My mind races with all sorts of CSI scenarios about someone being pushed from their hotel room window when I enter the conference room.
A security guy checks my name off a list. “Take a seat, miss.”
The room is full. So full, I wonder if anyone is actually working right now. Employees are being called up by rows to the front of the room, and are being led one-by-one behind the room divider.
I find a seat with the other interns. One of the other girls rushes in and joins us. “I just heard what all this is about. It’s Shauna!”
“What about her?” I demand, panicked. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine – if you call hanging out in a police cell fine,” the girl smirks. “She got busted hacking into confidential customer data,” she rattles on, too excited about the scandal to keep her voice down. “She was working undercover for the Prescott group!”
“What?” I gasp in shock.
“She was a corporate spy, all along. Everyone’s on lock down, they have no idea how much data she took.”
The guy beside me groans. “I knew I should have taken the job there. This place is going down.”
All around me, employees and interns burst into fevered whispers about the future of the company, but my mind races. I saw Shauna in Dominic’s office! No wonder she looked so nervous, she was probably hacking into his computer to take lord-knows-what!
Damn. I should have mentioned seeing her, gone with my gut feeling that it was odd, but I pushed it aside, too distracted by whatever was going on with Dom. I panic. Maybe they don’t even know that she was snooping around in his office. Who knows what confidential material she may have found?
He needs to know. Now.
I stand and hurry to the door. The doorman blocks me. “No one is supposed to leave, miss.”
I make a light grimace. “I really need to use the restroom. I’ll be quick.”
He looks at me a second before letting me pass. I head to the elevator and go up. If the security downstairs was a shock, up here, it’s like Fort Knox. I pass half a dozen serious-looking men in suits, and every computer is getting the once over by tech.
Dom is in a huddle with some other employees, and he makes me wait before wordlessly leading me to his office.
“What?” he demands. “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re in the middle of a situation.”
“It’s about that.” My heart is in my throat. “I need to tell you something.”
Dom’s expression hardens. His eyes pierce me, cold. “The night I met you, you lied about your identity.”
I stop. Does he know? About the honeytrap? I resist the urge to fidget. I have to face this head on.
“I—yes, I did.”
“Why?”
I don’t know where he’s going with this, or how much he knows, so I force myself not to confess everything. Why make it worse?
“Honestly, I wanted to be someone else. Just for one night. The makeup, the clothes, the random hook-up with you, are not me at all.”
I pause to see how he reacts. His expression doesn’t change. If he knows about the trap, he’s an expert at hiding it.
“I’m bookish, you know? Not very impulsive. But when I saw you, and the way you looked at me when you touched my hand… I wanted to be the kind of woman a man like you would find fun and attractive.”
A small grin lifts one corner of his mouth. “I’ve found you attractive every single day since that evening.”
The compliment makes me tingle. I start to take another step toward him, but stop myself. I’m just the intern du jour, remember? This time next year, he’ll have a new one to replace me with. The thought sobers me.
“About Shauna,” I say. “I found her here, by your desk, alone, the day of the board meeting.”
His face changes. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I didn’t think it was important. She had an excuse, and so did I. I was… distracted.”
Dom rounds the desk and stalks towards me. “Are you working for Prescott too?” he demands.
“No!”
“Don’t lie.” His voice is heavy, warning me. “No more lies, Juliet. Tell me the fucking truth.”
Guilt rages through me, but there’s no way I can tell him the truth about that first night at The Drake now. He’d fire me in a heartbeat, and I need this internship. I’ve worked so hard for it, I shouldn’t have to give it up because of one crazy coincidence.
“I’m not working for Prescott,” I say again firmly. That, at least, is the truth. “I love this hotel. I’ve dreamed for years about working here. I value being able to walk into this building every day.”
Dom’s eyes rake over me for a long moment. Then he gives a curt nod.
“I believe you. Sabotaging this place isn’t your style, not when you can’t shut up about how great it is,” he manages a macabre smile.
Relief floods me, but I’m not off the hook yet.
Dom goes to pour himself a drink. He stands a moment by the windows, looking out at the city skyline.
“The Rexford isn’t just a job to me. It’s my family’s legacy. My great grandfather founded it, my grandfather and father built it into the worldwide chain it is today. Now that responsibility falls to me.”
I move closer, pulled by the depth of raw emotion in his voice.
“Thousands of employees rely on The Rexford franchise. On me.” He looks worn out. Defeated. “This feud with Prescott is getting out of hand. I can’t even remember how it started. Professional rivalry, I guess. But spies? Stealing confidential information to dirty our reputation? Blaine Prescott is going to ruin us all.”
I feel a rush of emotion. He has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and nobody to help share the burden. I can’t imagine what he’s going through, trying to keep everything from falling apart.
“You’ll survive this,” I insist. “You can survive anything.”
