17. Isla
CHAPTER 17
ISLA
The ballroom at The Grand was one of my favorite spaces in the hotel. Hell, in Gracemont, if I were honest.
I loved the work that we had done here in the renovations. The historic crown molding curved along the ceiling in elegant waves, and the crystal chandeliers glinted in the soft late afternoon light. The art deco wall we’d adapted for the renovation looked stunning in this light. Gold-rimmed glasses were lined up in formation, and the scent of fresh greenery from the centerpieces grounded the opulent space into something attainable.
Everything was perfect.
Everything looked ready to host any event. The crisp white tablecloths and chair bows demonstrated one look, and interspersed throughout were the uncovered tables and conference chairs should an event be more corporate in nature.
Whichever someone’s event was, the ballroom catered to it all.
I embraced the warm feeling of satisfaction I got whenever I walked through these doors. I felt at peace here. I’d been feeling quite good all day, and I knew who I had to thank for that. Who knew that Zayn would be the one to give me Zen?
Or maybe I was just worn out from all the sex… I giggled and looked around guiltily, despite knowing I was alone, in case anyone heard me. For someone who had been in such a shitty situation only a few days ago, I felt great.
Which, of course, meant something was about to go wrong.
It always did. But I forced myself to ignore my inner cynic and just embrace the day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and I had a good job, lots of events to plan, and a man who was waiting for me when I got home from work.
Home . A small kernel of sadness nestled into my cloud of happiness. I hadn’t been back to my apartment since I had been physically carried away from it. Rye, or whoever they sent, had been to my place and got the list of the things I had asked for. But I hadn’t gone home.
I didn’t feel safe there. I hadn’t gone home to test the theory, but at the same time, I had suffered a crippling sense of dread at the idea of leaving the sanctuary of Zayn’s house. It was weird since I had been alone in the house, but I had the added safety of knowing it was Zayn’s house, and everything there was monitored. Controlled .
I hadn’t been ready to come to work today, and I was surprised I’d convinced Zayn to let me come. Let me ? I had no intention of asking Zayn for permission to do anything, but I knew after the weekend I’d had, I wouldn’t have fought that hard if he’d said no. I also knew I had to come to work today, or I might never leave the isolated comfort his home offered. I should’ve known he wouldn’t send me alone. He was an obnoxious, possessive asshole, true, but I also took comfort in the fact that someone was here .
Just in case.
In case of what I didn’t know. But I was grateful to know if I screamed, this time, someone would be here to help.
Focusing back on my tablet, I checked my to-do list. I walked through the ballroom, enjoying the soft click of my heels against the polished floors.
“Isla.”
I turned to see Russ, the hotel manager, coming through the doors. “The lighting crew for Saturday’s event has arrived. They said something about finalizing spotlight angles?” He looked at me expectantly. “They’ve also come with the AV guys. Apparently, they want to do a sound check?”
I glanced at my tablet. “All good. They’re early, but they can do it now.”
We cut through the ballroom’s side corridor, taking the shortcut that passed by the staff elevator. This part of the hotel was always quiet during event setups—not eerie, exactly, but just quiet enough that footsteps echoed a little too loudly.
Russ was a nice guy. From what I had observed of him, he kept a tight ship, which, considering who the owner was, was impressive. Russ also didn’t interfere with the events. He had input. I wasn’t a solo enterprise, and it needed a team to make some things work. But he wasn’t one of those people who wanted to take over. He didn’t feel slighted that I had taken this job; in fact, I think he welcomed it. We were still getting to know one another, but so far, we had been working well together.
I spotted the contractors loitering near the doorway and went over to speak to them. The lighting guys had equipment with them, and I needed to know their setup because I had two events before Saturday, one of which was in the ballroom.
“Hey,” I greeted them as I reached them. “I wasn’t expecting extra?” I gestured to the boxes.
“Yeah, we looked at the configuration from the plans one more time and realized there was a shortage of front spots, so we want to set this up and see how it looks. That okay?”
“Talk me through how this works. I have another event this week, and I need to know it won’t hinder or blind my guests if it’s too bright.”
As I listened to his in-depth explanation, I realized Russ was listening too. While this topic was in my wheelhouse, I appreciated the extra level of detail the lighting guy was sharing, and I was glad another pair of ears was tuned in.
And that’s when I felt it.
The prickle at the back of my neck. A familiar tension that had nothing to do with spotlights, sound checks, or anything else.
Someone was watching.
I didn’t let it show on my face. I just took a half step to the side to see more of the lobby as I listened to the lighting contractor.
The hotel lobby was neither busy nor empty. I quickly scanned the faces: staff I recognized and guests I didn’t know. Nothing seemed out of place. But then, how would I know if it did?
The feeling of being watched hadn’t faded, but as far as I could tell, no one was watching me . Not even the AV guy, who listened with rapt attention to the lighting contractor.
“Okay,” I said with a bright smile, unsure if I had cut him off mid-explanation. “Let’s get you to the ballroom so you can set it up and test it. I have the same questions for you,” I directed at the sound guy. “Will it interfere with Wednesday’s event?”
