Free My Billionaire Stranger by Shae Black

both men look up at me.
    “Sorry, I need to go home and shower and get something to eat,” I say.  A hot blush creeps up my neck while I gather up my purse; my damn stomach did that on cue I swear it!
    “No, Imani….sit. Eat with me, you can’t leave…. do you work tonight?”  Marcus asks, trying unsuccessfully to keep the alarm out of his voice. Elijah looks up from the food clearly taken aback by Marcus’s response to my leaving.
    “I’ll step out,” he says as he exits the room abruptly.
    “I don’t work tonight. I’m not scheduled for two more nights,” I inform him. His eyes dart around the room nervously, his hands clutch the sheets again, and a fine layer of perspiration forms on his forehead.
    “Are you ok?” No response. I move to sit on the edge of the bed and pry his fingers from the sheet so I can hold it between both of mine. “Marcus…can you hear me? Do you know where you are?” I ask. Slowly he turns to look at me. “Imani?”
    “Yes, where did you go just now?” I ask.
    “Where is Megan?” he responds, the same question he asked me last night.
    “Is that who was with you in the accident?”
    “Yes…I told you that last night?” I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, God I’m so relieved that he remembers.
    “Yes, you did.  Was she your friend?”
    “Yes…a friend, she worked for me in the club.” he answers, no emotion on his face. No other way to do this, he needs to know she’s dead. “Marcus, the passenger in the car with you didn’t make it,” I say softly, and his hand grips mine so tight it’s painful but I don’t complain.
    “I know.”
    “You do, so you remember the accident?”
    “No, not exactly but I remember her floating next to me in the car, in the water- she was already dead, her eyes were open and so empty. She just stared at me….”
    “Oh Marcus I’m so sorry, do you need me to call your sister for you, maybe having some family here with you would help?” 
    “No,” he snaps, looking past me to stare at the wall.
    “You know Elena’s been coming to sit with you every day,” I say. “I could hear her, I wish she hadn’t come.”
    “Why? She really seems to love you. She sat all day, every day by your side and made sure you had the best doctors, she even requested that only I take care of you if I was working.” 
    “She wasn’t here because she loves me, she was here because she fears me, and she knows if she were to let anything happen to me she would be in a lot of trouble.” He’s looking at me now full of sorrow as he continues. “She deserves everything I have and more, and if I die she will get it all. I made sure of it.” I sit, stunned and confused. “Why do you think she fears you, I didn’t get that feeling at all.”
    “You don’t know anything about us Imani, believe me when I tell you Elena is scared of me, I’m not saying any more about it, we’re done with this subject.”
    “Has anyone called to tell her you’re awake?” I ask.
    “I don’t know, you are the only person besides Elijah I have spoken to, and the hostess at Dominus when I asked for Elijah. Do not call her, I do not want her here,” he orders, narrowing his eyes at me with a stern look.
    “I promised her I would.”
    “I don’t care, I do not want her called, do you understand?” His heart rate is accelerating.
    “Ok, ok, I won’t call her but I hope you’ll reconsider.”  A light knock at the door interrupts us. “Come in!” Elijah pokes his head around the door.
    “Can I get you anything else sir?” he asks.
    “No, just email me the paperwork we discussed and the schedules for the Seattle and Miami locations, you can go now.”
    “Yes sir, I’ll send them right away.” Elijah closes the door and he’s gone.
    “I need to leave too,” I say reluctantly. I have his full attention now as he reaches out to grasp my hand again.
    “Come back.,” he says his bright green eyes darkening. “Please?” he