“I don’t have to convince you.” I felt my blood boiling. “It was mediocre at best.”
“Don’t make me rattle off the receipts…”
I tossed what was left in Michelle’s glass at him, letting the red wine splatter all over his shirt.
The entire room went dead quiet. Not awkward. Not tense. Just… silent.
“Katie…” Asher breathed slowly. “I let you get away with doing this the first time we met, but?—”
“But what?” I shrugged. “Are you going to retaliate? Find a way to make me feel shittier than I already do?”
He said nothing.
He just glared at me.
“It’s only fitting that we end things the way we started,” I said. “Except this time, I can guarantee you’ll never see me again…”
I turned away from him and left, feeling the intense stares from everyone on my back.
Tears streamed down my face faster than I could restrain them, and something in my chest splintered with every step back to my suite—this time, I wasn’t sure it would piece itself back together again.
Twenty-Six (B)
PRESENT DAY
ASHER
What the hell was that, Katie?
Pick up your fucking phone.
Now.
I don’t appreciate you telling security not to let me into your villa…
PICK. UP. YOUR. FUCKING. PHONE.
Twenty-Seven
PRESENT DAY
KATIE
The following morning
Tap. Tap. Tap!
I ignored the knocking on my door and continued stuffing my clothes into a suitcase. The majority of my work here was done, and my team could handle the rest of the big day—if it happened—without me.
“Katie, I know you’re in there…” Madison tapped again. “Can you please open up?”
No…
I picked up a pair of silver stilettos and slipped them into a bag. Then I walked over to the coffee station and stared at the array of K-cups and tea bags.
“I’m shocked you never think to take any of these from all your hotel stays…”
Asher’s comments flashed through my mind as I swiped them all into a bag.
