25. Enemy at the Gates

25

Enemy at the Gates

Dax

Thursday, June 1 st

1:32 p.m.

It still doesn't feel right to leave Liam for the weekend, but it's only a couple of days, and I'm sure the time away from each other is in our best interest. To say I've been getting on his nerves would be an understatement.

I scoot to the side of the elevator as the doors open and more passengers get on. Two more stops before the cafeteria and Liam's ice. The doors glide together as a female voice shouts, "Hold the elevator!"

I jam my thumb into the button, and the doors retract. A petite brunette in a white top and tight navy skirt steps onto the elevator, and my heart plunges to the pit of my stomach. But it's too late to take back the deed.

Her dark hair falls around her shoulders, half up in a messy knot, the other half trailing down her back. She's out of breath, and her arms are full of files and paperwork.

I'm too shocked to move.

I duck behind the group of people, hoping Dani didn't notice me. I swear my bad decisions follow me everywhere. Shit. I don't need this today.

She groans and mumbles about elevators and hospitals and something else I can't make out.

I can't breathe.

"Dax?" Her voice pulls me out of my thoughts. The Texan accent sends chills up my spine. I close my eyes and pray my eyes and ears are playing tricks on me.

A hand on my shoulder says otherwise.

Maybe if I pretend I don't hear her, she'll pretend I don't exist. I need air and an area code's distance away from her. I squeeze my eyes closed and pinch the bridge of my nose. Why me?

"What a coincidence." Dani leans into me as the elevator lurches to a stop on the next floor, and some people slip out. I stumble into her as the exchange of passengers takes place, sending her files and all their contents across the floor.

"Well, dang it." She bends to gather her things and stands. Her fingers sweep across my arm, and I rip my hand away. There's a twinge in my chest, a disturbing jolt I recognize as panic.

What the hell? She knows the rules.

Bile rises in my throat. I refuse to vomit.

"Funny seeing you here," she says, giving me a coy smile.

I step to the back of the elevator, attempting to ignore her and focus on inhaling and exhaling so I don't hyperventilate. The ringing in my ears overrides the sound of her voice. She's the last person I want to see.

Despite my efforts to create space, she grabs my elbow, tugging at me. "I know I'm supposed to keep my distance . . ." She readjusts the files and continues in the one-sided conversation as she mumbles something about work and having to travel.

I have no problem tuning her out.

The man beside me glances around in search of her voice and does a double take. His eyes rove over her tan legs and up her body. He cracks a smile when they make eye contact. I watch their interaction, on edge. Her lips turn into a grin, and she drops her eyes, trying to act bashful. If he only knew half of what she has to offer.

Five foot five, blue eyes, and a skirt that fits like a glove.

I can't say I blame him.

But I know better.

"I wouldn't, man," I mutter under my breath. I lean closer to him, his thoughts clear on his face. "Not worth it."

"That's too bad."

"Trust me. It's not." I grab the hat off my head and fold the bill in my hands.

"Not what?" Dani asks, her attention back to me, but I ignore her.

Five years and one wrong decision later, I'm stuck in an elevator with the one person who isn't supposed to come within one hundred feet of me.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper, trying to get her to create some distance between us.

She brushes her hand along my arm, and I cringe. "Grabbing some paperwork."

"Here?"

I get a blank stare.

"One hundred feet isn't a suggestion."

"Semantics. I won't tell if you don't." She strokes the back of her hand along my arm. I was successful at avoiding her at the party, and now this?

"That's not the point. No contact. In any way."

She rolls her eyes and pulls the files to her chest. "Can't we let bygones be bygones? They brand you forever for a minor mistake."

"Is that what we're calling it these days?" I shake my head.

The ins and outs of the restraining order aren't something I think about often, but I'm pretty damn sure Dani's not worried about them—one hundred feet, no contact—super straightforward.

I step to the front of the elevator, creating a little distance between us, but she doesn't take the hint.

"Mistake, a little misunderstandin', I don't care what you call it. You're too sensitive."

"A repeated offense over and over is not a little misunderstanding."

"You didn't feel that way when I was between your legs."

I race to cover her mouth with my hand, yanking her beside me as I push to the front of the elevator. Her arms flail as I pull her behind me, and she pushes and shoves to get away. The audible gasps make me cringe. The doors glide open on the next floor. It's not the one with the cafeteria, but I need to get off.

I drag Dani behind me and take my hand from her mouth as I pull her away from the onlookers.

"I'm only gonna ask this one more time before I call the police. What are you doing here?"

She narrows her gaze, ripping her arm free of my hold. "I'm allowed to go wherever the hell I want. It's not my fault you were here."

"I'm always here."

"How am I supposed to know that?"

"I figured you were keeping tabs."

"My life doesn't revolve around you"—she averts her gaze, pulling her lower lip between her teeth—"anymore."

