by E. L. Todd
Without her I didn’t know who I was.
My phone sat on the counter, the screen black because no one had called or texted me. I assumed Cayson would try to have another talk with me. I assumed my dad would beat the shit out of me.
But nothing happened.
Then my phone went off—Trinity was calling me.
I snatched the phone and immediately answered it, so desperate to hear her voice that I didn’t care how desperate I sounded. “Hey.”
Trinity’s voice was panicked, like she was terrified. “Slade, I need help.”
I immediately stiffened and my body went into defensive mode. “Are you okay? Where are you?” Without saying goodbye to the boys or explaining where I was going I walked out and immediately headed to her building.
“I’m stuck in the elevator and it’s falling.”
I was running up the sidewalk. “Falling? That’s not possible.”
Trinity screamed and I heard a loud sound behind her. “The cable is loose or something. It falls a few floors before it stops. I think it’s going to crash…” She breathed hard into the phone, her fear moving into my ears.
Now I was panicking. “Baby, I’m on my way. I have to hang up because I need to call the fire department.”
“I already did. They are on their way.”
“Then I need to hang up so I can sprint. I love you.” What if this was the last time I spoke to her?
“I love you too—hurry.” She hung up.
***
I entered the building then took the stairs. Then I called Trinity. “What floor are you on?”
“I don’t know…I was at the top in the beginning so maybe halfway?” Her voice shook.
I ran up ten flights of stairs without stopping then pressed my ear to the elevator door. “Trinity, scream.” I pulled the phone away from my ear. Then I heard her voice a few floors up. I put the phone back to my ear. “I think I know where you are. Hold on.”
“Okay…”
I headed up two more flights and noticed no one was in the building. Everyone must have left for the day. I reached the landing them approached the elevator doors. “Scream again.”
Trinity yelled out.
“I think I found you. I need to hang up.” I stowed the phone in my pocket then stuck my fingers in the door. I wasn’t humungous like Conrad and I wished I had his muscle in that moment. But I knew my body had enough adrenaline to get the job done. My fingers burned as I pulled the doors open, and I felt my muscles burn as they were almost ripped apart. Sweat dripped from my forehead and I released a loud yell as I finally pulled the doors apart.
My fingers were smashed and practically broken.
Trinity’s elevator was slightly above the doorway. I could see the doors. “I’m right here, Trinity!”
“Slade?” Her voice echoed in the passageway.
“I’m going to open the doors and you’re going to have to crawl through.”
“Okay,” she yelled back.
I grabbed the bottom of the doors and started to pull them apart. Due to the angle I could barely move the doors. They wouldn’t cooperate. Then the elevator made an eerie noise before it suddenly dropped a few feet.
Trinity screamed. “AHHH!”
I stepped back just before my hands were crushed.
The elevator stopped again a few feet below me.
Thank god.
I examined the cable and realized everything was in tact. My eyes moved to the ceiling but I couldn’t make out the problem. It must be a technical issue. “Baby, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Just get me out of here.”
I could run down to the floor below me but I would be stuck in the same situation. The doors couldn’t be pried open. “I’m coming down to get you!” I crawled down the wall and hung by my fingers.
“Slade, don’t! The rope could break and you could die.”
“I’d rather die with you than live without you.” I dropped onto the top of the elevator and it didn’t move. I examined the wire. “The cable is in tact. It must be an electrical issue.” I dropped onto the door at the top of the elevator and pried it open. Then I looked inside to see Trinity sitting in the corner, a panicked look on her face.
She jumped to her feet then stood underneath me. “Now what?”
I extended my arm inside. “Jump.”
“I can’t jump that high.”
“JUMP.”
She squatted before she thrust herself into the air. She missed my hand by two feet.
Fuck. “Try again.”
“Slade, I can’t do it.”
“DO IT!”
She jumped again and missed
The elevator made the same noise as last time, like it was about to fall. Without thinking, I slid into the elevator and fell on the floor. Like last time, the elevator fell.
Trinity screamed. “AHH!”
I grabbed her and pulled her to my chest. If this were the end, at least we would be together. My heart raced in my chest as we were in free fall. Then the elevator skidded to stop and we fell hard against the floor.
Trinity clung to me in terror.
I didn’t have time to comfort her or hold her. There wasn’t time. I pulled her to her feet then stood under the door. “Come on. Stand on my hands.”
“But how will you get out?”
“Just do it, Trinity.”
Hesitation was in her eyes.
“Do it or I’m going to throw you.” I didn’t have time for this.
She gripped my shoulders then stepped onto my hand. Then I threw her upwards. She caught the edge and dangled. I moved underneath her and pushed her upwards so she could crawl out.
She got to the top then she looked down. “What about you?”
I couldn’t jump from my spot on the ground. She was right. It was too tall. I looked around for something to use. I could kick against the wall but that didn’t seem likely either. “Crawl up to the open doors I left open.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll figure it out. Just go.”
