“I expect you to own your shit,” I said. “And then leave us alone.”
“You don’t mean that,” she said, coming closer. “You can’t. You don’t look at me and feel nothing, Hasheem. I know you. I know your body.” She reached up, palm flattening against my chest. There was a time that touch did something to me, but right now, it was only annoying the shit out of me.
“Don’t touch me,” I said, grabbing her wrist and moving her hand off me. “I’m not interested.” I turned to leave. I did not have time for this shit.
“No, fuck that!” she snapped, running in front of the door and yanking the tie on her robe loose, exposing her black lace bra and matching panties.
“Tell me you don’t want me,” she said, stepping closer to me. “Look me in my face, and tell me you don’t miss me.”
“I already did,” I said. “More than once. Now move out the fucking way, Simone.”
“No!” She took her robe and tossed it on the other side of the room. I jerked sideways as the robe flew past me and landed right on top of a flat pillar candle on the dresser. That was bad.
“Shit,” I said as the edge of the robe caught fire and then quickly started spreading.
“Oh my God.” Simone gasped as the fire rose up the side of the dresser.
“Back up,” I snapped, already moving. “Move, Simone.”
She stumbled back, now in nothing but a matching bra and panties, eyes locked on the fire like it was hypnotizing her. I grabbed at the robe, trying to yank it off the candle and stomp it out, but heat slapped my knuckles. The flame jumped to therunner, then kissed the dried flowers they had sitting there for vibes.
“Call downstairs!” I barked. “Front desk. Now.”
“I-I—” She was frozen.
“Simone!” I turned and pointed at her. “Phone! Now!”
“Okay.” She lunged for the nightstand and snatched up the room phone.
“Hello? There’s a fire in my room!” she cried. “My candles caught on fire!”
I looked around the room, my firefighter brain kicking in instantly. This was a small surface fire. The curtains were a few feet off. If it jumped there, we were in trouble. The bathroom was too far to get the water there in time. My options were to extinguish or trigger suppression. I grabbed the metal trash can by the desk and dumped it, then used the rim to shovel as much of the burning robe and runner into it as I could.
“Come on,” I muttered, hauling the can under the nearest sprinkler head. I needed to trigger the sprinklers. I lifted the can up to hold the flames right under the sensor.
“Fuck!” I cursed under my breath. If this trip ended with the whole damn resort burning down, I was going to be pissed. Cold water rained down from the ceiling, soaking everything, including us, the bed, the dresser, the ruined robe, and the flames until they died down.
“Oh my God!” Simone shrieked as the water drenched her. I dropped the can, letting it hit the soaked carpet.
“Fire’s out,” I said as I walked past Simone. I grabbed a dry throw blanket off the only chair that hadn’t been directly under the spray and walked it over. This was not supposed to be a part of my day. I’d planned on laying up under Harlowe after her massage, not put out a fire with Simone’s ass. The hallway alarm started blaring a second later, and loud pounding sounded on the door.
“Resort staff! Everyone okay in there?” Someone called. Before we could answer, the door swung open and two staff members and a security guard rushed in, eyes going wide at the scene.
“Sir, ma’am, is anyone hurt?” the guard asked.
“I’m fine,” Simone said quickly. “It was an accident.”
I glanced at her, and she was still looking around like this was some bullshit. The whole room smelled like smoke and wet wax.
“Sir, ma’am, we need you both to step out,” one of the hotel staff employees said, already guiding us toward the door while another hit the panel on the wall. “We’ll finish checking the room.” They ushered us outside, where more staff were rushing to the scene with fire extinguishers. It was a whole damn spectacle. People were coming out of their villas, trying to see what was going on. I rubbed my hand down my face, still trying to grasp what the fuck had just happened. Before I could fully process it, Harlowe came into view.
She was coming from the other end of the walkway with a Duality staff member, still in her massage robe and hotel slippers. Her face was curious at first, eyes scanning the commotion, then they landed on me. I watched it hit her in real time at the same time it hit me.Shit, this looks bad.Her gaze bounced between me, Simone wrapped in a blanket, and Simone’s villa behind us.
“Lowe—” I started, stepping toward her. I ain’t want to let her mind spin out of control. “It’s not—” My words trailed off as she lifted her hand and slapped the fuck out of me. My head snapped to the side. I could hear a few “damns” roll through the crowd. I deserved that one. I could take it. What I wasn’t ready for was how quick she lunged at Simone.
“You jealous, insecure bitch,” Harlowe snapped, and all hell broke loose. She wasn’t thinking about cameras, staff, nothing. Imoved toward her, grabbing her before she could get a full swing off.
“Let go of me, Hasheem!” she screamed.
