And basically left you onboard while he networked with the locals setting up a new deal.
Not that a lot of women would complain either way, but she had wondered why he hadn’t included her in the social aspects. Oh, they’d gone to dinner once or twice on that trip, but when it came to Rhys’s time, she’d gotten the bare minimum. She’d seen more of the top of his head as he stared at his phone or computer than anything.
Billionaires and their heirs are busy, girlfriend. Get a clue.
She understood that. She worked a lot herself, always thinking about this ad campaign or that, going over images and prep. But it was Rhys’s… lack of connection she’d felt more than anything. Like he had her there as a doll on a shelf he took down and played with on occasion but then put aside more often than not.
Elias cursed behind her, and she winced at the sound, her gaze locking on the footage of her dangling off the edge of the penthouse balcony that afternoon. Her face wasn’t visible, but someone had indeed seen her making her escape and had filmed her antics. And given the location, etc., they’d identified the crazy person hanging off the balcony as her. “Oh, God help me.”
Rhys hadseenthis. Everyone had seen this by now. Seen how desperate andcrazyshe’d been in her blind panic to be free.
“If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I’ll track you down and spank you like a child,” came Elias’s deep rumbling warning. “What were you thinking?”
She heard his words, the bold audacity of them to think he’d get the chance tospankher—but couldn’t process them, gaze locked on the screen, watching every slip of her hand and her feet as she tried to maneuver in the too-tight dress as she swung herself from one balcony to the other like the flying squirrel she wasn’t.
And in the watching?
Panic sank deeper into the core of her. Today she’d experienced the adrenaline rush in her mission to escape, but right now, pure, unabridgedpanicslipped into her bloodstream from every organ and muscle and vein, like she imagined a hit of hardcore drugs might feel like.
Her lungs seized, and she couldn’t breathe, her head thudded with every pulse of her heartbeat, and she vaguely heard another soft mutter from Elias before she blinked at the two Eliases in front of her.
Her head whirled like a twirly top, and he got to her side and swung her up in his arms just as her legs gave way and she toppled.
“Quinley!”
Her nose banged against his chest, and then it hurt too, and she felt him gather her up against him and carry her, lowering her down to the couch.
“Don’t move. I’m calling 911.”
“No,” she said or garbled. “Just…dizzzy. I’m…okay.”
“You nearly passed out on me.”
“I’m fine,” she said, eyes closed to try to counter the way the room continued to spin. Adrenaline shakes kicked in next. Or maybe panic shakes. Were those a thing?
“Don’t move,” he said again.
She was vaguely aware that he left her, heard noises from the kitchen behind her, and then he pressed a glass to her lips.
“Don’t argue. Drink some of this. It’ll get your blood sugar up.”
She took a sip, the smell of orange juice strong in her nose before it hit her tastebuds. Elias cradled her head in his large palm, holding her at the right angle to drink and supporting her when she wasn’t sure she had the ability to do it herself.
Once she’d drained half the glass, he set the juice on the coffee table and stared down at her from his position kneeling beside the couch, a worried frown on his handsome face.
“I’m okay,” she said, using her palms to scrub at her eyes and the wetness that had leaked from them. She hated feeling weak. “It just all…hit me. I mean, I know what I did and how I did it, but when I was out there it was almost like it wasn’t me, you know? But when Isawit just now and it all kicked in, and…I got a little woozy is all. I was so high up. But I’m okay.”
“We need to get some real food in you. That’ll help.”
“I’ll get something from the bags. Just give me a minute.”
“I’ll fix you real food. You don’t move an inch.”
He made to stand, and she grabbed hold of his forearm, wondering if men had any clue how sexy their forearms could be.
Not the time, Quinnie.
“I’m sorry to be so much trouble. I’m sorry you’re stuck with me and that I jumped into your limo and— I’m justsorry.” Her voice broke, and through the tears stinging her eyes, she saw his jaw tighten and lock, the muscle flexing as though her tears and the show of emotion seeped beneath his stone-hard exterior.
