would be entirely filled with his fellow cowboys, and Bruno and his killer friends wouldn’t be able to find her. Besides, by now they should be following the cell phone in the poor unsuspecting family’s diaper bag.
Every step of her feet against the floor of the hall seemed to echo off the walls and through her head, like a metronome ticking off the time. Time she knew she didn’t have. Time she couldn’t waste if she wanted to survive. Then Leesa heard the familiar and oh-so-welcome ding that heralded an elevator nearby. She nearly cried at the sound.
Chase’s hand squeezed hers tightly as they stood in front of the closed brass doors. He pushed the button and smiled down at her. Eventually she’d have to deal with the way her heart fluttered every time she looked at him. Worse, how strongly her body reacted when he looked at her. She’d also have to figure out if he recognized her or not. But for now, just watching the elevator’s door slide open made her happy. Chase motioned for her to step inside before he followed one small step behind her.
He pushed the button for his floor. It was one of the higher numbers. She tried not to panic. If she needed to escape down the stairs it would take her a while, longer with each level the elevator rose above ground. Would she ever feel safe again? Probably not. Even if she got away, she’d always be looking over her shoulder, wondering when they’d catch up to her. Not even knowing why they wanted her dead.
Leesa must have let out a sigh without realizing it. When she glanced up, Chase was looking at her with an expression of concern on his face. “You okay?”
She conjured a smile. “Yeah. Fine.”
He nodded, though he didn’t look totally convinced with her answer. Then the doors opened and the sudden noise and commotion pushed all else out of her mind. Leesa certainly hoped Chase’s friends occupied the entire floor because it was looking more like a frat party than a hotel at the moment, right down to the keg sitting in a large bucket filled with ice.
Chase didn’t let go of her hand, which she was grateful for, but he did practically drag her out of the elevator with a muttered, “What the hell?”
He stopped in front of the guy Leesa recognized as both the cowboy who’d been seated next to him today at the table, and last night in the club.
“Jeez, Garret. You said Aaron’s brother picked up some beer, not a keg. Don’t you think we’re pushing it a little?”
The guy Chase had called Garret shrugged. “What can they do? Throw us out?”
“Um, yeah. Actually they can.” Chase’s body tensed next to her. When he looked down at her again, it wasn’t with his usual smile.
She wasn’t so happy herself. If they got kicked out of here, then what would she do? She’d be right back where she’d been an hour ago. Maybe she could hop on a bus like she’d planned, but if Jerry and his brother had half a brain they would be watching all the buses leaving since they knew she’d been here.
A kid who looked barely out of high school came up to them, big red plastic cup in his hand. He took a big swallow of beer and then glanced from Chase to Garret. “What’s wrong with you two?”
“Ah, jeez. I forgot Skeeter’s not even old enough to drink. Do you know how much trouble we can get into for serving a minor?” Chase ran his free hand over his face.
Garret shook his head. “Okay, okay. Relax. I hear ya. I don’t know when you became such a stick in the mud, but I’ll handle it. Skeeter, you and the guys move the keg into my room.”
“Uh, no. Move it into one of the other rooms.” Chase glanced down at her then back to Garret.
Leesa noted Garret’s brows shoot up. He donned a cocky grin and nodded slowly. “Oh. All right. I get it.”
As Garret’s gaze moved to her, Chase shook his head. “Shut up, Garret.”
“What?” Garret’s wide-eyed innocence was too animated to be real. “I didn’t say anything.”
The snort Chase
Every step of her feet against the floor of the hall seemed to echo off the walls and through her head, like a metronome ticking off the time. Time she knew she didn’t have. Time she couldn’t waste if she wanted to survive. Then Leesa heard the familiar and oh-so-welcome ding that heralded an elevator nearby. She nearly cried at the sound.
Chase’s hand squeezed hers tightly as they stood in front of the closed brass doors. He pushed the button and smiled down at her. Eventually she’d have to deal with the way her heart fluttered every time she looked at him. Worse, how strongly her body reacted when he looked at her. She’d also have to figure out if he recognized her or not. But for now, just watching the elevator’s door slide open made her happy. Chase motioned for her to step inside before he followed one small step behind her.
He pushed the button for his floor. It was one of the higher numbers. She tried not to panic. If she needed to escape down the stairs it would take her a while, longer with each level the elevator rose above ground. Would she ever feel safe again? Probably not. Even if she got away, she’d always be looking over her shoulder, wondering when they’d catch up to her. Not even knowing why they wanted her dead.
Leesa must have let out a sigh without realizing it. When she glanced up, Chase was looking at her with an expression of concern on his face. “You okay?”
She conjured a smile. “Yeah. Fine.”
He nodded, though he didn’t look totally convinced with her answer. Then the doors opened and the sudden noise and commotion pushed all else out of her mind. Leesa certainly hoped Chase’s friends occupied the entire floor because it was looking more like a frat party than a hotel at the moment, right down to the keg sitting in a large bucket filled with ice.
Chase didn’t let go of her hand, which she was grateful for, but he did practically drag her out of the elevator with a muttered, “What the hell?”
He stopped in front of the guy Leesa recognized as both the cowboy who’d been seated next to him today at the table, and last night in the club.
“Jeez, Garret. You said Aaron’s brother picked up some beer, not a keg. Don’t you think we’re pushing it a little?”
The guy Chase had called Garret shrugged. “What can they do? Throw us out?”
“Um, yeah. Actually they can.” Chase’s body tensed next to her. When he looked down at her again, it wasn’t with his usual smile.
She wasn’t so happy herself. If they got kicked out of here, then what would she do? She’d be right back where she’d been an hour ago. Maybe she could hop on a bus like she’d planned, but if Jerry and his brother had half a brain they would be watching all the buses leaving since they knew she’d been here.
A kid who looked barely out of high school came up to them, big red plastic cup in his hand. He took a big swallow of beer and then glanced from Chase to Garret. “What’s wrong with you two?”
“Ah, jeez. I forgot Skeeter’s not even old enough to drink. Do you know how much trouble we can get into for serving a minor?” Chase ran his free hand over his face.
Garret shook his head. “Okay, okay. Relax. I hear ya. I don’t know when you became such a stick in the mud, but I’ll handle it. Skeeter, you and the guys move the keg into my room.”
“Uh, no. Move it into one of the other rooms.” Chase glanced down at her then back to Garret.
Leesa noted Garret’s brows shoot up. He donned a cocky grin and nodded slowly. “Oh. All right. I get it.”
As Garret’s gaze moved to her, Chase shook his head. “Shut up, Garret.”
“What?” Garret’s wide-eyed innocence was too animated to be real. “I didn’t say anything.”
The snort Chase
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