Page 22 of Broken
“What is it?” I asked quietly, since Icouldn’t stop and turn my head to check.
“He’s here.” Theo’s lips barely moved as he said it. “But we have a problem.”
“What kind of a problem?” Of course, there’d always be something, and since Theo hadn’t started toward Jerome, I assumed it wasn’t possible for him to go talk to Jerome for some reason. What if there was someone with him who could recognize us? What if Jerome had broughtWalter here? That seemed very unlikely, but I didn’t know, and Theo wasn’t saying anything.
He twirled me around so suddenly that I almost yelped, then he pulled me toward him, pressing himself against my back. Warmth shot up my body as his hands rested low on my hips, but this was not the time to get distracted, because I was looking straight at Jerome. Two bodyguards were with him, and hewas standing near one of the walls.
A man and a woman approached him, and he smiled at them. As they launched into a conversation, I realized why Theo had said we had a problem. There was a camera in the corner right above the spot where Jerome was standing, so if we went closer to talk to him, the camera would very likely catch us planting the tracker on him. Shit.
I turned around inTheo’s embrace, forcing my lips into a bright smile. People were watching us with more interest now, and one couple joined us on the dance floor. “Can we wait for him to move?”
“We don’t have a choice, but he seems intent on staying there,” he mumbled.
I could understand why Jerome wanted to stay there. The window was far enough away, so if someone burst through it or if anything happened,it would be easier for him to escape unscathed. The elevators were only a few steps away too. “Maybe he’ll get thirsty or hungry.”
“That’s not going to help.” Theo spun me around again, and I noticed Jerome waving over one of the waiters, who immediately brought him whatever he wanted. Right. He wasn’t going to move from that corner at all, was he?
When I was facing Theo again, I leanedin, my lips brushing his ear. “Then what are we going to do?”
“I don’t know.” He grabbed onto my thigh, lifting my leg up and tipping me back, and a gasp escaped my throat. My dress slid up a bit as his fingers briefly caressed my skin before he let go. I wasn’t sure if he’d done that because he wanted to or because he thought that would somehow help us get to Jerome, but we were too far awayfrom him to be able to accidentally bump into him.
“He’s on the move,” Theo said, and I glanced to the side and realized Jerome and his guards were going for the elevators. Was he leaving already? Shit. But if we started toward him now, we’d be too late anyway. Theo tugged me closer so our lips were only inches apart, but he was looking toward the elevator.
“Is he leaving?” I whispered,placing my hand on Theo’s cheek.
“We’ll see.”
I lowered my hand down his back and slipped it into the back pocket of his pants, giving him a little squeeze. He jumped, his breath catching.
“Please don’t do that or I...”
I tilted my head at him and gave him a wicked smile.
“The elevator stopped just one floor below. I think he went to one of the offices,” he managed to say,but his voice was a little breathy.
“Do you think we can get there?”
“I don’t know. Let’s find out.” He leaned his forehead against mine, then glanced around, as if he’d just realized everyone was watching us. But if they remembered us only as a couple who had gotten carried away on the dance floor at a business party, then I didn’t see that as an issue. I bit down on my lip, pretendingto be embarrassed, and I tugged at Theo’s arm, nodding toward the elevators.
No one would find it strange that we’d decided to go somewhere more private. As soon as we entered the elevator, Theo looked up, and I glanced around for cameras too. There was only one, and it was just above the floor buttons. When the door closed, I grasped Theo’s suit jacket and pulled him toward me. If we wantedto play this right, we had to be convincing. And I really, really wanted to kiss him right now, even if we were in the middle of a dangerous mission.
“I don’t think I can wait until we get to the car,” I said, batting my eyelashes at him. “I want you now.”
The next thing I knew, his lips were on mine, and it was as if a current of electricity zapped through me. I was vaguely aware ofhim pressing some buttons, and I was sure we’d end up right where Jerome had gone even though Theo had pretended not to look.
My fingers found their way into his hair, and his hands roamed up and down my back. His kiss intensified, his lips pressing against mine with an almost bruising force. The elevator door dinged a moment before it opened, and I took a step back, catching Theo’s tie andpulling him into the hallway with me. It was mostly dark in here, with only a few lights on.
I assumed the offices were here and that they were locked at this hour, but I had no idea where Jerome was. I didn’t see any guards either, which kind of made me happy, because that meant I could keep kissing Theo. This kiss was nothing like the first and only one we’d shared before everything hadgone to hell. It wasn’t sweet, or shy, or innocent. I parted his lips with my tongue, seeking his. His hand was on my thigh again, and it was slowly traveling up.
“What the...?” someone said, and we broke apart with a gasp, my lips tingling. I turned my head toward the voice. Jerome and his guards were staring at us.
Chapter 13
“SHIT. SOMEONE’S HERE,” Theo said. “We have to go.”
I covered my mouth with my hand as Jerome and his men came closer. “Oh God. This is so embarrassing.”
“You don’t have to stop on my account,” Jerome said with a big grin on his face. His eyes were running up and down my body, and I glanced at Theo, whose face hadgone completely serious, as he caught my hand and stepped in front of me to shield me from view. A smile spread across my lips. He was jealous, wasn’t he?