Dom just shakes his head bitterly, taking a gulp of whiskey. “How? He’s got the inside track now, thanks to Shauna. Everything we do, he’ll be one step ahead.”
“So, you’ll think of something new, something amazing, and he’ll never see it coming.” I step beside him, and place a gentle hand on his arm. I want him to look at me.
I want to see him.
“You can do this, Dom. You’re the most brilliant man I’ve ever met. Stubborn as hell,” I add, trying to get a smile out of him. “But brilliant.”
I take his hand, and without thinking, bring it to my lips.
He lets out a soft breath. His eyes lock on mine, and for a moment, there’s a flash of heat between us. Not the burning lust that’s consumed us before, but something warmer, stronger.
“Juliet—” he starts, but a knock on the door stops him. I quickly drop his hand. He steps back as his secretary enters.
“Excuse me, Mr. Rexford. Legal needs to speak with you. Line one.”
“Thank you.” Dom’s voice is brisk again.
She leaves, and I pause, uncertain. Before the interruption, something was happening between us, and I don’t know what to do now.
From the look on Dom’s face, he doesn’t either.
“You should get back to work,” I say, making the decision for both of us.
He nods, looking reluctant. “Thank you. For listening.”
“Any time.” I give a faint smile, then walk away.
My heart pounds all the way back downstairs. I feel like my world’s just been flipped upside down. I was so determined to shut him out of my life forever, but now I don’t know what to do. The vulnerable side of Dom has thrown everything into question, and I can’t help but feel a new respect for him now.
He’s a better man than I ever imagined.
Damn. He’s no longer just a threat to my ‘no sex with the boss’ policy.
He’s now a threat to my heart.
Chapter Eleven
Pad Thai smells even better when you don’t have to share it.
I settle the takeo
ut container on my lap and reach for a fork. Sweatpants, a creepy marathon of Ghost Adventures, and the apartment to myself equals heaven after today.
My phone buzzes with a text message from Callie. ’Sure u don’t wanna come?’
She and Emily are out for dinner and a movie tonight. They begged me to come along, but I need some alone-time to recover from this crazy week.
‘I’m good. Promise. Have fun!’
I shut off my phone and try to relax. After our ‘moment’ in his office, I didn’t see Dominic for the rest of the day. I don’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed about that. He must have been pulled in a million different directions, thanks to Shauna’s betrayal. The task of finding out how much information she stole and shared would be a long one. Then came cleaning up any mess it caused.
If I was that back-stabber Prescott, I’d be pretty nervous right about now.
I glance down. I can feel the imprint of his hand in mine, burning with tension. The stress of the day opened up emotions that he normally wouldn’t share, I’m sure. He’s probably kicking himself for showing vulnerability in front of me. Well, as much as a man like Dominic ever regrets anything.
I don’t know how to feel about him. He’s a man, but he’s an enigma, too. It’s hard to sort rumor from fact when I don’t know enough about him to do so.
So, I’ll shove pad Thai in my face until I figure it out.
There’s a knock on the door just as I crack the top to my take out container. I set the food aside and rise, realizing there are no little packets of pepper sauce in my bag. The delivery guy must have realized it too, and come back.
I crack the door until it pulls on the security chain.
It’s not the delivery guy.
This man is wearing a black suit with a cap on his head. He’s old enough to be my father, but holds himself like second-hand royalty.
“Ms. Evans?” His voice is crisp, polite.
“Yes.” I think I’m about to be pranked.
He offers something through the opening. It’s a card envelope. “I’ll be waiting for you outside, madam.”
Quickly, I shut the door and rip open the envelope. The Rexford symbol graces the front.
A keycard tumbles out into my hand.
The penthouse key.
No more games. I want you, Juliet. This is the last time that I’ll try. Come to me.
Come to me? Oh my God. I’ve been thinking about him all day, in a way that’s different than before. I want to see beneath his exterior, to the layers that really make up Dominic Rexford.
But I also want the hot, dirty sex. I want it all.
It’s dangerous—playing with fire. He can consume me completely if I allow it. I no longer feel like just some random intern to him. It’s silly, but the sense that there’s something more to us won’t leave me alone.
I won’t know unless I take a risk. Unless I go to him.
I put my food away and head to my room. It feels surreal as I dig through my closet looking for something to wear. There’s nothing good, except the dress he’s already seen me in.
Why am I doing this?
I want him. Maybe even need him.
But not looking like this. I catch sight of myself in the mirror. My hair is a mess, my old clothes hang baggy. Sweatpants are fine for staying in on a Friday night, but I can’t go to the penthouse like this.
I wonder if I should raid Callie’s closet for another knock-‘em-dead outfit like the one I was wearing the night Dominic and I first met. But I don’t want to play a role again. If I’m going to do this, I’m going to go as myself.
