Page 40 of Double Daddies
“I can e-explain,” she started, but her voice faltered. What could she possibly say?Sorry, I turned your multi-million-dollar helicopter into a giant pastry display?
“Ma’am, you’ll need to come with us.” The lead guard stepped forward. Elle’s breath stuttered as she noticed the glint of handcuffs. “Vandalism of private property is a serious offense.”
“Wait!” Panic clawed at her throat. “You don’t understand?—”
“Oh, I think we understand perfectly.” A deep, familiar voice cut through the night air. Elle’s stomach dropped as Drake Gould emerged from the shadows. His polished appearance was at odds with the colorful display. His eyes raked over the decorated helipad and helicopter before settling on her paint-covered form.
“Creative expression, Miss Fitzgerald?” Damian mocked as he, too, appeared, looking equally imposing as he surveyed her artwork. “Though I must say, the cronuts are a bit lopsided.”
Elle straightened her spine and tilted her chin higher. “Well, if there was proper lighting, they’d be perfect.”
Drake’s eyebrow arched. “You’re making jokes? While standing next to our defaced helicopter?”
The reality of her situation hit her full force. This wasn’t just petty revenge anymore. This was criminal damage. Her breath caught as tears threatened to fall.
“I…” She looked between the two men. Their expressions were unreadable in the dim lighting. “I lost everything. My business, my dreams…” Her voice cracked. “I just... I wanted you to feel a fraction of what I’m feeling.”
Silence stretched across the helipad, broken only by the sound of traffic. Elle waited for them to call the police to have her arrested. Instead, Drake turned to the security team.
“You can go. We’ll handle this.”
Elle watched the guards retreat, leaving her alone with the two men she had wanted to hurt. Now, facing them in the aftermath of her impulsive act, she felt nothing but hollow.
Drake’s fingers closed around her elbow in a firm but gentle grip. “This way.” His clipped tone sent shivers down her spine as he guided her toward a side entrance.
Elle stumbled slightly as her legs were suddenly wobbly. “I didn’t... I mean, I wasn’t thinking?—”
“Clearly.” Damian’s dry response came from behind her as he followed on their heels.
The private entrance led to a sleek elevator. Drake swiped a key card while keeping her close. The doors closed with a soft whoosh, trapping her between the two men. Filled with masses of testosterone, the confined space seemed to shrink with each passing second.
“I know what I did was wrong,” Elle tried again in a trembling voice. “I can pay for the damages…” Even as the words left her mouth, she knew how ridiculous they sounded. The repair to the helicopter alone probably cost more than she would make in three lifetimes.
“Be quiet.” Drake’s command silenced her instantly.
Elle’s gaze darted between them. Drake stood like a statue with his jaw clenched, staring straight ahead. Damian leaned against the opposite wall. His usually playful expression was replaced by a darker, more predatory gleam. The paint on her hands felt tacky, a damning reminder of her crime.
The elevator climbed higher. Each floor brought her closer to whatever fate awaited. Criminal damage. Vandalism. Destruction of private property. The charges stacked up in her mind, each one carrying years of jail time. Her chest tightened.
God, what have I done?
One moment of anger might just have cost her everything. Not only her business, but her freedom.
She should have made that call. Should have listened to whatever proposal they had. Now, watching their stern profiles in the elevator’s bright lighting, she realized she had acted like a child throwing a tantrum. Except this tantrum could end with her in handcuffs.
The elevator dinged, announcing their arrival at the top floor. Elle’s heart pounded so hard she could barely breathe. One thought kept circling in her mind. She had decorated their multi-million-dollar helicopter with pink donuts.
Pink. Fucking. Donuts.
“Move,” Drake ordered, propelling her forward into what appeared to be a massive penthouse office.
Elle stepped out on shaky legs, certain she was walking straight into the bowels of hell.
Chapter Six
Double D Acquisition Headquarters, The Williams Tower
Elle
