The Soldier's Roommate

Chapter 22: As long as we're together.

Alice

It's a day for the books.

Because I finally decided to stand up for myself, to stop this nightmare from happening to me again and again.

"What?" Elijah looks at me with wide eyes. "No, Alice, you can't quit your job."

"Of course I can. I'm a chef, I'll get a job anywhere." I squeeze his hand in reassurance, trying to ignore Mr. Howell's laugh as he watches us.

"Well, go right ahead, Miss Epione. You know the way out." He waves toward the door, and I don't even hesitate for another second before I grab Elijah's hand and pull him after me. But just as we reach the doorway, Mr. Howell speaks again, his words unleashing a whole new level of fury in my veins. "We'll see how long she stays if she's not getting paid for it, son."

I can't even blink with how fast Elijah spins around, his fist connecting to Harrison's jaw with a violent thud. Mr. Howell slumps to the ground, clutching his jaw with his hand as he looks up, meeting his son's stormy gaze. "You should learn to shut your mouth when it's good for you, father."

Completely disregarding Harrison's efforts to say another word, Elijah grabs me by the hand and out of the office, heading straight for the elevator. I grab my belongings on the way there, stumbling behind Elijah until we reach the lift, both of us waiting patiently for the doors to open.

The tension is coursing right through my veins when he repeatedly punches the button, his fingers opening and closing around my own until finally the doors open. Elijah steps inside, and the second he presses the button for the ground floor I'm already jumping him, dropping my bag on the floor as Elijah stumbles backward and right against the elevator wall. He holds onto me, his fingers digging into my thighs as I crash my lips against his own, holding onto his neck when he spins us around, my back now pressed against the wall as he steps right in front of me.

"Alice..." He growls, pressing himself so roughly against me that I can't help but moan, the feeling of his hard body against mine instantly sending me on a high that makes me see stars. He keeps devouring me, his tongue lavishly exploring my mouth as I melt right into him, completely offering myself to this god of a man in front of me.

"I fucking hate my therapist..." Elijah groans against my neck as he pulls back, his low and raspy voice sending a straight shiver down my spine that settles right in my core. I can literally feel his heartbeat thunder against my chest, his hot breath sending goosebumps down my throat as we try to compose ourselves, to no avail.

"God damn it Elijah..." I mumble before chasing him again, letting our tongues dance until I feel so absolutely dizzy again, I almost feel like I'm fainting. The sound of the elevator arriving at the ground floor is the only thing that breaks us apart, but even the mere heat in Elijah's eyes makes my legs feel like jello. Hell, every part of my body feels like it's burnt to ashes from the fire in his gaze.

And it seems like he knows, because he just grabs the bag from the ground before he carries me outside, not at all caring about the glances people around us are shooting in our direction. "Elijah..." I whisper, hiding my face in the crook of his neck.

He just laughs, the rumble in his chest making me tighten my hold on his neck as I suddenly inhale a breath of fresh air, the cold breeze making me look up. I realize we're in the parking lot of the office building, and only seconds later Elijah lowers me on the hood of my truck, stepping right between my legs with that shiver-inducing smirk on his lips.

We just stand there for a moment, taking the other in, bathing in this feeling of freedom and sparkling tension between us until I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him toward me, my lips brushing against his skin as I whisper, "You have one hell of a right hook..."