Not the honeytrap sex kitten. Not the intern.
Me.
Pulling out a pair of my best jeans, I don them along with a shimmery olive green blouse. I smooth my hair with some gel and apply lip gloss. A little mascara. That’s it. I grab my jacket and bag, and head down to the limo waiting outside.
The driver opens the door for me, and I slide inside. My nerves are growing, and I go back and forth over my decision the entire ride to the Rexford. I barely notice the luxury of the limousine, or the glass of champagne on the table next to my seat. I ignore the lights of the city as we drive smoothly through the streets.
This is it. No turning back.
“We’re here, miss.”
I look up. We’ve pulled up outside the hotel. I’ve been so deep in my own indecision, I didn’t even notice the stop.
“Thank you.” I scramble out. I’ve entered the hotel dozens of times, but now it’s different. As the doorman holds the glass door open, I realize, I’m not an intern tonight.
I’m just another guest, someone who can live a fantasy.
If I choose.
Glancing around as I walk to the elevators, I pray that I won’t see anyone who might recognize me. I don’t, and gratefully let the elevator swallow me. I go up… up, up, and my nerves grow.
I don’t want to be someone else.
But if I do this, if I get more deeply involved with Dominic, will it change me? How will I ever go back to the person I was?
It’s not just about my career, but my heart.
The elevator opens but I hold the door, uncertain if I should get out – or head right back downstairs and home again. I’m not naïve, I know myself well enough to be aware of how deeply I come to care about people.
I can’t give my body to him without offering up my feelings too. And giving him that power, it scares me a little.
But what if I never know for sure?
With stiff legs, I walk to the penthouse door and reach for the key card. One slip of plastic, yet it’s so very heavy in my palm.
It’s risky and I might pay for it later.
I take a deep breath. Close my eyes.
And decide.
To be continued…
What will Juliet pick? The story continues in THE HOTEL 2, out JULY 15th.
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Miami. The city of sex, sin — and secrets.
I came here with one mission: solve the mystery behind my brother’s death.
Somebody’s got answers. Somewhere, I’ll find what I’m looking for.
I didn’t bet on Xavier. He’s my way into the scene — and my biggest threat.
I should keep my distance, but I can’t stay away.
I’m playing with fire, and I just pray I don’t get burned.
Chapter One
Six a.m. is way too early to be doing anything at all, much less starting a new life.
The ferry’s shrill horn sounds just as Hailey and I fly around the barricade and step onto the ship. The attendant latches the gate within inches of our legs. He gives us a frown that sends the two of us into giggles.
Hailey hooks her arm in mine. “I’m so thrilled you’re here in Miami, Nikki. You have no idea.”
“Please, you really came through for me. Fancy job, a place to crash—.”
“I don’t know about the job being fancy.” She laughs.
“Hey, Miami is expensive. I’ll take what I can get while I’m here.” I’m lucky Hailey’s ex-roommate just bailed on her: leaving a spare room and a job working at a luxury hotel. The resort is on Fisher Island, a ferry-ride away from South Beach. Hailey swears
it’s a sweet gig, but there’s nothing sweet about the bags under my eyes from lack of sleep after getting up at five to (barely) make the trip.
Getting us out the door was bad enough, but my friend Hailey isn’t a morning person either. We spent the last forty-eight hours since I’d arrived in Miami talking non-stop like no time had passed at all since high school. That plus the early wake-up has me yawning.
Hailey must read my mind because she takes my hand and starts to pull me down the stairs. It only takes me a second to figure out the destination. Coffee.
“Seriously, though,” I tell her. “Your help means a lot, Hailey. It’s nice to have something familiar when everything else has changed.”
She pays the vendor and hands me a steaming cup of what smells like liquid tar and then dumps about ten packets of sugar into her own cup. “Well, since Carla bailed on me for sun and fun in Mexico with her loverboy, I needed a new roomie. Lucky for me, I got something better. You!” She winks and licks the coffee off the stir stick.
It feels like a rock drops into my stomach. My brother Eli did that—used to do that. Café cubano was his drug of choice. He insisted on stirring them even though he didn’t need to. He’d wink and put the stir stick in his mouth like a cigarette. He said it made the ladies swoon.
Hailey must see the memory on my face. Concern crosses her features. “Eli?”
I nod. “Just old memories.”
“Oh, Nikki.” She places her hand on my arm. “I’m so sorry.”
The grief isn’t there every day anymore. Six months have passed by, taking the worst of it with them. But every now and then it sneaks up on me. Of all things a car crash. He would have hated going out like that.
I push back the tide of memories and take a deep breath. I can’t let my emotions distract me from finding out the truth.
The smile I give Hailey is a little shaky. It seems to satisfy her, though, because her expression brightens.
“So, roomie, let me show you your new home away from home.”
#
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