“Where are you going?” Chill asked, looking deflated.
“To find Harper.”
“But we’re going to see them in like twenty minutes.”
Cordelia swallowed. “I’ll get a drink then.”
Chill started buttoning up. “I’ll come with you.”
“No. Please don’t. I just … don’t take it the wrong way. I just have to think about this.”
Chill stared at her, perplexed. “I’m sorry, okay. I’m sorry if I moved too fast for you.”
“It’s not that,” Cordelia said. “I … I don’t know what it is. I have to think.”
She left him looking sad on the bed, and closed the door behind her.
As she walked away from the room down the corridor, an unexpected emotion ran through her.
It made her feel giddy, but she wasn’t sick.
It made her mind race, but it wasn’t afraid.
There were tears in her eyes, but she wasn’t sad.
Then Cordelia realized.
She was feeling joy.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
After a short journey back down the elevator, Cordelia found herself sitting at the bar outside the resort’s restaurant, ordering herself a cocktail. The place was quiet, with the faintest sound of a TV switched on somewhere. Shadows moved around the room beside her. Cordelia didn’t pay them attention.
She was still thinking about what had happened between her and Chill. She almost felt guilty for being happy that this could be the start of something. There were still grave concerns for what was happening in this place, and Harper’s safety. That was why she couldn’t go through with it with Chill. Not because she didn’t … well, they didn’t really know each other that well. But for all his silliness he actually seemed genuine. Someone she could rely on. Someone she could have fun with. Was it possible for them? To actually work out? To not end in some dire break up? Just thinking about Marshall now made her feel sick to her stomach.
She finished her drink and took out her phone to see what time it was.
Nine thirty.
They’d be here soon. She could order one more drink.
Before that though, Cordelia decided to stretch her legs and look for the nearest bathroom. She went round the corner of the bar and spied the ladies room.
Just as she reached out for the handle, the door opened in front of her, and Harper exited.
“Hello,” Cordelia said, immediately beaming with a smile.
Harper glanced at her and said “Hello,” politely. Then she kept on walking.
Cordelia entered the bathroom, a dull pain forming in her stomach.
What the hell was that? She hardly even looked at her.
It was as if…
As if…
As if…
Harper didn’t recognize her…
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Chill’s hands were spread out across Room 523’s bathroom counter. He was staring at himself in the mirror. Emotions flooded through him: doubt, anger, resentment. He shouldn’t have come onto her that way. He hated the persona he was putting out towards her. The smooth talking, calm and confident, sleaze. Yes, that’s what he was. A sleaze. He’d be lucky if Cordelia was still in the resort. It was all so ridiculous too. He hadn’t meant to do that. It just … came to him. He couldn’t help himself. He was so attracted to her. He almost wished he wasn’t.
Without resorting to anything excessive (such as talking to himself out loud), Chill splashed some water on his face and then dried it with a towel. He returned to the bedroom, almost hoping Cordelia had come back. To say something that would somehow make him not feel as stupid as he did now.
But of course the room was empty.
Chill buttoned what was left of his shirt, and then sat down on the bed to put his shoes on. After doing so, he looked up and saw an image projected into the reflection of the window.
The room’s door was wide open, and a dark figure with glowing red eyes was standing behind him.
“No,” Chill whispered.
He shifted into his polar bear and turned to the figure with a ferocious roar.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Above and beyond, across the other side of the city’s moon, Maisey Newfield was sitting by herself on the train, towards the end of her commute from work to home. Her handbag was on the seat beside her, buzzing away. She knew it was her phone, and someone was trying to call her. Maisey, who was engrossed in the book she was reading, reached out into the bag, without taking her eyes off her e-reader. Without even bothering to see who was phoning, she pressed the button and the phone to her ear and murmured: “Hello?”
“Maisey, thank God. I was afraid you wouldn’t answer.”
“Who is this?”
“It’s Cordelia! Jesus.”
“What’s up?”
“Okay, I’m – I’m in serious danger. You have to get in touch with Declan – I think you have the number or something – anyway I’ve been trying, cause I’m here at the resort where Harper went on her honeymoon –”
Maisey sighed, and put the e-reader away.
“ – and Chill has been attacked. I don’t know where he is, but there’s blood and glass everywhere and fucking hell, I think – shit – someone’s coming. Hold on.”
Maisey scratched her head, waiting for Cordelia to return.
“Are you there?” she whispered after a moment.
“Yes.”
“I’m in the bathroom now. Just for safety. You have to get in touch with Declan. Find out where this place is address wise and send the cops here. I guess I’ll try them but I don’t even know where –”
There was a loud crash on Cordelia’s end.
“Hello?” Maisey began.
“HELP!” Cordelia screamed. “SOMEONE HELP ME!”
BANG!
“Cordelia?” Maisey cried. “Are you there?”
She pulled the phone away from her. The call had ended.
“Shit,” Maisey whispered. “What the hell was that…?”
THANKS FOR READING. IF YOU ENJOYED THIS STORY, PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING ROSETTE OUT AND LEAVING A REVIEW.
AVAILABLE NOW
DECLAN (TRILLIONAIRE SHIFTER CLUB BOOK THREE)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195I4JOK
Things are falling apart at Trillionaire Shifter Club.
With Bane and Chill out of the picture, the tigers have now seized control and Declan is powerless to stop them. With Cordelia's friend Maisey soon to arrive in search for her lost friend, Declan must not only work with her to figure out what happened to Chill and Cordelia, but he must protect Maisey from the alpha tiger Slash, who has decided he has a thing for her as well...
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Chill: Trillionaire Shifter Club Book Two Page 5