She’d been through a tornado before. Fin would never forget the sounds, first of all. Some said it was like a train going by, but it was far different than that. The elevator, in the parking garage, shook around them.
Fin couldn’t help it—she actually screamed.
If the storm destroyed the parking garage, she and Virat most likely would not survive.
She’d seen what crushing injuries could do to a person. Her arm slipped around his neck, and she just clung to him.
She didn’t want everything to end now, before she’d ever had a chance to explore what life could be like with him.
It wasn’t fair.
The sound quadrupled overhead. A screeching sound unlike anything she’d ever heard before roared.
Fin buried her head in his chest and just held on.
Virat’s arms tightened around her. One arm was over her head. He was protecting her. Always protecting her.
“I love you.” She whispered the words against his neck. He wouldn’t be able to hear her, but she wanted to say it. Just once.
He cupped the back of her head. Fin looked up at him.
He knew. He hadn’t heard her, but he’d known what she’d said.
His mouth covered hers. She kissed him, with every bit of emotion she could.
He kissed her back and held her until the wind stopped blowing.
They didn’t speak. They didn’t have to.
“It’s over. I think it’s over,” he whispered over her head not even fifteen minutes after they’d ran into the elevator.
“We need to get out of here. Izzie was going to walk over from W4HAV right after me.”
Worry flashed in his eyes in the low light of the backup generator. “Iz is smart. I’m sure she’s still at W4HAV, just waiting out the storm.”
“I hope. If W4HAV is still standing.” Fin knew the damage tornadoes could do. If the storm had been strong enough to rattle a three-story parking garage the way it had, a three-story brick building built in the late 1800s wouldn’t have stood a chance.
Fin fought off the tremors. It was shock. As a physician, she understood that. It was shock and fear for the people she loved who were out there somewhere.
Virat kissed her once, hard and fierce. “I love you, Finley Coulter. Don’t forget that anytime soon.”
“Don’t worry; I won’t.”
He hugged her then lifted her off his lap. He stood and then pulled her to her feet. “The door should open. The emergency generator should ensure that.”
As soon as he spoke the words, the elevator jerked and started its descent to the first floor level. Fin knew how the backup power systems worked. “It’ll open when we get to the first floor.”
They waited.
It didn’t open.
Virat pounded against the door. He yelled.
Fin tried not to panic. She grabbed her cell phone, not surprised to see that there was no signal.
A screech of metal tearing had her screaming.
Fin would admit it; she was close to panicking.
Virat kept yelling, but he reached for her hand. It helped.
The screeching stopped.
Fin heard the yelling from outside the elevator. Her eyes met Virat’s.
They yelled together.
Someone knew they were trapped in there.
It was just a matter of time before they were rescued.
Fin threw herself into his arms. “We’re going to be ok.”
“We will. I swear, we will. And when we get out of here, and we deal with the chaos of the storm, we’ll sit down and talk. Decide just how we’re going to do this. Because, Fin, I never want to let you go ever again.”
“I can work with that. I can so work with that.”