Page 9 of Born Reckless
Elena.
I try to throw out a hand, to call out to her. But my tongue is still engulfed in that paralyzing heat.
“I do not appreciate the secrecy of this at all,” a male voice with a faint Spanish accent says. “But your message has been received. You’re a woman with power and money. And I am always looking for a way to make more of both for myself.”
“I think you’ll be happy with my proposition,” Elena says. My thighs cool, my biceps are freed. “Our portfolio can’t be beat.”
“How old are you?” the man asks, changing the topic.
“Let’s just say I’m a lot younger than you are, but my father trained me very thoroughly.”
The fire continues to retreat, shrinking central and inward.
And my hearing doubles. I hear dozens of conversations around me, below me, clear as day.
“It’s a beautiful, modern world, isn’t it?” the man says. “My own daughter is my predecessor. She’s caught the eye of one of our Royals.”
“Very impressive, sir,” Elena says, though her tone indicates otherwise.
And all at once, the fire leaves every bit of me, except my stomach, my throat, and my mouth.
My eyes slide open.
And I take in a deep breath.
Hot, so hot. My hands rise to my throat, because there’s no doubt in my brain that it will be consumed by flames. But my touch only meets smooth skin.
I take in another breath.
That smell.
Oh, thatsmell.
It’s the best thing I’ve ever smelled in mylife. And the heat in my throat flames even hotter, and all I can think about is that smell and how it will make the fire go out.
“I’d like you to meet her,” the man beside me says. I hear a phone ring and a female voice answers it. “I’d like you to join us.”
The woman agrees.
And suddenly I realize what I am seeing.
Every detail. I see every bit of texture on the ceiling. I see every ridge of the wallpaper. Slowly, I sit up. I see a forgotten wine cork beneath the couch. I see a snag in the fabric of the curtains. It’s as if I suddenly have 100K vision. Every detail, every pattern, none of it escapes my sight.
But I breathe in again, and the flames grow hotter.
My mouth waters and the shape of my teeth suddenly feels different.
But I don’t process that.
I’m on my feet. A second ago, I was sitting on a couch, and now, I’m at the door.
I breathe in again, and I hear her footsteps approaching. I hear every detail so clearly, it almost feels like I have x-ray vision. There’s an elevator down the hall that closes, taking three people down into the belly of what I realize is a hotel.
Hotter, hotter, hotter.
I count down.
Three. Two. One.