Harris. He was gaining on me.
I forced myself to move faster, turning a corner randomly and nearly colliding with a housekeeping cart. The startled employee jumped back as I mumbled an apology and kept going, using the wall for support.
The drug was working its way deeper into my system with every passing minute, making each step more difficult than the last.
Another corner, another identical hallway. This hotel was a maze, and in my drugged state, I had no idea if I was making progress or just going in circles.
I passed a sign for the elevator, but knew I couldn't risk waiting for one. Harris would catch me for sure. I did press the call button as I stumbled past. Maybe that would confuse Harris.
I kept moving forward, hoping to find an emergency exit, a stairwell, an open window, anything that would get me out of this nightmare.
"He went this way!" A new voice joined the pursuit, probably one of Harris's goons. They were coordinating, spreading out to search for me.
I ducked down a quieter corridor, this one dimly lit and seemingly deserted. The carpet here was even thicker, a deep burgundy that swallowed the sound of my footsteps. Room numbers glowed softly on brass plates beside heavy wooden doors.
I tried the handle of the first door I reached. Locked. I moved to the next one, then the next, tugging desperately at each handle. All locked.
The voices behind me grew louder, more insistent. I was running out of time and options.
Come on, come on. Give me something.
A door at the end of the hall had a small service cart outside it. I stumbled toward it, hoping against hope that the housekeeping staff had left it unlocked. My hand wrapped around the cold metal handle and I turned it.
It gave slightly, but didn't open. Not completely locked, but not open either. In my desperation, I threw my shoulder against it, putting what little strength I had left into the effort.
The door gave way suddenly, and I pitched forward into the room, barely keeping my feet under me. I stumbled two stepsinside before freezing, my drugged brain slowly processing that I wasn't alone.
The suite was elegant, but understated, all clean lines and muted colors. Floor-to-ceiling windows dominated one wall, the city lights beyond them creating a glittering backdrop.
A sitting area with plush furniture occupied the space near the door, and beyond that... a man sat propped up in a massive bed, tablet in hand, staring at me with an expression of complete surprise. Not just any man. Possibly the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen in my life.
Dark hair with hints of silver at the temples framed a face that belonged on the cover of GQ—strong jawline, high cheekbones, and eyes that pinned me in place even through my drug haze. His broad shoulders were covered by a simple black t-shirt that did nothing to hide his muscular build.
"What the—" he began, his deep voice sending an unexpected shiver down my spine despite my dire situation.
"I'm sorry," I slurred, swaying on my feet. "So sorry. They're after me."
His eyes narrowed, taking in my disheveled appearance. "Who's after you?"
"Bad people. My mother." I tried to explain, but my tongue felt twice its normal size.
The man's expression shifted from surprise to something harder, more calculating. Before he could respond, heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway, followed by a voice just outside the door.
"Check this one. The door's ajar."
Terror jolted through me, temporarily clearing some of the fog. I stared at the stranger, silently pleading. I had no right to drag him into my mess, but I was out of options and rapidly losing my ability to even stand upright.
The man made a swift decision, his eyes never leaving mine as he called out, "I'm busy. Come back later."
"Sir, we're looking for someone who may have entered your room," came the reply.
The footsteps paused just outside the still-open door. In seconds, they'd come in and find me. In seconds, whatever fate my mother had arranged with Harris would be inevitable.
"Please," I whispered, the word barely audible.
The stranger's jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he'd give me up. Instead, he gestured sharply toward the bed with a quick jerk of his chin.
I didn't need to be told twice. I stumbled forward, my legs finally giving out as I collapsed onto the mattress. With the last of my coordination, I managed to dive under the covers beside him just as the door swung open wider.
