Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93575 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93575 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
“What is it, Nicky?”
“I don’t want you to go. I want to talk to you more.”
“I’ll meet you at the pool.”
A relieved smile crossed his face. “Yes. Perfect.” He glanced at the people milling on the sidewalk a few blocks down with a frown. “With them around, this is going to be even harder than before.”
“We’ll figure it out.”
He kissed me swiftly, then drove past the hotel again, parking so I couldn’t be seen getting out of the car.
“An hour?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
I scrambled out, shutting the door, then headed toward the hotel. I saw Nick turn the car around so he was facing the gates, and I knew he was watching me. Making sure I got in safe. I slid my hand into my pocket, finding the pass, and strolled past the photographers. As I suspected, they didn’t give me another glance. I was invisible. A nobody.
The guard on the gate recognized me and opened it before I showed him my pass. He nodded and I stopped. “What is all this?” I asked innocently.
“Someone leaked the name of one of the guests staying here. It happens. Be careful and don’t interact with them, miss.”
I nodded and wished him a good night. I walked into the lobby and spied Andi on the phone, pacing. She saw me and headed in my direction with a frown on her face. I walked toward her, the back of my neck prickling.
“Kiddo. Where have you been?”
“Out for a walk.”
“I checked on you hours ago. You weren’t in your room. You aren’t answering your phone. I was getting worried.”
I patted my pockets. “I must have left my phone in my room. Sorry. I was stuck and needed a change of pace. I went for a walk and had something to eat.”
“Where is your purse?”
“Oh, I must have left that too. Luckily, I had some cash in my pocket.”
“You got in okay?”
“Yes. What’s with all the photographers?”
“Someone leaked that Nicholas was staying here. Apparently, they’re lying in wait.”
“Oh, how awful.”
“Well, he gives them enough fodder. They keep coming back.”
“Maybe they provoke him,” I replied, needing to defend him.
She either ignored my tone or didn’t hear my anger. “Let’s grab a drink.”
She pulled me to the bar and ordered us each a dirty martini. I sipped the salty drink in appreciation, and she eyed me in speculation.
“I don’t recognize that shirt.”
I looked down. It was Nicholas’s shirt. It was pale blue, and I had rolled up the sleeves and tied it at my waist, leaving the tails out.
“One of my dad’s. I forgot to change when I left the hotel.”
“No phone, no purse…” She shook her head. “You need to be careful. After yesterday…” She trailed off.
“I’m fine.”
There was a small commotion outside, and I startled as I saw Nick’s SUV pull up out front through the large windows of the lobby. He climbed out and hurried inside.
“Oh boy,” Andi breathed out. “He looks pissed.”
He stormed in, his mouth pulled down in a frown. He was heading to the elevator when he spotted me and made an abrupt turn in my direction.
He faltered when he saw Andi behind me, but it was too late to change course. He stopped in front of us. “Ladies, good evening.”
“Having some trouble, Nicholas?” Andi asked.
“You could say that.”
A phone rang, the ringtone familiar. It was my dad’s ringtone. He had put it on my phone years ago, and I left it because it made me smile. It was a funny hip-hop song that repeated “my dad is da best” over and over. It was unique.
Unique enough Andi recognized it. And we both knew the sound was coming from Nick’s pocket.
She looked at me, then at Nick. “Why do you have her phone?” She turned her head. “You said you left it in the room.”
“I was, ah, sure I did.” The prickling in my neck became stronger.
I blinked, and the room went black.
NICHOLAS
Mila’s eyebrow twitched slightly. Without a thought, I was beside her, grabbing her before she passed out and fell out of the chair. I propped her up so her head was on my shoulder. I made sure no one saw anything.
Andi was off her stool instantly, standing beside me. She picked up her drink, acting like everything was normal. I kept my arm around Mila, doing the same thing.
“She’ll come out of it in a minute.”
“I know.”
“Why do you have her phone?”
“She left it in the conference room. I was bringing it to her.”
“Nicholas?”
“Uh-huh?”
“As hard as Mila pushed for you, I need to tell you that you aren’t that good of an actor.”
“Huh. That’s a shame.”
“Were the two of you out?”
“I wanted to talk to her more about the role. I saw the epic fuck show happening at the gate and dropped her down the block so she wouldn’t get associated with me.”
She took another sip of her martini. “Is she?”