Page 51 of Lost in the Light

“Are you okay? Where’s Eli? I was so worried!” I cried as I clung to him.

“Deep breath for me,” he coached as he pulled back and crouched low enough to meet my gaze. “I’m fine, just exhausted. Where are the others? You shouldn’t be here alone.”

“They’re outside and they’re kind of losing it. I’ve been in that room over two hours. Kane may have killed a few people by now,” I told him jokingly, keeping my voice lowered so only the two of us could hear. “He tried to come with me, but Harding wouldn’t let him,” I added as I threw a glare to Harding, who stood behind Asher, staring at the both of us with so much hatred.

“I’ll take care of Harding. For now, let’s just get Eli and get the hell out of here.” Asher took my hand and led me down the hallway, just as a door near the end opened, and Eli came out of it, escorted by a uniformed officer.

I gasped when I saw him. Even from the side I could see how pale he looked. His hair was in disarray, even more than usual and he had his arms wrapped around himself, like he felt the need to protect himself. His sweater was gone and the shirt he wore underneath was wrinkled and soaked with sweat patches.

“Eli!” I released Asher’s hand and started running, but I knew he was right behind me. Eli stopped and turned around, looking at me with surprise. His face was way too pale and there were dark smudges under his eyes. What the hell had the police done to him? He tried to mask the turmoil on his face with a smile for my benefit, but it was too late. I’d seen it.

As soon as I got to him I threw my arms around him as tightly as I could, and hugged him to the point he likely couldn’t breathe.

“Addy? You shouldn’t be here, shortcake.” He held me in return, but I could feel the shivers running through his body, shaking almost in tandem with my own. I was relieved when I felt Asher at my back. He briefly wrapped himself around the both of us in a hug.

“Ash…” Eli said. I had no idea one small word could sound so filled with fear and pain.

“I know, brother. I’m here now. Let’s go home, okay?” Asher soothed.

Asher took my hand again, then wrapped his free arm around Eli’s shoulders. I tried not to cry as I once again saw Eli’s stricken face, biting my lip to keep myself together. The last thing either of them needed was me losing it.

Ten minutes later, we were in the car, me squeezed between my brothers in the back seat. Kane was driving, while Adam and Jordan followed with the security, in the car behind us. All three of them had freaked out when I walked up to them back at the station, but I rushed to reassure them I was okay, and pleaded with them all with my eyes not to make a fuss, as I nodded to Eli beside me. Thankfully, they quickly realised who we really needed to worry most about, and held back as they got us all out of that place.

“What do you wan to do when we get back to the apartment? Are you guys hungry?” I asked, hating the silence between us. I looked to Kane in the rearview mirror, which he had been checking every few seconds since we pulled away from the station. I wasn’t sure if it was me he was checking on, or all of us.

“I need to shower, wash the stench of that place off of me,” Eli spoke up first.

“Me too, then I could definitely eat,” Asher agreed.

“Did you have dinner and your meds? I forgot to remind Adam. I thought we’d be back but….” Eli tapered off as he dropped his gaze to his lap. “Your meds are important. You need to take them,” he added more quietly.

“I took them, Eli, and I had some dinner, but I’m starving again now. Maybe we can convince Adam to make grilled cheese? I don’t know what he does, but it tastes better when he makes it.” I was trying for levity, but it wasn’t working.

“You shouldn’t have been there, Addy. I was handling the situation. I didn’t want you having to tell that fucker, Harding, anything,” Asher told me, and once again guilt was on his face. I hated how much he took on his shoulders.

“I called Max, and he told me that you didn’t want me making a statement, but that it could help if I did. I wasn’t going to leave either of you there any longer than we had to. Harding was not pleasant to deal with, but I managed,” I shrugged. “All that matters is that you’re both here with me now. That’s all I wanted.”

“Will we have to do that again Ash?” Eli asked, looking positively ill at the notion.

“No. They don’t have anything on us. I think the only reason they managed to hold us today, was because Harding seems to have it out for us. No idea why,” Asher explained with a shrug.

“He hates that you’re rich. He made that clear as soon as I met him,” I explained.

“What did he say to you? He didn’t put his hands on you, did he?” Asher demanded as Eli looked to me with panic.

“No,” I shook my head. “He was just trying to get to me. I did my best snooty Asher impression and it seemed to work,” I laughed.

“Snooty Asher?” he laughed.

“I was trying to channel him too. He can be a real asshole when he needs to be, and it definitely helped me today,” Eli laughed too, and I was so relieved to see a little lightness back on his face.

“I am not snooty!”

“You can be, but never with us,” I assured him. “You’re not really snooty. You just have this air of like…power, I guess? It makes people listen to you and I wanted that so I tried to mimic you. I liked it. I might have to use it more often,” I told him with a smile.

I was just so relieved to have them both back with me. It had made me realize exactly how much I had come to rely and depend upon the both of them in the weeks I had been with them. I had no idea what my life would look like without them in it anymore, and I didn’t want to know either.

CHAPTER 15

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