an entire bottle of wine later, I hear clamoring coming from the back door. I have no idea if it’s Joshua or a few of the capos, and I don’t care.
And to show just how much I don’t care, I turn the volume up as high as it will go.
It’s absurdly loud, and if I’d thought to bring bottles of water in here, I might’ve turned it back down. Instead, I kick my feet up on the couch and toss a piece of aged cheddar in my mouth. I miss and spend the next several moments fishing the cheese out of my shirt.
Not my sexiest moment.
I jump when I hear pounding on the door. Really, I’m just surprised I’m able to hear it over the movie.
I promptly ignore it.
I can tell when the pounding turns to kicking because the dresser starts to rattle, but it doesn’t budge. Joshua can only blame himself for getting top-of-the-line doors, locks, and furniture.
By the time Pretty Woman ends, Joshua has been beating at the door for almost an hour. When I click out of the movie, my ears are ringing from the sudden quiet. That quiet lasts less than three seconds before Joshua furiously pounds at the door again.
“Open the door, Elise!”
“Joshua?” I call in my sweetest voice. “I had no idea you were back! Didn’t you get my note?”
My note, which I left stuck to the door, states:
Girls only.
It wasn’t as nice as the note I left for Jay, which explained that I wouldn’t be able to help with dinner tonight because I’d be busy teaching his boss that I don’t appreciate being blown off three times in a row.
“Open the door, or I’m breaking it down,” Joshua yells.
“Let me know how that goes for you!”
“I’m going to kill you, Elise. I swear if you don’t open this door—”
“Not making a strong case, sweetheart,” I say, then add, “I’m going to take a bath while you keep at it.”
“Elise! Don’t you dare ignore me again!” he shouts, but I’m already grabbing the second bottle of wine—I don’t bother with a glass this time.
Joshua must have had the bathroom stocked with me in mind because I refuse to think he would ever use lavender bath bombs and Epsom salt. In any case, I’m grateful for them as I run a steaming bath.
I don’t climb out of the tub until my toes and fingers are pruny. I have no idea how much time has passed—only that it’s been approximately half a bottle of wine and seven chocolates since I left Joshua at the door.