Billionaire Alpha's 99 Deadly Games novel Chapter 144

Chapter 144

When the light began to flicker off and on and then went out altogether I was working myself up to a full–blown panic attack. No, no, no, no, this can’t be happening, I told myself in a whispered voice. No power in the worst storm of my life. I couldn’t help but contemplate how long it would take to freeze to death. I heard movement near my door and I screamed.

“Shhh, it’s just me, love. I think the electricity may have gone out.” Patrick’s voice soothed and instantly calmed my fears. “Did you hear that thunder a few minutes ago?” As if on cue another round boomed and I could see the shadowed outline of Patrick jump. “Bloody hell, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

He went to stand by the balcony where we had stood earlier in the evening, and stared out into the darkened night’s sky. The next lightning strike caused an eerie glow, magnified by the now white wonderland surrounding the resort.

“It’s beautiful in a terrifying way, isn’t it?”

“It is,” I admitted, feeling overwhelmed.

“Well, if you think you can sleep through this madness, I should let you.” Again he was being so considerate of me and I knew I didn’t deserve any of it with what I had put him through. At the door he turned back to me and another round of lightning lit up the room just in time for me to catch a sly grin on his face. “Of course, if you find yourself getting too cold before the power comes back, just call, I can certainly help with that.”

I had a snarky comeback right on the tip of my tongue, but a clash of thunder even louder than the first two had me screaming, “Stay!”

I’m not really sure who was more shocked by the request, me or him,

“Please stay. This storm is freaking me out and I’ll worry you’re too cold out there on the couch.”

mind seemed

I saw his shadowed figure nod as he made his way over to the bed. Again, I should have been nervous. I should definitely not have felt comforted, safe, and secure. My body and to be at war with each other.

He slowly and cautiously slid between the covers. He was careful not to get too close, it clap of thunder and I was jumping to close the gap between us.

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“I could hear your teeth chattering from the other room. Cold or scared?”

“Both!” I admitted.

“Come here, love,” he said, reaching out and pulling me close to him. Being tucked into his side made me feel cherished and protected like I had never experienced before. “Sounds like it’s coming on fast now. Likely the worst is on top of us. Shouldn’t be too long before it rolls on out.”

I could hear him talking, but more than listening to his words, I just felt him. His arms were wrapped around me firmly. I was lulled to sleep quickly by the steady beating of his heart despite

the storm.

I had the most delicious sleep of my life. Groggy and fighting off the need to pee so I could stay suspended in that perfect bliss of comfort just a little longer, I tried to reach for my cell phone to silence the alarm going off. I didn’t quite make it before it suddenly went silent. I sighed in

contended relief.

“Elise? Love? Your alarm says fifteen minutes till your massage.”

I froze, fully awake and suddenly very aware of my situation. Patrick O’Connell was in my bed. Why was Patrick in my bed? Oh yes, he followed me. Wait, this wasn’t my bed, I was at the resort. I was stretched out, practically lying across him, using his chest as my own personal pillow.

I had never been in a situation like this before. It wasn’t that I was a virgin. I had lost that to Bobby Mason in my senior year of high school, but I had never had an actual sleepover. It had always just been sex, and then bah–bye, maybe I’ll see you later. Waking up in Patrick’s arms, with my drool dribbles on his shirt and my leg hiked up over his, felt so much more intimate than any other moment I’d ever had with a guy.

“Elise?” He tried again. “Do you want to sleep and I’ll cancel our massages, or are you getting up?”

He started mumbling to himself and clearly didn’t know what to do. Neither did I, which just made me giggle.