Page 54 of Lust and Honor

“No. Sister Maria stayed with me.”

“What happened to you a couple weeks ago? Why’d you end up in the hospital?”

The sudden question catches me off guard, but I answer anyway.

“Ovarian cysts. I needed surgery.”

“You okay now?”

“Yeah. The surgery fixed it.”

He nods once before looking back down at the album and turning the page.

Pictures of baby Aurora fill the next few pages.

He studies them so carefully it almost feels like he’s trying to step inside the photographs.

While he’s still staring at them, I finally ask the question that’s been circling in my head.

“Why did you ask Emily that question? Were you actually banned from the hotel?”

“Yeah. Emily didn’t like me getting too friendly with her staff,” he answers without looking at me.

I don’t know why my heartbeat suddenly picks up.

“Too friendly?”

He finally glances up, wearing that same calm, infuriating expression.

“You know how warm and friendly I can be, Strawberry.”

I let out an irritated breath and refuse to argue with him. God, this manwhore wears his depravity like a badge of honor.

When he looks back down at the album, I move away and go back to gathering the rest of my things.

Once I finish packing everything else, I realize I need a few trash bags, so I step out of the suite.

That’s when I spot Marcel.

The ridiculously handsome French manager that has always been nice to me.

Sometimes very nice.

The second he sees me, his face lights up and he walks over.

He pulls me into a hug, his thick French accent wrapping around the words.

“Ava! You’re back!”

He squeezes me a little too tightly, making me press a hand against his chest and push myself back.

I offer him a small smile.

“Not really. I just came to pack my things.”

He lets me go, a faint frown appearing on his face.

“I thought you’d come back to work after you recovered.”