“S-sorry.” Zara’s voice is trembling. “I just needed to ask Myles about something, er, about a meeting this morning.”
“Well, you can text him or something! Can’t you see we’re about to fuck?”
Zara’s gaze flicks from Katya to me, and then back again. I feel as though I’m trapped in a nightmare, bound in cobwebs, unable to move.
With what sounds like a sob Zara turns away, her dress whirling around her. A moment later I hear the thud of the suite door.
“What the hell is her problem? Who does she think she is, coming in here like that? And what was she wearing? You need to rein her in, Myles.” For such a beautiful woman, Katya really can be ugly. Her lush mouth is contorted in a sneer, but it changes to a smile, her tongue flickering as she presses against me. “Imagine if she’d showed up a few minutes later. Wouldn’t have liked to see her boss fucking another woman, would she?”
“Katya.” I finally find my voice. “What the hell are you doing here?” I push against her restraining arms, managing to extricate myself. I look around for something to wear, and pull on crumpled linen shorts and a T-shirt. I need to go after Zara, need to explain… well, I still don’t know what’s happening, or how Katya got in here. But I know it doesn’t look good.
But if Zara wants to be with me the way she says she does, then she’ll understand when I explain. This is something we can laugh about together, another of Katya’s stupid stunts. A sense of unreality drops over me again. Christ. I need coffee. I need Zara. I need to wind back the clock and figure out what the hell is happening. Did I imagine the whole thing, the entire glorious evening with her? I know I didn’t imagine the devastation on her face. I need to find her, quickly.
“What the hell am I doing here?” Katya screeches. “What the fuck is your problem? Is it because I wasn’t nice to your little assistant?”
Her voice changes, becoming softer. She sits up. What the… Are those actual tears in her eyes?
“Itriedwith her, Myles. I tried to be nice, because I knew it was what you wanted.”
It’s not what I want. What I want has just walked out of here. But I try to rein in my anger, to speak calmly, even though my mind is in a panic. “We ended things, Katya. Why are you here?”
She shrugs. “You ended things. Just like I did, last month.” There’s a pleading tone to her voice. “This is you and me, baby. We fight, we break up, we fuck, we get back together, right?”
“Not anymore,” I growl, my need pulling at me. “We are done.”
“Done? Why, because you’re fucking her now? I saw the photos.”
I go cold. “What?”
“You think you can bring her here for sex and someone wouldn’t see you?”
“What. Photos?” I grind out the words. I’m desperate to get to Zara, but I also need to know what’s going on. The chill down my spine worsens. This could be a massive screw-up.
“You and her, eating dinner and laughing.” Katya shakes her head, her red hair tumbling down her back. “I saw them. Everyone did. And I know she has a crush on you. So, did you screw her?” She laughs, even though I can see hurt in her eyes. “Bet that’s the first time she’s been with a real man.”
“Get. Out.” I am almost on fire with rage. But it’s threaded with relief. A photo of me having dinner with someone is no big deal. I’d been worried that someone might have seen us on the beach together. I’ll protect Zara as best I can, nonetheless, but dinner is easy to explain away.
“No.” Katya pouts.
I don’t have time for this. I need to find Zara. I don’t even know what goddamn room she’s in, but I’ll knock on every door in this damn hotel if I have to. “Fine.” I snap. “But be very clear on one thing. We are done. You can stay here if you want, but I’m leaving. Today.”
I don’t give her time to answer. I leave the suite, letting the door swing closed behind me. I don’t care if it locks, don’t care if Katya steals everything in there, or sets the place on fire. Everything I care about just walked out, and I need to find her.
Zara
I think I’m going to be sick.
I run to my room, tears running down my cheeks, fumbling with the key card so I drop it. I need to get out of here.
How could I have been so stupid?
He must have been lying to me about breaking up with Katya. A stupid ruse, just to get me into bed. What the hell is wrong with me? I obviously learned nothing from the Dean situation. I try not to sob as I pull my case out, open it and start shoving my clothes in. I take off the silk dress and leave it on a chair, draped over the rug from Taghazout, then add the bathing suit and other things he bought me. I don’t want any reminders of how stupid I’ve been.
I was just a distraction, that’s obvious now. He wants to be with me? Myles Brandon, billionaire, wants to date his assistant? I must have rocks in my head to have believed any of it. I was just someone to have sex with until Big Red showed up again, and I fell for it, like the stupidest fish on the line.
Tears catch in my throat as I throw the last of my clothes in the case, followed by my toiletries. I pull on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, slide my feet into sneakers, and zip up the case. I need to get out of here. I need to go home.
Longing for my quiet blue room, for the grey streets of London, for Eloise, rolls over me. The spell is well and truly broken, and I’m on the other side of it, a little more damaged than I was before.
