Shades of Darkness (Redemption Series) (49 page)

BOOK: Shades of Darkness (Redemption Series)

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As the elevator doors slid closed, an arm shot inside at the last minute, jarring the safety bar and triggering the sensor. She rolled her eyes and huffed impatiently as the doors slid back open. A man who was easily six-four, two-fifty, stepped inside the small elevator. She moved back, pressing into the corner to make room for the guy. Even though it was just the two of them, the small square box suddenly felt like a sardine can.

He was huge, definably muscled and strikingly handsome. His jet black GQ hair set off the most stunning pair of dark violet eyes she’d ever seen. Too bad she’d sworn off men—at least until she got her memories back and the dull, constant ache in her heart subsided. Considering she’d made zero progress in the last eight weeks, she wasn’t holding her breath.

She hadn’t seen Mitch since she’d gotten back. He’d tried to contact her a few times, but eventually had given up. Or at least her parents had stopped trying to get her to see him. Her memories of Mitch were sketchy, at best. She felt nothing for him and really just needed him to give her time and space.

She often thought of the faceless man from her dreams, the man who made her heart ache. The man her shrink worked weekly to convince her was nothing more than a figment of her imagination, someone her subconscious had made up to get her through a traumatic event.

But Olivia knew deep down in her soul that he’d been real. Unfortunately, her parents were of little help in unraveling the Liam mystery. They’d said Olivia had always kept her private life—well, private. And they didn’t know anything about him other than briefly meeting him a few times several years ago. She suspected her parents had somehow convinced Ashley to stonewall her, too, because she wasn’t talking, either. Sometimes, she got the feeling they didn’t want her to get her memories back. But then Dr. Shriner assured her that distrust and paranoia were normal manifestations of her amnesia.

And the paranoia was driving her mad. Ever since she’d gotten back home, she’d swear someone was watching her. Every time the eerie sensation would hit, the fine hairs on the back of her neck would prickle, sending a shiver racing down her spine. She knew the moment she stepped outside and crossed the street to Karen’s, the feeling would return and
he’d
be there.

He wasn’t easy to miss—tall, lean, muscular and deceptively handsome in a don’t-trust-me-because-I-might-just-kill-you sort of way. From out of nowhere, she would feel those pale green eyes boring into her. And he was everywhere—watching her.

She’d stopped trying to point him out to whoever she might be with. No one could ever see him. Besides, he’d never approached her. He’d never even tried to speak to her. So after a while, she added “crazy” to her list of amnesic symptoms and just started to ignore him, too. If she pretended he wasn’t there, then perhaps her mind would get tired of imagining him.

“Lobby?”

The stranger startled her from her thoughts. “What?” Had he been talking to her?

Guess so, because the guy gave her a disarming smile and pushed the L. “Which floor do you need?” he asked.

“Oh, uh…the lobby, please.”

He stepped back to his side of the elevator, which took up most of hers, as well. From the corner of her eye, she could see him watching her as the floor jerked and the elevator began to descend. Her balance still wasn’t completely normal, and her hand shot forward to steady herself against the wall.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking, but are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she replied curtly, fighting back a wave of nausea. Sudden motion often made her ill. Hearing how bitchy she sounded, she winced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. I guess my balance isn’t what it used to be.”

“I didn’t think you were—rude, that is. My name is Tate,” he said, extending his hand with a warm smile. “I’m your guardian.”

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