“I’m not leaving you!”
“Get your ass out of here!” I wanted to smack her.
“No!”
“Trinity Sisco, get your ass out of here. I’ll figure out a way.”
Indecision was in her eyes.
“I’m going to open the doors. Then I’ll open the doors of the first shaft I see. You need to climb up before the elevator falls again. Now go.”
She still didn’t leave.
“You’re wasting time. Now go.”
She opened her mouth to argue.
“GO!” I didn’t look at her again and headed to the door and began pulling it open.
Trinity finally left the opening and began climbing.
The adrenaline wasn’t as strong now that Trinity was out of harm’s way. Only my life was on the line but I didn’t care about it as much as I cared about hers. I used all the strength I could muster to open it. I got it to crack but that was it. I took a break then pushed harder, getting it to widen.
I had to catch my breath because the exertion practically broke both of my arms. The shaft near the door wasn’t level but it was workable. I dug my fingers in the crack and began pulling.
This time it was easier, but not by much. When the doors slid apart I saw Trinity on the other side pulling it apart. We worked together and managed to widen the doors.
Trinity immediately grabbed me and yanked me across the doorway, forcing me onto solid ground. Just then the elevator started to fall again, skidding ten feet before it came to another halt.
Trinity clung to me and breathed hard into my chest. “You saved me.”
My arms moved around her and I stared out the open doors, processing everything that just happened. Trinity almost died. If I hadn’t gotten her, who knows what her fate would have been. The firefighters weren’t there, and she could have plummeted to her death.
“You saved my life.” She cupped my face and looked into my eyes.
“If you hadn’t come…” She didn’t finish the sentence.
“I would never let anything happen to you.” I looked in her eyes as I said it.
“I was so scared…”
“I know.” My fingers moved through her hair. “You’re safe now.”
“You risked your life for me.”
“I wouldn’t have done anything else. A life without you is one I don’t want to experience.”
Her hand moved up my chest and under my shirt. She felt the ring dangling from the necklace I wore. She touched it with her fingertips while she looked me in the eye. “You always take care of me. And you always protect me.”
I knew what she was really asking. I grabbed the chain and yanked it off. Then I pulled the ring off and slipped it onto her finger. No one else would have jumped into that elevator to get her out. No one else would have risked his life like that. I did it because I couldn’t live without her. And for the first time, I felt worthy of her. “Forever?”
Her eyes watered. “Forever.”
Chapter Nine
Scarlet
Cortland walked into the house without knocking. His eyes burned with his pain, and his once broad shoulders seemed thin. His hands were in his pockets as he entered the living room. He didn’t acknowledge us even though he walked straight into our house without any announcement.
Sean and I were sitting on the couch drinking wine. The game was on but neither one of us were paying attention.
Cortland sat down then watched the screen but it was obvious he wasn’t really watching it.
I turned to Sean and gave him a look he would understand.
Sean nodded slightly then left the living room and headed upstairs.
Cortland didn’t look at him.
I set my wineglass on the table and watched him, seeing the obvious drag of his limbs. He wasn’t the strong and proud man he usually was. A part of his life had been taken away. I understood his pain and despair. It must be mortifying to go through that. Sean would be tortured for the rest of his life.
Cortland remained silent, but since he came over I knew he wanted to talk.
“How are things?” I asked quietly.
“My daughter is a former stripper, my entire office knows how she looks naked, and she’s knocked up out of wedlock. How do you think?”
His venom didn’t burn me. “It was a stupid question. I apologize.”
He purposely stared at the floor and avoided my gaze.
“Cortland, I know things are hard right now but they’ll blow over.”
“Blow over?” A tone of sarcasm was in his voice. “The only way it’ll blow over is if we fire everyone in the building and start over with fresh employees. They all look at me with judgment in their eyes. They blame me for being a terrible father.”
“You’re mistaking judgment for pity.”
He shook his head. “You don’t see the way they look at me.”
“You’re projecting your own doubts and insecurities onto other people.”
“You’re wrong about that, Scarlet.” He rubbed his palms together nervously, like he wasn’t sure what to do with his hands. “What would you do if you were in my situation?”
“There’s nothing to do. Everything has been said and done.”
“I meant with Clementine.” He finally raised his head and looked at me. His formerly blue eyes had faded to gray. Now he looked like a ghost, cold and lifeless.
“She’s a victim in all of this as well. You should support her.”
“Support her?” he asked in disbelief. “I should support her scandalous life? I should pat her on the back and tell her I’m proud of her for getting naked in exchange for money?”
Cortland was never this aggressive and harsh so I let it go. He needed to explore his ugly side so he could get rid of it. “I admit her career choice wasn’t admirable but she doesn’t do it anymore. She quit.”
