I held my breath as Owen and I stared at each other. “No,” I laughed. “It can’t be. We’re just paranoid.”
Owen eyed the clerk suspiciously. “Whythatsuite?”
The clerk seemed confused by the question. He expected excitement for giving me such a nice room, not trepidation. “As an apology. We do not like to inconvenience our guests.” He gave us his best customer service smile. “Would you like another room?”
I laid my hand on Owen’s arm before he could launch into questioning the poor clerk. “It’s just a coincidence. How would he even know we’re here? It’s impossible. There was no trail on us. And the plane’s flight data was hidden. No one could have known where we landed.”
He stared at me for a few more seconds, then his shoulders relaxed as he nodded. “You’re right. There’s no way.”
I thanked the confused clerk and took the key.
“Everything okay?”
I jumped at the voice behind me and Owen gave me a look that said,“Yeah right. If you’re not worried, why are you so skittish?”
It was the pretty Interpol agent. Her stare lingered on Owen for a while, before she turned to me. “Your case is a fascinating one, Miss Beaumont. I wrote my Psychology Masters on Stockholm Syndrome before I decided to join Interpol. I would love to hear your story, first hand, if you would like to talk about it.” She gave me a dazzling smile that somehow echoed the exotic allure of her accent.
In another life, I would have been fiercely attracted to her. “Maybe some other time.” My returning smile was apologetic.
But she nodded with understanding. “Of course.” She turned her gaze to Owen. “I was hoping we could go get a drink, Agent Becket. Catch up?”
The way she said his name, it was obvious she wanted to do more than get a drink. I peered up at Owen to see his reaction. He definitely knew exactly what the pretty agent wanted from him.
Owen cleared his throat, looking all kinds of flustered. “I appreciate the invitation, Claudia, but I already have plans with Ava.”
Why did he say that? Why was he passing up an opportunity with this woman?
Claudia’s eyes went wide as they bounced between me and Owen. “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t know.” She stepped back awkwardly.
My cheeks burned as I lowered my eyes to my shoes. She thought there was something going on between me and Owen, and he did nothing to correct her.
“Good night, then,” she said with a graceful smile and turned to walk away.
“It was nice seeing you again, Claudia.”
When Claudia disappeared around the corner, I punched Owen in the arm. “Why did you say that? You could have gotten laid big time tonight!” I whispered loudly at him.
He rubbed at his arm. “I’m not in the headspace for gettinglaidtonight. Besides, I’d rather spend the night with you. Order room service, watch a movie, pretend we’re not losing our minds…” He shrugged. “You know. Like old times.”
“Are you being serious right now?” I gaped. “She’s gorgeous!” It made no sense. Unless… “You’re worried about the Princess Diana suite thing, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, and just so you know, I’m sleeping on your floor tonight. I still have nightmares of you running down the hotel hallway like a madwoman, covered in blood.” He shuddered. “I’m not letting you out of my sight tonight.”
And he didn’t. He had instructed Liam to go check if there really was plumbing issues in my previous room, to which Liam confirmed with photographic evidence. Syntax was also put on high alert, keeping a close eye on the hotel’s surveillance cameras.
“You’re being dramatic, Owen.” I sighed as he once again peered through the curtains. “You’re missing the whole movie.”
“It’s fine, I’ve seen it already,” he said absentmindedly, still peering out the window.
“Then why did you pick it?” I questioned, exasperated.
He turned to me, a smug grin forming on his lips. “So I don’t miss anything in a movie I haven’t watched before.”
I groaned in frustration and switched the TV off. “Will you just get away from that window, you’re making me anxious.”
“Fine,” he huffed. “But let’s do yoga or something. You know I can’t just sit still like this. I’ll go insane.”
I couldn’t help the smile tugging at my lips. I had convinced Owen to do yoga with me the day before we tried to capture the Apparitions in Mexico. To work off our nervous energy and calmour minds. For the first half of it, he couldn’t stop mumbling how stupid it was but then got really into it. “How about a walk?”
