leather shoes. He sprinted across the flooded parkin

stared at the girl huddled against the brick wall. The resembl

t the massive lump in his throat. "Arielle?

oice, pressing her spine harder against the wall. She pulled her kne

rasp of someone who had been screaming. "Did the Tys

chest. He ripped off his soaked suit jacket and took a step

ouch. She let a single, perfect te

up in surrender. "I'm a Chandler. We've been looking

the sound of the rain hitting

brella had been silently p

e look

d, and this time,

hand, his other hand tucked casually into the pocket of his trousers. He rad

y were currently dissecting her. His gaze swept over her wet hair, the cheap fabric of

and up. The way he looked at her wasn

mble. She reached out with a shaking hand and grabbed the wet fabric

k touched the corn

oice was a low rumble that vibrated in Arielle's

onal daze. "Right. Yes. Come o

lked a half-step behind them, keeping the umbrella perfe

helped Arielle slide into the massive

gh the opposite door. The heavy door click

n, the atmosphere became unbearably dense. A sharp, aggressive scent of ceda

bag tight against her stomach, making herself as sm

pulled out a bottle of room-temperature Fiji water, t

"You're safe now. I swear to God,

rced her fingers to tremble just enough that a few drops of

reached up to the compartment above him and

reached straight across the g

then slowly shifted her eyes to Ellis, playing the part of

hand. His eyes locked onto

commanded softly. "Befor

de of her cheek. She

ngertips brushed against the back o

d. He didn't pull away. Instead, he pressed back slightly,

ugh, hardened

utching the silk to her chest. She ducked her head, letting her w

d weeds wouldn't have calluses

wisted in rage. "Did you see her? The Tysons starved

is knee. He rubbed his thumb against his index fin

spatched," Ellis said, his voice smooth and

her fingers tightly crushing the silk handkerchief. The fabric still held the heat of his skin, a bu