CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CADI
Now, a veritable deluge pelted her car at the red light while she waited impatiently to turn onto Elias’s street.
The drive from her neighborhood had taken roughly twice as long as predicted, with several roads already completely impassable due to flooding.
Things were starting to get hairy, and she wanted nothing more than to be off the streets and in the safety and comfort of his apartment.
This was it.
Her stomach did a weird flip-flop move as she shoved her library book into her bag, then double-checked that she had everything so she didn’t have to make a return trip through the onslaught.
She blew out a breath through pursed lips while she waited for another car to drift past, reminding herself that this was just Elias.
The type of building he lived in didn’t change that.
So why wouldn’t her hands stop shaking?
The gigantic drops were merciless, pelting her hair and clothes as she ran the short distance from her car to the building.
It only took her about ten seconds, but that was enough to leave her completely drenched.
Wind howled around her, chilling her to the bone.
Her teeth began to chatter so hard she thought they might break.
Lifting a waterlogged hand, she rapped her ghost-white knuckles against the glass door.
A broad-shouldered man in a forest green overcoat looked up from his spot behind a wooden podium, his eyes widening when he saw her.
She checked her reflection in the door as he approached, which she quickly decided was a mistake.
Between the wind and the rain, she resembled some sort of crazy, half-drowned rodent.
“Can I help you, miss?” the man asked politely, easing the door open just enough to speak through. Cadi tried not to take offense given her state, but she was freezing, and it turned out being in the beginning stages of hypothermia had a pretty negative effect on her patience.
“Yeah,” she yelled over the roar of the growing storm, trying to push as much confidence into her response as possible. “I’m Cadi Kismet. I’m a guest of Elias Masterson.”
For a moment, the doorman didn’t move, though his eyes quickly flicked down and back up before he offered her a hesitant smile. “One moment,” he said, before he pushed the door closed and returned to his podium, leaving her shivering in the icy wind.
Cadi hugged her middle, hunching forward for any ounce of protection against the brutal weather. She could barely believe it had been so sunny and warm just yesterday.
Her head snapped up at the sound of a lock being turned, but instead of stepping back to let her in, the doorman gave her a confused look. “I have an Arcadia Kismet …”
Cadi let out a shaky grumble. Of course Elias gave her full name. Probably laughed while he did it, too. He would definitely have to pay for that when she got inside.
“Yeah, that’s me,” she confirmed, giving him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. It was difficult to tell since she couldn’t feel her face anymore.
The doorman lit up, his previous skepticism replaced with welcome as he stepped aside to usher her in. He moved quickly in front of her to hold open the thick oak doors that led into the lobby, then tipped his chin in a tiny bow as she passed through.
She had barely taken a single step over the threshold when her feet froze and her mouth fell open.
The entire space seemed to whisper quiet luxury, with nearly every surface fashioned from the same black marble.
Recessed lighting poured from carefully crafted panels overhead, the soft light spilling across the polished stone floor in a way that was almost certainly intentional.
Thick wood columns framed the main path that led to a bank of elevators against the far wall to create a subtle barrier between the walkway and the small alcoves of high-backed chairs and softly glowing lamps.
Cadi glanced down at the sopping fabric that clung to her body and winced when she saw the small pool of water slowly gathering around her feet. Taking a deep breath, she scurried forward, each step squeaking and squishing like she was running across ground made entirely of wet sponges.
She jammed her finger into the gold call button, wiggling her knees impatiently as if the motion might make the elevator arrive faster. Looking back over her shoulder, she cringed at the mess she had left behind, sending out a silent apology to whichever poor soul would have to clean up after her.
A chime sounded from overhead, and the sleek black doors slid open to reveal the brightly lit car. The same soft lighting from the lobby illuminated the mirrored walls, but the immaculate cream carpet and gilded accents seemed to laugh at her in an entirely different language of opulence.
The plush carpet was soft and welcoming beneath her feet, and she tried not to think about what damage was being done as she continued to drip icy water from her clothes. Turning to the panel of buttons, she scanned for the floor number Elias had given her: Fifteen.
