Denial (Careless Whispers #1)(59)

Adriel moves in behind him, locking the door while Kayden closes the distance between us, his fingers clasping my wrist. Without a word, he begins leading me toward the back exit. I hurry to keep up as we pass Giada; I don’t look at her and neither does Kayden. He’s angry. So very angry, and not just at Gallo. We reach the door and he punches in a code to exit, and it’s barely lifted before he’s ducking under and taking me with him. He doesn’t wait for it to close, leading me several feet, and out of hearing range of Adriel or Giada, before turning me to face him, his hands settling on his hips.

“What part of ‘I don’t want you in the store’ did you not understand?”

My defenses prickle. “You didn’t say not to come to the store. You said you didn’t want me to work here.”

“Semantics.”

“No. You specifically said you didn’t want me to work here. That’s a different thing than telling me you don’t want me here. This is your house, and you’ve taken care of me. I would have respected your request if you had made it. And I only came because Marabella asked me to try and bond with Giada.”

“Marabella,” he repeats flatly.

“Yes, and please don’t be mad at her. She cares for you and Giada deeply. It would hurt her to feel she caused this today.”

“What did you tell Gallo?”

“I told him I only remembered my first name, and made sure he fingerprinted me. That’s what you wanted, right?”

“What did he say to you?”

“He told me The Underground is dangerous and so are you.”

“We are. What else?”

I know he has the right to know the rest, but I can’t seem to speak the words.

“Ella—”

“He stole your right to tell me something in your own time.”

He stares at me, silent. Intense. His hand runs through his hair, and that hawk that establishes him as a protector flashes. “He told you about five years ago.”

“Yes. About Kevin and . . .”

“Elizabeth.” Her name is sandpaper on his throat, pain ripped straight from his heart.

“Yes.”

His jaw clenches. Seconds tick by. “It’s time Gallo and I have a heart-to-heart.” He turns and is through the door to the store before I know he’s moved.

“Kayden!” I shout, running after him. “Kayden!” I enter the store and he’s already at the front door, exiting to the street, with no coat and no explanation.

“Adriel!” I shout. He rushes out of his office. “He went after Gallo for telling me about Elizabeth.”

“Fuck!” Adriel is already rounding the counter. “Stay here and lock the door.” He grabs a coat from a rack and disappears out the door.

I hurry forward and lock it. Sinking against the wooden surface door, I suck in air, my heart hammering against my chest. This is bad. I grab my phone from my pocket and dial Kayden, willing him to answer, but it rings and rings and then goes to voice mail. I walk to the sofa and sit down, trying again. And again. I press the phone to my forehead and shut my eyes. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him. No. I had to tell him.

“You okay?” Giada’s standing in front of me with two steaming cups in her hand. “Hot chocolate. I thought you could use some.”

I set the phone on the table to accept the mug. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” She sits down next to me. “So. Are you okay?”

I turn to face her. “Kind of. Thank you. What about you? You had a rough night.”

“I broke up with my boyfriend a few days ago, over Adriel harassing him. I tried to drink away my heartache. It didn’t work.”

“It usually doesn’t,” I say, sipping the hot beverage.

“You sound like you speak from experience.”

I smile. “Well, I do have amnesia, so I’m not really an authority on my past right now.”

“Oh, that’s right. I’m sorry. That must really suck.”

I shrug. “My memories are slowly coming back, and I also seem to just know some things. Like I’ve tried to drink away a man before, and failed.”

She curls her legs to her side to face me, and I do the same with her. “What’s up with you and Kayden?”

“Still up for debate. I saw you last night on the monitor screaming at him.”

Her eyes drop sharply to her cup. “Yes. I guess I did.”

“What did you scream at him?”

Her gaze shoots to mine. “Mean things. Horrible things, Ella. My father was working for him when he died.”

“I know.”

“Kayden told you.”

“Yes.”

She hesitates. “What did he say?”

“Not a lot, but he hurts, too. Badly.”

Her throat bobs with a hard swallow. “My father worked for Kevin before Kayden. They were all close, but I didn’t meet Kayden until after it happened.”

“You moved here after your father died?”

“Yes. Kayden wanted us here where we’d be safe. I guess he had new security installed after . . .”

“Five years ago,” I say. “I know.” And I suddenly have a renewed need to hear Kayden’s voice. I set my cup down and pick up the phone, and dial his number. Ring. Ring. Ring. Voice mail. “Damn it,” I whisper.