Pheromonal: One Night With the Alpha novel Chapter 83

Chapter 83: Rescue’s Here

Fifteen minutes and another seven percent of battery later, just as I’m contemplating whether it’s worth opening another snack, a sound breaks the silence. At first, it’s faint—a scraping, grinding noise that makes me sit up straighter. Then, clearer now, a voice.

"Hello? Is anyone in there?"

The voice is male, deep and authoritative. Relief floods through me.

"Yes!" I call back, scrambling to my feet. "I’m here! I’m stuck!"

"Ma’am, this is the fire department. We’re here to get you out. Are you alright?"

I guess the emergency call button worked after all.

"I’m fine," I reply, pressing closer to the elevator doors. "Just ready to get out of here."

"Understood, ma’am. We’re working on it now. It might take a few minutes, but we’ll have you out soon. Can you tell me your name?"

"Nicole," I say, then hesitate. Should I give my full name? But he’s a firefighter, right? It’s probably fine. "Nicole d’Armand."

"Alright, Nicole. I’m Jim. Just hang tight, okay? We’ll have you out in no time."

"Thank you!"

The scraping sounds resume. I pace the small space, careful not to trip over my grocery bags.

"Nicole?" Jim’s voice comes again. "We’re almost there. When the doors open, I want you to stay put until we give you the all-clear, okay? There might be a drop."

"Got it," I call back, eyeing the doors warily.

More grinding, a loud pop, and suddenly, a sliver of light appears between the elevator doors. It widens slowly, revealing a slice of the hallway beyond. I blink, my eyes struggling to adjust after so long in the dim light of my phone.

As the gap grows, I catch sight of a figure standing just outside. He’s tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in what looks like firefighter gear. But something feels... off. I can’t put my finger on it, but a prickle of unease runs down my spine.

"There we go," Jim says, his voice sounding different now that it’s not muffled by the doors. He peers into the elevator, his eyes locking onto mine. "You okay in there, Nicole?"

I nod, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I’m fine. Just ready to get out."

He grins, and my unease grows. He’s friendly and kind, from what I can tell. But for some reason, my skin prickles.

"Don’t worry," he says, reaching a hand towards me. "I’ll get you out of there."

I take an involuntary step back, my heel catching on a grocery bag. Stumbling, I catch myself on the elevator wall.

"Careful there," Jim says, his tone light but his eyes sharp. "Why don’t you come on out? It’s safe now."

Is it, though? Every instinct I have is screaming that something’s wrong. But what choice do I have? I’m trapped in here, and he’s my only way out.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. Maybe I’m just being paranoid. After everything that’s happened lately, it’s no wonder I’m jumpy.

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