I barely escaped alive.
If Savage could have gotten his hands on me, I’m pretty sure he would have strangled me. He damn near tried. Only Dani stepping between us finally stopped his tirade. That might be as close to death as I’ve ever been, and I spent eight years in and out of war zones.
Dani convinced Savage to table the much-needed conversation until after we locate Skye. If the look in his eyes is any indication, the “conversation” will not be going well.
But I won’t, can’t, worry about that now. The only thing that matters is finding Skye.
Thank fuck for Dani.
Not only did she wrangle Savage, she also told me I should check the hospital. Even if Skye didn’t go back there, she knew Lucas worked there based on something Skye mentioned at a family dinner a couple weeks ago. Maybe someone there knows how I can find him.
The city is already in chaos. Even though Hera is only expected to make landfall as a category one hurricane, she’s already causing massive flooding and other problems throughout the area.
I’ve never been more thankful that I wasted money on my Hummer. I know people see them and assume the person driving it is overcompensating for something and a total douchebag, but mine is a legitimate off-road vehicle, complete with snorkel, so any flooding doesn’t stop my progress.
By the time I arrive at the hospital, it’s been over five hours since anyone has heard from Skye. The longer I go without hearing from her, the worse the churning in my stomach and the greater the feeling of dread weighing on my shoulders.
I enter through the emergency entrance and wander the main hallway of the hospital until I find a directory for the departments. The office where Skye works is in an adjacent building; I’ll need to go up a level and across the skywalk to get there. But I’ll check there first; it’s the most logical place she would be.
Deserted. The place is completely empty, with all the lights off and the doors locked tight.
Shit.
I guess it makes sense they would be shut down during the storm. But maybe she’s helping in the ER.
The entire hospital is a clusterfuck. People on gurneys are pushed past me, heading off in all directions. The storm is already taking its toll based on what I’m seeing outside and in here.
That doesn’t make me feel any better about Skye potentially being out there. And with Lucas.
I head directly for the nurse’s station. A young red head seated at the desk with her nose in a chart flicks her eyes up to me. “Can I help you, sir?”
“Yeah, I’m looking for Skye Hawke.”
Her eyebrows shoot up, and she examines me, her dark brown eyes moving from my face down over my chest where my wet t-shirt clings to me, until the top of the desk blocks her view. The corner of her mouth quirks up. “And who are you?”
An impatient man…
“I’m her brother’s business partner, Gabe Anderson. We’ve been looking for her all afternoon. Have you seen her?”
The playful and flirtatious demeanor she had a moment ago are replaced by concern. “Oh, no, I haven’t. I know she was here helping this morning, but I think she left several hours ago. Is she okay?”
Dammit. Where the hell is she?
I slam my palms down against the top of the desk. “Fuck! I hope so. Do you know this Lucas guy she was seeing? I guess he works here?”
“Lucas Oliver? Oh, yeah, he works in HR.”
The moment the words are out of her mouth, I’m running down the hall. I remember passing the HR office on my way to the elevator earlier.
I’m relieved to find the hallway in front of the human resources department deserted.
I can see the lights are off through the frosted glass window on the door. I’m counting on everyone being too distracted by injuries from the storm to worry about me lingering suspiciously in the hall.
It’s been a while since I’ve had to pick a lock; I’m hoping it’s just like riding a bike. After a quick check to make sure I’m still inconspicuous, I grab my wallet and slide out a credit card.
Thankfully, it appears the hospital isn’t too concerned with anyone breaking into their H.R. department. They didn’t even bother to put a deadbolt on the door.
Please let this be easy.
If I can’t get it open, the only way to get in would be to kick the door down, and that’s sure to draw attention. Getting arrested isn’t on the top of my “things to do” list today, so I’d like to avoid committing another felony if at all possible.
I wedge the card in between the door frame and the handle then jimmy it up and down until I feel the lock release.
A quick glance down either side of the hall tells me I’m still in the clear, and I duck inside and shut the door behind me.
Thank fuck for lax security.
The flashlight function on my cell is going to have to do. I can’t risk turning on any lights.
I survey the office, making my way past the receptionist’s desk and toward the back, down a main hallway with offices branching off either side. Lucas Oliver appears on a door to my left, but I move past it toward my target.
The file room is exactly where I thought it would be, all the way in the back corner.
Get what you need. Get out. Get Skye.
Metallic file cabinets line the walls all the way around the room and two rows of them run up the middle. It only takes a moment to find the “O” cabinets.
Why the fuck are there so many O names?
I flip through them, listening carefully for anyone entering the office behind me. Oakton. Oats. Obermeyer. Odell. Ogden. Olan. Oldham. When “Oliver, Lucas” touches my hand, my heart actually stops for a moment.
His address is printed right on the first page below his name and date of birth.
I’m coming for you, Skye.
The storm rages as we inch our way through the flooded streets and around downed trees.
We haven’t been hit like this since Hurricane Isaac back in 2012. It was the summer before the accident, and the last time Star and I rode a storm out together. We were at the house with Mom, Gabe, and Savage. Stone was away at school, and Storm was at her house with Ben and Angelina, who was a newborn at the time.
Star always loved storms. The energy and power of them fascinated her. I always thought she should have gone into meteorology instead of nursing, but she shared my love of helping people and didn’t think predicting the weather would fill that need in her.
