Chapter Twenty-Three

Jeff

“If you’ll excuse me, I just need to hit the little boy’s room.”

“Take your time.” Ashley doesn’t look up from her plate. “I’ll still be working my way through these goat cheese empanadas when you get back.”

I glance at Drake and give him a small grin before turning down the hall to Cooper’s guest bathroom. At one end of the hall is a narrow service elevator, reminding me just how wealthy Cooper is. I just hope he doesn’t lose it all because of the damage Chris has caused. At the other end is a door to the balcony that wraps around the entire back side of Cooper’s condo.

A cool breeze blows in from the slightly open door, so after I take a much needed piss, I step out onto the balcony for some air. The view is gorgeous. The entire city is lit up with holiday lights that create a perfect backdrop for the mountain range just beyond.

When the door clicks shut behind me and I feel a hand on my back, I assume it’s Drake. He must be feeling bold again. “Careful. There are eyes everywhere.”

“I know there are.” The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I recognize the voice that isn’t Drake’s. “And they’re mine.”

“Chris?” I turn around to face him, but he locks my arm behind my back at an unnatural angle. I can’t move in any direction without lightning bolts of pain shooting down my spine. “What are—”

“Shut up!” Spit flies in my face as he hisses across my cheek. “Shut the fuck up. If you make a sound, I’ll chop off your dick before I push you over the rail.”

“Chris, what—”

“I said, shut the fuck up!”

The glistening lights off a four-inch blade get my attention. “Okay, sorry.”

He laughs quietly. “I’m glad somebody is.”

His pupils are dilated and the city lights reflecting back at me give him an inhuman stare. I want to scream or fight but no sound escapes my lungs. I’m frozen in shock and fear, just praying he ends this quickly.

“Cooper thinks he’s above the law.” Spittle sprays my cheek but I don’t react. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. “He wants to ignore the pain and suffering he’s caused people? Well, let’s see him try to ignore this.”

When he turns me away from the building, I know I need to snap out of my trance. If I’m going to do anything to save myself, I need to do it right now. “Ignore what?”

“The tragic death of his drunken employee during a party held at his home.” Chris laughs so hard he coughs up some phlegm. “This time, he can’t pretend it’s not his fault, not like he did with Thomas.”

“I’m sorry about Thomas, but this isn’t going to bring him back.”

“No, it won’t bring him back.” Chris kicks the back of my knee so I fall forward, leaning over the railing. “But it’ll bring him justice. Finally.”

From the corner of my peripheral view, I see the door to the family room open and Drake step out. Chris must see him too because he presses me farther forward and hooks his elbow under my knee.

“Drake!”

The next few seconds are the longest of my life. My right foot leaves the ground, just as Drake turns and sees Chris. Of all things, I focus on the champagne flute shattering on the glass door as Drake takes off at a dead run toward us.

Ignoring the pain in my left shoulder, I swing my head back as hard as I can, hoping to connect with some part of Chris’s face. His grip loosens enough that I’m able to shift all my weight to the balcony side of the rail just as Drake’s arms wrap around Chris and pull him away.

I stumble forward, face first, grateful it’s only a few feet to the concrete instead of hundreds. New pain radiates from my cheek, but I ignore it when I see Chris’s blade just a few inches from my foot.

With one eye glued to Drake as he pummels Chris, I inch close enough to the knife to grab it. Once it’s securely in my grip, I crawl to Chris and press it to his neck. “Now who’s getting the justice?”

~**~

A swarm of guys congregate around Chris. Someone pulls the knife out of my hand at the same time Drake moves off Chris and pulls me into his arms. “My god, Jeff. Are you okay?”

As much as I want to be strong in front of everyone I work with, I can’t stop the flood of emotion that flows out of me. Tears pour down my cheeks as I bury my face against Drake’s chest. His arms close around my back, blanketing me in strength I can’t conjure on my own.

“God, I was so scared.” Drake chokes out the words, making my breath hitch.

“I’m fine.” I’m vaguely aware of how we must look to everyone surrounding us, but I’m not ready to remind Drake. I need him to hold me just a little bit longer. “I’m not hurt.”

“I thought I was going to lose you.” His cheek nuzzles my neck, and I wonder if the moisture I feel is from his tears or mine.

“You didn’t. I’m right here.” Gaining control of myself, I try to pull away.

“No.” His arms cage me in tighter. “Not yet.”

I melt back into him, inhaling deeply. “People are looking. They might suspect.”

Drake’s body tenses around me for a long moment before he pulls back and looks me straight in the eye. “I don’t think I care right now.”

Before I can even comprehend what’s coming, he slowly presses his lips to mine. Beyond the din of low gasps and murmurs, Ashley’s excited giggle makes me smile against Drake’s mouth. “Ashley sounds excited.”

Drake tilts his head and comes in harder, carefully avoiding my split cheek while claiming me in front of his best friend and all of our coworkers. “I’m kinda excited too.”

“You’re not mad at me?”

Drake drags his nose across my jaw, matching the pace of his breath to mine. “Of course not. This isn’t your fault.”

“But now everyone knows about you.”

Drake’s teeth scrape across my earlobe and he presses lightly before turning to face me. “They know about us.”

“And that’s okay?” Tears are welling again but this time out of relief and joy, not any of the pain still throbbing through my head and shoulder.

“I’m sorry for not standing by your side sooner. If I had, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.” His eyes sparkle with moisture but no tears fall.

“And you want to stand by my side now?”

“If you’ll let me.”

My lips crashing on him is my only answer to both Drake and the dozens of people watching the spectacle Chris created.