"That's how it's supposed to be."

"If you'da given me the chance to explain." She shoves past me and flips me off as she stops in the foyer.

"There was nothing to explain." I enunciate every word. My irritation grows, and I glance over my shoulder, trying to figure out what floor we're on as I plan my escape. No one knows how much of a conniving, manipulative nut-job she is better than me.

"Are you okay? You look a little flush," she says, giving me a coy smile.

I go to pull my cap lower over my face to hide. Where the hell did it go? The halls feel like they're closing in as my eyes bounce around the foyer. My chest tightens, and I can't think. I jab my finger into the elevator call button, wishing I weren't here, as I wait for one of the three elevator doors to open. "I need to go down."

"Wrong floor?"

I let her mind go to whatever conclusion it desires. I just need to get the hell away. Liam's going to have to wait a little longer.

"I wasn't paying attention." Why do I keep engaging her?

"This place is overwhelmin'. I get lost every time I come here."

Her words draw me out of my need to escape. She comes here a lot? I don't want to ask, but I need to know why. "For what?"

"I'm sure I'll see you ‘round," she says, ignoring my question as she meanders out of sight. "Hope everything's going good with your brother's treatment."

I freeze, the blood in my veins turning to ice. Sirens erupt inside my head. The elevator makes it to the cafeteria, the circle lighting up before it returns to this floor.

How does she know about Liam?

My phone vibrates from my pocket, and I'm thankful for the distraction. "Hello?"

"Did you get lost?"

I cut Liam off. "Yeah, I'll be there in a second." I cover the mouthpiece with my hand as I back away from Dani. "One hundred feet. One. Hundred. Fucking. Feet."

"Fuck you, Dax." There's an obvious threat in her tone, smashed between every letter of my name.

"I'd say it would be my pleasure, but you know . . ."

"I'd stay away from the park if I were you. Somethin' bad took place there last night. Wouldn't want anything to happen to that beautiful face."

Was she there? Last night. When I was with Brighton? There's no way . . . It's all over the news. Chill out, Dax.

She makes her way to the end of the hallway and turns at the corner.

"Who's that?" Liam's voice tears me out of my nightmare.

"Dani." I curl my hand at my side and wait for the elevator's arrival.

"Dani, as in stalker-ex-girlfriend, Dani?" I don't have to see his face to sense his surprise.

I glance over my shoulder to make sure she's gone. "She was never my girlfriend."

"Right. That's rough," Liam says with a chuckle.

This is a bad omen. A harbinger of doom. A warning. But if I stay home and cancel the shoot, Bree will kill me.

There's no way Bree could catch me, even with my chicken legs.

"I told you she was a bad idea. You don't listen," Liam says, drawing me from my thoughts.

I wait for the return of dark-brown curls as I duck into the elevator, relieved. "I don't need reminding."

"You should trust me on these sorta things."

"Liam?"

"Yeah?"

I hit the button on the bottom floor. "Shut up."

"I'm just sayin'."

"I know she was a bad idea, okay?"

Liam humphs into the phone. "What are you gonna do?"

"Run away."

"That sounds reasonable. Does Bree know?"

"Not yet," I say. "Don't mention Dani when you see Bree, ‘kay?" It's a simple request of Liam. The last thing I need is for Bree to lose her shit before I can explain.

"Wouldn't dream of it. Did you get my ice?"

"I'm almost there. Do you have plans this weekend?" I ask, trying to act nonchalant.

He yawns into the phone, and I chuckle to myself at the way this conversation is unraveling since he's literally a few floors above me, and we're talking on the phone. "Not that I know of. Why?"

I run a hand down my face. "Dani, remember?"

"And?"

"Stay home. Okay? I don't need her finding you or figuring out where we live."

"No plans, remember?"

"I'll make sure everything's figured out before I leave in the morning. When you go to your appointment on Monday, keep an eye out."

"Chill. I'm fine. She's never had a thing for me."

I lean against the back wall, crossing my ankles. Liam's never seen the seriousness of why we need to be cautious regarding Dani.

She proved there was no limit to what she would do when she broke into our last apartment and burned all my shit.

We had to move.

I got a restraining order because of that incident.

"That's not the point. Dani could use you to get to me."

"Like that would happen."

"I don't want to chance it. Stay home." I freeze when the doors open to the cafeteria floor, freaked at the idea Dani could somehow appear out of thin air. But the coast is clear.

"I'll be fine. Thanks for the vote of confidence," Liam says. The sound of the PA system beeps to life, and a monotone voice echoes behind his voice.

"It's not you that I'm worried about. I mean, it is, but—stay home. It'll make me feel better."

"Got it. No interactions with Dax's psycho ex. Check."

"She's not my ex." I stuff my free hand into my front pocket and head towards the ice machine.

"Right. My bad. Get my ice."

"Be there in five."