Her nerves jumbled tighter with every row her eyes slid over. If he lived on the top floor, she might just turn around and go home, taking her shame and midrange socioeconomic status with her.
When she finally found it, she let out a small breath. It wasn’t the top, but it was damn close. She pressed the button that would take her to the fifteenth floor, eyeing the one that sat directly above it, designated only as “PH.”
Between running The Crow and his stake in Club Ambrosia, it would seem the bar business was doing quite well.
The elevator climbed, and Cadi found herself trapped by the brutally honest reflective surfaces that made up the walls of the car. When she had left her apartment, her curls had been full and vibrant, but now she wouldn’t be surprised if Elias took one look at her and called security.
The display above the doors slowly counted up until the car reached its destination and opened to a quiet hallway.
She scanned the numbers fixed to the wall beside the units as she walked, the tiny flutter in her chest growing stronger with each one she passed that brought her closer to 1506. Closer to him.
When she finally reached Elias’s apartment, her heart was nearly in a frenzy.
She tapped her knuckles against solid wood, and winced at the sharp bite from the impact.
The skin of her hands felt like it was being poked by hundreds of needles as it shifted from deathly white to a bright red now that she was no longer being abused by the frigid wind and rain.
The lock clicked, her breath caught, and the door swung open to reveal Elias. A fragrant blend of savory spices poured from the open door, and she had to stop herself from letting out a dramatic moan at the enticing promise of comfort.
His eyebrows shot up when he saw her, and Cadi glared at the way his lips kept twitching as he took in her sodden appearance.
“Don’t you say a fucking word,” she muttered.
He raised a hand to cover his mouth, shoulders quivering as he tried, and failed, to suppress a snort of laughter.
“Shut up!” she cried, landing a playful punch against his arm. “It’s pouring out there and I’m freezing so you have to be nice to me.”
His fingers closed around her wrist, and he pulled her through the door, snug into his chest. Lacing her hands around his back, she squeezed him tightly and wiggled, making sure to sufficiently saturate his t-shirt as payback.
A low laugh rumbled against her cheek, and he placed a kiss on the top of her head while his palms ran over her back in a sweet yet futile attempt to warm her up.
Another shiver raced through her body as he shifted to kick the door shut, and she nestled closer, refusing to give up the glorious heat rolling off him until absolutely necessary.
“Let’s find you something dry before you start turning blue.”
With a nod, she grudgingly relinquished her hold, then turned to let her gaze sweep over the manicured room. “Holy shit …”
His apartment felt effortlessly pristine.
The entry opened into a recessed living room to her left, where a cream-colored sofa and matching love seat sat facing each other, perfect for socializing.
Her eyes caught on the small bar tucked into the corner of the room next to the sitting area, the wall behind it stocked with several sets of elaborately designed glasses.
She turned to give Elias a curious look.
“You sure have a lot of fancy drinkware for someone who doesn’t drink,” she teased.
Elias returned her smirk. “They do a pretty bang-up job of holding water, too, you know,” he said before he lifted his shoulders into a shrug. “I admire the craftsmanship and discipline that goes into making glassware, especially by hand. I’ve been working on that collection for a while now.”
Cadi’s smile grew as she filed away that detail before she turned her attention back to his apartment.
Past the living room was the dining area, a thick granite island separating it from the small but immaculate kitchen, where the gentle sound of simmering liquid drifted from a ceramic skillet that rested on the glass stove top.
Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the whole exterior, their darkened panes hinting at the outside’s reflective appearance that allowed the building’s residents perfect privacy without sacrificing their views.
Off the main space, Cadi could see a small hallway to the right just past a row of thickly stocked bookshelves. As Elias guided her forward, she craned her neck to peer down the dim hall, catching a glimpse of an impeccably neat office and what might have been a bathroom.
“Your place is so … clean.” she said, unable to stop her eyes from skimming over every surface as they walked. Not a single item seemed out of place.
Elias hummed. “One of us has to be the clean one.”