Setting my napkin on the table, I pushed my chair back. Both men followed suit, rising when I did. The gesture made tears prick at my eyes, which I ruthlessly shoved down. “Thank you for an enjoyable dinner, gentlemen. I think I’ll retire for the night.”
Only once I’d locked the adjoining door did I breathe fully. Being in close proximity to them both kept me on high alert. Loosening my muscles, I shook out my arms and legs, bent over to stretch my back, and headed to the bathroom.
One area I planned to indulge in was the bathtub. It was huge, so deep I could swim in it, and I couldn't wait to try the various bottles of things that my hunch told me Noah insisted the hotel provide for me. As I’d unpacked earlier, I’d found a few things tucked away to make my stay more comfortable: a robe, a sleep mask, a pair of slippers, and various toiletries.
With the water on scalding, I let it fill the tub most of the way, watching the bubbles form and float as the tub filled. Only when it was past the midline did I twist on the cold to keep from boiling my skin off my body when I sank in. Undressing, I left my clothes on the floor and tucked a few stray hairs behind my ears.
With a contented sigh, I lowered myself into the fragrant water, trying to relax. Unfortunately, Noah's face was at the forefront of my mind. I didn't just see the one from tonight, with his features softened by candlelight and easy smiles, but also the one from the day he grabbed me. The fierce glare, the firm set of his jaw as he clenched his teeth in fury; those were unfortunately etched in my brain.
I couldn't let this kinder side of him sway me into liking him. He was cruel; a cold-blooded killer. If the feds had their way, Noah would soon be behind bars.
Where he belonged.
The only reason they’d been targeted was because they led a life ripe with rivals. Whatever illegalities they dabbled in had turned another mafia family against them. Whether they foughtover money or power didn't matter, and I was the one caught in the crossfire. Though I would normally paint myself as innocent, I couldn't quite call myself that when I was voluntarily in bed with the government.
Since I couldn't shut off my brain after all, I drained the tub and got out. After my bath, my skin felt like liquid silk. Smoothing on luxurious lotion with a heavenly scent, I indulged in slipping on the bathrobe with the hotel’s logo embroidered on the breast. It was as soft as I was, and I shrugged just to feel the lapels stroke across my cheeks.
A knock on the adjoining door startled me, but I hurried to open it. If Benito needed something from me—
Instead, it was Noah standing there, his hands clasped in front of him. I didn't see his father in the main room behind him, and I swallowed convulsively for a few seconds while he watched me.
“I, um, wanted to tell you I put my father to bed. He shouldn't require anything overnight, but he has his phone beside him just in case.”
My face was already flushed from the hot water, but I felt my temperature go up further. My bun had fallen to my nape, tendrils of damp hair clinging to my neck and forehead. The robe was fluffy, but I held the front of it in my fists to make sure no part of my chest was visible. Suddenly, I was keenly aware of my nakedness beneath.
“Th-thank you. At least we know if he does need me, I’ll be right here.”
His rich brown eyes glowed in the lights from my room, and I couldn't help staring into them when he didn't move. The air between us thickened, and I was powerless against it. I should have bolted; I should have forced my legs to move, my hands to close the door.
When Noah reached out, I didn't recoil as I’d assumed I would if he ever came close to me in such a manner again. Instead, I stood frozen while he gently pushed the hair off my bruised temple.
“Yes, you’re right here, aren't you?”
Unsure what he meant by that, I found my voice from where it had fled. “Good night, Noah.”
Clearing his throat, he dropped his hand. “Sleep well, Sailor.”
I had a wild urge to ask him to call me Sara. That errant thought brought on a new wave of fear, and I backed up, abruptly closing the door in his face. Locking it quickly, as though I thought he’d barge through if I didn't, I turned and leaned heavily against it.
What the fuck was wrong with me?
Instead of pondering that, I put on my pajamas and got in bed. Ensuring my phone was on the nightstand in case Benito called me, I pulled the covers up to my chin and shut my eyes. I didn't expect sleep to claim me so fast, but I found myself lost in a nightmare all too soon.
My father sat in the driver’s seat, smiling over at my mother in the moonlight filtering through the heavy tint on the windows. We’d been at my dance recital, and I was feeling proud of myself for my performance. Daddy hadn't planned on coming, but he’d had a last-minute cancellation at work. Afterwards, we went for ice cream, and I got to pick whatever toppings I wanted.
I remembered their banter vividly. They were clearly in love, holding hands and pecking each other’s lips when they thought I wasn't looking. But then, in the car, I saw Daddy’s face contort as the glass in front of him shattered. My mother screamed, and the car careened off the road as another hole opened up in the windshield.
We spun and flipped, the sensation making my stomach lurch up the back of my throat as we landed upside down.With sickness in my belly, I crawled out the broken sunroof and crouched on the pavement. Smoke rose from the busted tires; shattered glass littered the road.
And their blood was everywhere.
It coated me in a red dress, dyeing my hair pink and dripping into my eyes. I vomited over and over, until nothing was left but dry heaves. Then, bracing myself against the startling violence, I tried to pull their lifeless bodies out of the car. I tried to hold my hands over their wounds, but I was too small to stop the bleeding. I was too little, too young. Over and over in my head, I heard my mother scream my name right before the car crashed.
In reality, I was the one screaming, my chest heaving and sweat pouring off my body. The pounding in my head was coming from the door between the suites, but I couldn't stand on legs gone weak.
The main door opened, and Noah rushed in. I was so disoriented, I didn't even care when he picked me up off the floor. “What the fuck?” he demanded. “Are you okay?”
“There’s so much blood,” I muttered as my legs shook. “So much blood.”