I remember her sitting at the back window, peering out of the small crack left between the boards Savage and Gabe had used to reinforce the window. Her eyes lit up every time the sky did. “God’s fireworks” is what she always called it. I thought her love for storms was a bit odd, but I never told her that. I didn’t need to, because she knew and she didn’t care at all.
Thinking back, Gabe’s behavior should have been a clue something was wrong even back then. Each crack of thunder made him flinch slightly, and he avoided going anywhere near the windows.
He had just been discharged a few months earlier and had returned to New Orleans to work with Savage. Their dream was always to run the Hawkeye businesses together, and Savage was thrilled to have him back, assisting him.
Growing up, we would always play board games and listen to the radio during storms, a tradition we continued into adulthood. But that night, Gabe disappeared into one of the back bedrooms and shut the door instead of joining us.
I didn’t think it strange at the time. I was too busy being pissed at him for continuing to treat me like a sister and sleeping with a never-ending string of girls to recognize he was struggling. Maybe things would have been different if I hadn’t been so blind to what was happening with him then.
Star hadn’t been blind, though. She had wandered back at some point to check on him and didn’t return for almost an hour. When she did, her eyes were red as if she’d been crying. Gabe came out and joined us a few minutes later, with a plastered-on smile and fake enthusiasm. At least, that’s what I know they were now. At the time, I never suspected there was anything wrong.
If only I’d been paying better attention instead of being so focused on what I wanted…
“So, what have you been up to the last couple days?”
Lucas’ question brings me back to the present.
Working. Fucking Gabe. Avoiding my brother.
“Oh, you know, working and prepping for the storm. I was at the hospital yesterday and this morning chipping in.”
He nods but keeps his eyes on the road. “Did you give any more thought to what we discussed at the bar the other night?”
Wow. He can’t be serious. That conversation could not have been misconstrued to be anything but a total and complete break up, without any hope of a reconciliation. This time, I know for a fact I didn’t say anything he could have read more into.
“Uh…not really. I thought I was pretty clear about how I felt.”
An odd chuckle comes from his side of the car. Does he think this is funny?
“I know that the other night you seemed confused. But I know that, given time, you’ll realize we both want the same thing.”
I stifle a laugh. I probably shouldn’t piss him off while I’m still reliant on him for a ride, but his inability to accept what I’m telling him is bordering on comical. Has he never been dumped before?
“And what is that, Lucas? What do you think we both want?”
He grins. “To be together, of course. The last four months have been amazing. I know we started out just as friends with benefits or whatever, but you can’t deny that there are stronger feelings there now. I know there are.”
Jesus, this is going to be a long car ride.
“Lucas, of course I care about you. You’re a great guy, and we’ve had a lot of fun. But, I think deep down, we both know this was never meant to be more than a short-time deal.”
His knuckles turn white on the steering wheel but he remains focused on the road. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
I don’t bother to reply. Clearly, whatever I say is only going to go over his head and out the window into the storm. I’ve never had to deal with a clingy guy before. The last boyfriend I had was in college and even after two years, when things ended, they were over. We both moved on.
There’s probably some etiquette for this, but I have no idea what it is.
Star was the diplomatic one. She was always reining me in and making sure I didn’t put my foot in my mouth. Without her here, I’m constantly floundering to find the right things to say. Maybe saying nothing is the best thing right now.
Instead, I return my attention to the passing city and the destruction already happening. We’re moving agonizingly slowly so it takes me almost ten minutes to notice we’re going the wrong direction.
What the hell?
“Um, Lucas…my mom’s house is the other way.”
He glances over at me and gives me a smile that I’m sure is meant to be reassuring, but there’s something dark and cold beneath it. Images of Kathy Bates in Misery swim through my head.
When did Lucas become creepy?
I’ve never felt these weird vibes from him before today.
No. Stop.
It’s probably nothing. There’s a reasonable explanation.
“I know. I just need to run by my place quickly to grab something before I take you over there. Some of the roads are already washed out so going from my place is actually easier.”
For someone who was so nervous about me driving and getting me to Mom’s safely, it sure seems strange he’d want to detour all the way to his apartment. Something is definitely up.
He has an ulterior motive. Whether that’s hoping we get stranded alone together at his place or something else, I’m not about to spend the next two days with Lucas. Not when he thinks he’s in love with me, and I can’t stop thinking about Gabe.
I grab my phone from my pocket. If I can get ahold of him, he’ll come grab me from Lucas’. His Hummer will make it through just about anything, so I’m sure he can get me to Mom’s.
Shit. No reception.
The fucking cell towers are probably down because of the storm. Maybe I can get a text out. If it doesn’t send right away, it will when service is back up.
< On way to Lucas’. Come get me. Symphony Building, Apt. 1012. Hurry. >
I hit send and pray to God it goes through. I don’t want to spend another minute longer than necessary with Lucas.
“Who are you texting?” His voice makes me jump.
I force a smile and turn to him. “Oh, no one. I was just checking to see if cell service was back up.”
His eyes narrow at me for a moment before he grins and returns his attention to the road. “Oh, I bet they’ll be down for some time. It’s really inconvenient to be so cut off, don’t you think?”