Page 4 of Gold Rush
I look away, pressing my lips together, glancing down at my phone. There’s no doubting the dark-skinned man is an alpha. He radiates power in the small space of the elevator. There’s a light fragrance in the air, sweet like chocolate covered oranges I’ve indulged in around the holidays. The numbers ding as theelevator rises and rises, and just as it nears the final five floors, there’s a metallicCLANGas it grinds to an unexpected halt.
CHAPTER TWO
JUNE
I freeze,clutching my phone in my hand as I stare at the doors, willing them to open.
It’s only a little hiccup. A small glitch and the doors will mistakenly open on a floor.
This elevator is not stuck.
“Oh god,” I squeak the words, pressing against the metal wall. The two men look over at the panel in alarm before the first one, the alpha, moves forward and jabs the button for the rooftop.
The second man, the beta, looks over atme. His eyes rove over me as I suck in rapid breath after rapid breath, before he mutters, “Hey, it’s okay.” He moves closer and I glance up, making eye contact with him, feeling my heart pound in my throat, a rapid beat that makes the nausea come back full-tilt.
I shake my head, whispering, “It’s going to move right? We’re not stuck? Please tell me we’re not stuck.”
“Uh…” The alpha glances at us, then he turns and jabs the button for the emergency alert.
My stomach drops out of my body and I crumble to the floor, sucking in a wheezing breath. First trapped in an airport, thentrapped in a plane, and now a tiny fucking elevator. I don’t know what past transgressions I did to deservethis.
“Whoa.” The beta drops down onto one knee in front of me. “Hey, it’s going to be fine.” He touches my arm, his voice soft. “Bennett will get them to restart it or… however elevators work.”
I bury my head in my hands, sucking in a breath, squeaking out, “Sorry, I’m fine.”
“It’s okay if you aren’t.” The man next to me is quieter as his hand on my arm moves back and forth. I can feel the heat from his palm through my sweater, calm, warm, reassuring on a baser, instinctual, level.
It grounds me and I lift my head, glancing up. His soft smile is a little devastating, it’s so pretty. He flashes me straight, white teeth, his light brown eyes pinched at the edges in concern.
“Really.” His hand on my arm moves slightly, his thumb rubbing fabric. “It’s okay if you’re not okay. Is it… the elevator itself? The small space?”
Bennett, the alpha at the buttons, makes a surprised noise when the speaker in front of him crackles.
“This is maintenance. It looks like you’re stuck between floors.” There’s a light whine of feedback before the disembodied voice continues. “I’m going to send a guy to reset the systems and if it doesn’t work, we’ll call fire and rescue.”
I hunch forward, my stomach rolling again. The speaker crackles off as Bennett mutters, “Real fucking helpful.” He turns, his eyes widening as he looks down at the other man and… me, a mess on the dirty elevator floor, heaving in panicked breaths every half second like a gasping fish.
He frowns, bending down in front of us. The beta next to me readjusts, leaning his back against the elevator wall as he stretches his legs out. His hand is still on my arm, and it’s a comforting kind of weight as the guy’s alpha eyes me, his expression torn. “They might reset it and get it started again.”
The thought makes me groan, dropping my head down into my arms, mumbling into them, “What if they restart it and the elevator plummets to the first floor? And then we all just…”
I taper off, my brain supplying the helpful image of a stick figure version of me splatting on the ground into a pile of goop, the fiery remains of the elevator unhelpfully blowing said goop to the sky. There’s no funerals to be had for goop.
“Well, that’s not a helpful thought,” the guy next to me mutters, his tone dry. I glance over at him and he smiles, his lips twitching, like he’s privy to the wildly unlikely goop-scenario playing in my mind. “Is that how elevators even work? What if they do restart it and we’re up at the bar with no issues?”
I stare at him, my eyes narrowing. “I don’t know. I’m not an expert on elevators, hence the sheer panic. What if they can’t restart it and then they have to call the fire department?”
“What if the firefighters come immediately because it would be absolutely devastating if three of the hottest people currently in London died in an elevator related accident?”
“I—” I bark out a laugh, leaning my head against the wall. “What?”
“Seth’s good at saying things that should be left as inside thoughts.” The alpha sinks to sit in the center of the elevator.
Seth shrugs, leaning his head against the wall, a little smile still on his lips. “I know I’m hot, I know you’re hot.” He eyes Bennett, effortlessly flirty, and the alpha leans back a little, his lips pressed together, glancing off to the side. Seth’s gaze darts over to me and I flush, head to toe, my thin sweater suddenly warm in the tight space.
Don’t think about the walls caving in right now.
“I’m flattered.” I pull my knees to my chest, clearing my throat.
