Page 43 of Inside the Maelstrom: Part One
“We stop dallying. The longer she’s with us, the greater the chance she becomes something more,” Sampson said firmly. I nodded, even though it hurt my heart. Hendrick was the last to agree, sliding the book onto the table.Journey to the Center of the Earth.
“Tomorrow, we head to Paris.”
I’d forgotten to close the curtains before I fell asleep, and the blinding morning sun pierced my eyes. Rolling to the side, I reached for Drix, but he wasn’t there. Just like every time I woke up without him, I had a moment of panic.
“Hendrick?” I climbed out of bed, pulling on some sweats. The door to the bedroom was open but I couldn’t smell coffee or anything. “Drix?”
The doors to the balcony were open, and I told my racing heart that it was fine. If he’d jumped off, I’d know. But still, I went outside and held my breath as I looked over the edge. The relief I felt was just as irrational as the fear. Walking back into the suite, I checked the bathrooms. He could be sleeping with Sampson—he did that sometimes—but I didn’t think so. Not today.
I opened the door to Aviva’s room, and sure enough, there was Hendrick, lying on top of the blankets beside her, yet still somehow draped over the top of her like a limpet. I wanted to leave him there, but I wasn’t sure that Aviva wouldn’t freak out after last night. I didn’t think any of us could handle any more conflict.
I squatted down beside the bed and tapped Hendrick’s shoulder. He slept heavily when he actually rested, which wasn’t often. I pushed his arm lightly, and he finally woke. I crooked my finger at him, pointing back to the hallway, and he carefully disentangled himself.
I walked back to the kitchen to make coffee and calm my heart. Hendrick came out after me, shirtless. He was fucking beautiful, but he knew it. He worked hard to stay a social media version of perfect.
“You okay?”
I asked it in a particular way, like I cared, but not too much. If I cared too much, he spiralled into a pit of self-loathing for making me worry. If I didn’t care at all, he decided I was tired of him, and then again with the self-loathing. Over the years, I’d learned to develop the correct tone when he got in these moods.
He’d seemed better after this stint at the Wellness Center though. The doctor there was pretty respected in his field, so I had high hopes.
“I’m okay, Otto. Really.” I slid his coffee toward him, and he gave me that soft smile that did crazy shit to my heart. “Do you think we’re ruining her, like Evan said?”
I pressed the preset buttons on the coffee machine, mulling over the question. You couldn’t ruin someone in a week, accidentally. If I was being honest, I was surprised how gentle the guys were with her, despite their general high-handedness. “I think she was already ruined, Drix. But I don’t think we’re making it worse, if that's what you mean. She’s got her own monsters to fight, just like all of us.”
He nodded, taking his coffee out onto the balcony, with me following along behind him. He stopped in the doorway, leaning in to kiss me gently, our coffee cups still clutched between our bodies. “Am I ruining you?”
Yes. Hendrick ruined me every single day.
I lifted my hand and cupped his cheek. “No more than I want to be ruined.”
Chapter23
Aviva
My headache was intense, and the bright sunshiny yellow of the Channel Tunnel was equally as searing. When I rolled out of bed, I had about thirty minutes to shower and dress while a maid packed my belongings and we were shipping off to Paris.
I’d woken up to find a copy ofJourney to the Center of the Earthon the pillow beside my face, and I flicked to the back to find the message on the rear page. LikeTwenty Thousand Leagues, this book had Nemo’s annotations right through it, and I could understand why. It was exactly what I was doing, right? Following clues from a book that could lead me nowhere. Or somewhere. To the greatest discovery of my life or to a maelstrom that would drag me under forever.
To quest when others think you are crazy is the mark of a true visionary. Meet me at Librairie Jules Verne in Paris. You’re almost there. Don’t lose faith yet.
Everyone was quiet on the trip, Evan driving and Otto in the front seat beside him. I was squashed between Sampson and Hendrick in the back, their bodies pressed too close for rational thought.
They were definitely giving me the silent treatment. Sampson was answering emails, while Hendrick was answering DMs from pretty girls. One of those things burned worse than the other, that was for sure, but I buried it down.
Finally, Sampson put his phone down and turned toward me. “We need to talk about you running off yesterday.”
I stiffened, and Hendrick did too. “Sam…”
Sampson didn’t want to hear it though. “No, Drix. She worried us, because why? She didn’t like our methods? So fucking what—you don’t get to put yourself in danger just because you’re throwing a tantrum. What if you’d gotten lost? You left your purse in the car, with your phone and passport. What if you’d run in front of a car? How would anyone know where you were?”
He looked furious, but I was tired, hungover, and just as pissed. “I’m sorry, but fuck you too. You don’t get to make unilateral decisions about my life either.”
“What part of me buying a bookstore had anything to do with you? Or Hendrick getting a decent hotel? You are so self-obsessed that you think everything is about you, and I’m sorry,Aviva”—he dragged out my name like it was a curse—“we already have one narcissistic asshole in the group. That position is filled. Pick another.”
Hendrick flipped him the finger, and stared out the window.
“You don’t get to disregard my wishes either,” I said through gritted teeth. “Don’t buy me things was rule number fucking two. Actually, you guys haven’t followed any of my rules. Do rules just not apply to you?”
