Page 143 of Shades of Grey & Gold

I pull open the heavy glass door reminding myself to breathe.

The dim lights of the lobby are shining through the second pair of double doors. A doorman, who looks suspiciously and unsurprisingly like a Renzetti by the look of his dark features and large stature, nods at me from his seat by the door.

Before I can scan the card against the keypad, Nico’s earlier companion is holding open the elevator door for me.

“Ms. Sims.” He nods.

Sims?

My feet stop halfway through the door, and I stare at him.

My body goes cold and rigid.

The last time someone called me Sims it was a beautiful man asking for my coffee order with brown curly hair and golden-green eyes.

They weren’t allowed to know my name.

The guy’s eyebrows raise, and with a frown, I shake my head. He probably is new and just didn’t listen to Nico tell him my full name so he knew when I arrived, which theycanknow, because I’m not in the family anymore.

The penthouse is inmy name, that’s what Nico said.

I guess this means Nico is already here, which shouldn’t surprise me, because I am very late.

“Hi, thanks, you didn’t have to wait for me,” the embarrassment in my voice is clear after he probably watched me sit outside for the past fifteen minutes.

His dark hair is curly, but buzzed short, and his dark eyes are kind, offering me a small smile but no response. He gestures to the elevator and we enter.

A shiver runs through me being inside this elevator again as images of Cal twisting his fingers in mine while we rode to the top flash across my mind.

He scans a silver keycard and presses the button labeled PH.

I swallow and choke on nothing, letting out a small cough noise. But my elevator companion doesn’t look my way, just stares at the doors, allowing me my silent grief that is morphing into mortification.

The elevator ride is longer than it ever was somehow, but it finally dings and the doors slide open, revealing hardwood floors that are not the same as the white marble that I’ve seen in my dreams.

I frown before remembering the renovations; Nico mentioned that.

Something inside of me cracks imagining all the corners of this home that we filled with laughter and love that were torn up and replaced.

My new friend places his arm in an effort to hold the elevator door open, but does not make a move to enter.

My feet seem to stay planted right next to his, and this time he does look over, or at least I think he does.

I look up at him, but his eyes remain fixed on his own shoes, his chin tucked to his chest. His apparent aversion to even looking into the penthouse makes me feel uneasy.

He clears his throat as the elevator doors start to close, pushing them back to their open position with his outstretched arm.

Point taken.

I take two big steps and glance over my shoulder at the elevator. The bodyguard’s arm is already back inside, his eyes down and unwavering as the doors close silently and the hum of the elevator signals its departure.

In and out. I can do this.

I force a long exhale and take a step further into the expansive space.

The soft echo of my sneakers is the only sound in the dark apartment.

“Hello?” My voice is barely above a whisper, strangled by feeling like I’m walking into a dream and a nightmare, as I make my way into the living room, turning towards the kitchen.