Page 85 of Total Abandon

I shake my head, which feels a little fuzzy. I’m operating on very little sleep and “emotionally drained” would be an understatement after the last few days. Either my IQ has dropped a few hundred points, or this isn’t making sense. “I don't understand what this has to do with you being here.”

He nods, turning his attention back to the road. “Zeke never wanted our father's company. He entered into the arrangement with you because Miguel threatened to burn our family home in Columbia to ashes if he didn’t marry. It’s where our mother was placed to rest and even though it’s in death, it’s the only portion of peace she will ever have on this earth.”

Paraíso.The memory of a conversation from many months ago floats to the surface. I remember now the tortured look on his face when he spoke of it.

“In principle, it’s the same scenario, just for a different end. He needed the engagement to buy time to dig up dirt that would stay our father's hand.”

Nausea hits me like a truck, causing me to grip the center console. He had tried to tell me. He had tried to tell me why he couldn’t tell his father and I told him to shut up. No, I screamed it at him. I feel my face go pale. We’re both as bad as each other. I had demanded he tell him. The weight of the secrets we’ve kept and the damage they have done slam down onto my shoulders. “Where is Zeke now?” I croak weakly.

“He has a meeting with Miguel in half an hour at his office, where he plans to tell him everything,” Logan hisses, his knuckles whitening on the wheel.

“Oh god, what have I done?” I whisper, burying my face in my hands.

“This isn’t on you, Chloe. He came to me and asked for my permission to tell him today, which I gave. But if I know my brother, he will never forgive himself for this. His word is his oath, and he gave his word he wouldn’t let her be disturbed.”

My phone vibrates once in my lap with an incoming text and suddenly I’m frantically rifling through my purse to get to it. Cursing when I see a waiting text from Tilly, I pull up my contacts and find Zeke’s name.

“I called him when I found out from Tilly where you were, but his phone is off,” Logan says, just as I hear his voicemail kick in against my ear.

“Fuck!” I curse, my eyes bouncing up wildly. We’re two blocks from the office and almost at a standstill. If Logan’s timings are true, we aren’t going to make it in time. My hand is at the handle, flinging open the door and jumping out before he can even stop the car.

“Fuck, Chloe!” he barks, but I’m already weaving through the moving traffic amidst a symphony of honks to the other side of the street.

By the time I slide to a halt outside the glass revolving doors of Guerra Enterprises, I can hardly keep a breath down. My sneakers squeak as I run across the marble lobby, sliding to a halt in front of the security turnstiles. Fuck! I don’t have a staff fob anymore. Spinning on the spot, I dart toward the overweight security guard lazily flicking through a newspaper.

“I need to go upstairs,” I gasp, placing a shaking hand over my heaving rib cage. A sharp pain slices at my ribs, and I send out a silent prayer of promise that if I get up there in time, I’ll work on my cardio.

“Do you have an appointment?” he asks cheerily, looking slightly bemused at my frantic state.

“No—yes.” I pivot mid-sentence. “My fiancé is Zeke Guerra, it’s him I’m going to see.”

His wrinkled brow melts into a confused frown. “I see, I’ll just have to call his assistant and clear—”

“There’s no time for that!” I slam my palm down onto the desk and his brows shoot toward his receding hairline.

“I’m sorry, Miss. But without clearance I can’t send you up.”

I let out a small growl of frustration. “Fine! But please, hurry. It’s urgent.”

He makes a small noise as if to say “sure” and turns to pick up a phone that sits behind him.

A bead of sweat slides down the back of my neck as I watch his fingers punch in numbers slower than a glacier for a handful of seconds, before deciding to hell with it. Turning on my heel, I make a dash for the turnstiles.

“Miss, what are you—”

Ignoring the surprised cry from the guard, I wedge a hand on top of the chrome barrier and launch my legs over it sideways. One of the elevators to the right is about to close, with one solitary man standing inside watching the whole debacle with a raised brow. As soon as my feet hit the marble, I peel off in his direction, sliding in just as the doors hiss shut.

He stares at me in shock as I bend over, bracing my hands against my knees and panting like a dog. The elevator begins to move, and I blow out a long, shaky breath, punching the button for the top floor. I was so desperate to get here quickly, I left my purse in the car, so I have no idea how much time has passed.

“Nice day for it,” I manage to huff out as the man continues to stare. Apparently deciding against talking to the half-crazed lady that just hijacked his elevator—can’t say I blame him—he stays silent until we reach his floor. When the doors hiss shut again behind him, my anxiety cranks into high gear.

“Come on,” I mutter, watching the little screen at the top of the doors flick through floor numbers as it rises again.

I feel like I’m on an episode ofCrystal Maze, except instead of throwing away a chance to win a few thousand in cash, the stakes are so much higher.If I know my brother, he will never forgive himself.A shiver runs down my spine.

I feel like I could cry when the doors finally hiss open on the top floor and Jacob comes into view behind the expansive white desk beside Zeke’s office. “Chloe.” He blinks in surprise, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Is he alone in there?” I ask, already halfway across the gilded Italian marble foyer.