“Why did she do it at all?” he snapped. He rubbed his palms over his face. “Where did it go wrong? Where did I mess up? All of this was going on right under my nose and I didn’t stop it. I failed her as a parent. Cayson turned out great but Clementine—”
“Also turned out great.”
He kept his palms against his face. “Did I not love her enough? Did I not give her enough attention?” He lowered his hands to reveal a pained face. His eyes were slightly watery and full of devastation.
“Of course you did,” I said. “Clementine said she did it for the money. That’s all.”
“I have plenty of money. I would rather give her everything I own than let her spin on a pole.” His gaze moved to the coffee table in front of him.
“Clementine needed to make her own way in life. It was the path she chose.”
“But why?” he barked. “Why would she do that?”
If Skye decided to become a stripper I knew Sean would be devastated. To me, it wasn’t the end of the world. But for a father, it was. I tried to be sensitive even though Cortland was saying things he didn’t mean. “There are worse things, Cortland. She wasn’t a prostitute and she never got into drugs.”
“Oh, you’re right,” he said sarcastically. “I should be happy she stripped.”
“That’s not what I’m saying,” I said. “But be positive.”
“Now she’s having a baby with a guy she’s not even married to.”
“He’s not some guy, Cortland. Ward is smart, successful, and he loves Clementine very much. What does it matter if they’re married? They’re committed to each other and this baby. That’s all that matters.”
Cortland acted as if he didn’t hear a word I said. “I should have made her go to college. If she were in school this wouldn’t have happened. It’s my fault.”
“She wanted to pursue music,” I said calmly. “And she’s very good at it.”
“She doesn’t even play anymore.”
“I’m sure she will after the baby arrives.”
“This is a disaster,” he whispered.
Cortland was distressed with pain and emotion. It would take time for him to get over this. He would be scarred from what happened at the office. But I had to get him to see reason. If he didn’t, he could say and do things he would forever regret. He would tarnish his relationship with Clementine until there was nothing left. “Do you remember when Cassandra was pregnant with Trinity?”
He turned his gaze to me. “Yes. Because I would always bring her those chocolates she liked.”
“And do you remember when she got pregnant?”
His eyes narrowed on my face. “What’s your point, Scar?”
“She and Mike weren’t married.”
He shook his head and looked away. “Not the same thing.”
“It’s exactly the same thing,” I said. “Mike loved her and took care of her just like he would have if they were married. The only difference about their experience and mine with Skye was I had signed a marriage license. But that didn’t mean Sean and I loved our daughter more. Just because Ward and Clementine aren’t married—yet—doesn’t mean that baby won’t be loved and have everything it needs.”
Cortland wouldn’t meet my gaze.
“I understand you’re upset right now. I don’t blame you in the slightest. It’s a lot for anyone to take in. However, don’t punish Clementine for this. Ward is an amazing guy. He’s educated, responsible, and most importantly he loves Clementine very much. It’s obvious every time you see him with her. If you’re worried she won’t be taken care of, don’t be. She’s in good hands.”
“I was upset when I found out she was pregnant. But I got over it and came back around. I realized I was being a jerk about the whole thing. But my pain came from concern. I was worried about Clementine raising a child alone. When Ward came into the picture and everything was settled, I was excited for the baby. The fact it was out of wedlock was irrelevant. But now this…I feel like I don’t know my daughter at all.”
“We all make mistakes when we’re young.”
; “So, you’ve been a stripper?” He gave me a fiery look.
“No. But Sean would love it if I knew how to work a pole.” I gave him a slight smile to cheer him up.
Cortland didn’t take the bait. “I worry about her. Does she need help?”
“She just needed money, Cortland. It’s not unheard of. Lots of women strip because they make way more money doing that than anything else.”
“Trashy women, maybe.”
“Cortland.”
He massaged his knuckles and kept his eyes downcast. “And then she was with a married man who had kids…”
This was news to me. “She was?”
“They dated for a while. Then he blackmailed her into going back to him after he got a divorce. That was why the pictures were uploaded to the server to begin with.”
I tried to think of something to say but I was drawing a blank.
“Clementine had an affair with a married man.” He shook his head in disappointment. “What’s more devastating than that?”
That didn’t sound like Clementine. “Did she know he was married?”
“She claims she didn’t. But how can you date someone for a year and not figure it out?”
“People can be accomplished liars when they want to be—with enough practice.”
He shook his head. “My daughter was the other woman.”
“Do you not know Clementine?” I asked. “That doesn’t sound like something she would do.”
“Neither does stripping.”
“Cortland, if Clementine says she didn’t know I believe her.”
“It’s not like she’s a truthful person,” he snapped. “She was a stripper for years and never told anyone—”
“I wonder why.”
He continued on like I hadn’t interrupted him. “And then she lied to me and said some random guy knocked her up and she didn’t even know his last name. Then a few months later she says Ward is the father. I can’t believe anything that comes out of her mouth.”
That was difficult to argue with. “She had her reasons.”