I was pleased when Russ walked with me. I didn’t know if he sensed I needed the support or if he was just content to learn as we walked.
I glanced toward the conservatory as we passed, spotting a familiar face. Jayden gave me a slight nod of his head, and despite my protests, I felt better knowing he was here. It must have been him I sensed earlier.
My spine stiffened as I realized from the angle he was sitting he wouldn’t have seen me in the lobby with the work crew. Unless he’d moved and just sat back down again?
“Russ,” I said quietly, “can you go ahead with them? I’ll follow in a minute, I just saw someone I need to say hello to.”
“Of course, Isla.” He led the guys on, unaware of my growing unease.
I returned to the conservatory, my eyes locked on Jayden, who sat nonchalantly thumbing through his phone. He looked up as I approached, an easy smile on his face.
“Hi. You coming to bust my eardrums?”
I smiled despite myself. “No. I was wondering if you were watching me just now?”
He frowned. “I’m not really watching you,” he said after a moment of hesitation.
Huh? “Oh…” I didn’t hide my confusion. “I thought you were, sorry…”
He smiled. “Yeah, I’m watching everyone else,” he explained, and I felt silly that I hadn’t made the connection.
“Oh.” I looked around. “Have you seen anything…odd?”
Jayden shook his head. “Nothing jumping out, but I just got back from a quick perimeter check.”
A perimeter check? Jesus.
“You okay, Isla?” He was looking at me much closer .
“I am.” I lied. My gaze swept the conservatory. “Should I be talking to you?” I asked him suddenly.
“Zayn didn’t say we couldn’t…”
“I meant if anyone was watching.”
His eyes narrowed. “Everyone here checks out so far. You see something?”
“No.” Not a lie. But I knew what I felt. Someone had been watching me. “I better go. I have workmen in the ballroom.”
“Yeah, saw them come in,” he told me with an easy smile. “Try not to worry,” he assured me. “I’m here as long as you are. Okay?”
I suddenly felt silly. I looked around the hotel again. It was busy, normal. Guests moved with purpose as they headed back to their rooms or made their way to enjoy the hotel’s amenities.
Nothing unusual. Nothing threatening. Except for the feeling in my gut that wouldn’t go away. After last week, I wasn’t going to ignore that instinct. I didn’t care if I was being paranoid.
“Thanks, Jayden, I appreciate it.” I walked away, heading to the ballroom, and slowly pulled out my phone. I hesitated over Zayn’s name, my thumb hovering above it.
What was I going to say? Hey I think I’m being watched, but Jayden doesn’t. No, I didn’t see anything, neither did he. No, there’s no proof, but my skin’s crawling, and I know I’m not imagining it.
Would Zayn believe me? Absolutely.
Would he overreact? Also absolutely.
I locked the phone instead, tucking it back into my pants pocket.
Not yet. If I ran to Zayn every time I got nervous, I would never feel like I was in control again. I’d finish my working day and then tell him tonight. That was the smart, brave thing to do .
It didn’t stop me from looking over my shoulder as I walked. Or checking the corridor as I walked down it to the ballroom. I sure as hell didn’t want to be caught off guard again, but I also knew I wasn’t ready if something was coming.
I might need to fix that.
Russ was leaning against the wall, watching the lighting guys as they did their tests. The lighting system for the ballroom was able to be lowered rather than erecting equipment to go up. Everything was electronically controlled, and the guys were busy talking among themselves as they tried to figure out how to add extra spotlights.
With a smile painted on my face and a thousand thoughts churning beneath it, I took control again, and the day went by smoothly—or as smoothly as my days could go. The lighting crew ended up being fifteen minutes behind; the new spots were so bright that whoever was on the front stage would look more like they were being interrogated than a spokesperson. They needed to make adjustments, and it had to be possible for their added lights not to detract from my event on Wednesday.
The sound guy had a tendency to overshare about his recent breakup, and the catering team for Wednesday’s event brought the wrong dessert menu.
But I handled it. I always did.
Jayden moved around the hotel a lot, and it was only later that I realized he must have already had words with either Russ or another hotel staff member to leave him alone. I really hoped he hadn’t mentioned me, but if he had, well, I would address it with Gerard.
My day was normal. It was the quiet beneath the chaos that unsettled me—the way I could feel something was there but just out of sight .
Like the moment before a storm breaks, but I didn’t run. I didn’t panic. I did my job.
By the time the final checklists were signed off for Saturday’s event and it was prepped to within an inch of its life, it was nearly six.
Outside, the sky had turned a moody gray—the type that blurred the edges of everything. I gathered what I would need from my office and then made my way to the meeting Gerard had requested regarding the yurts.
Russ was on his way to the conservatory too, and I knew Gerard had called in the head groundskeeper as well. I looked around, but Jayden wasn’t clearly visible, and I wondered if he had clocked off for the day. Would he tell me? Did he have to tell me? I’d never had a bodyguard before; this was weird.
I smiled and greeted Pete as I took my seat at the designated meeting table. Gerard didn’t mind that the meeting took place while the guests were in the conservatory enjoying the views of the gardens and sipping their signature pre-dinner cocktails.
“Hi, Pete,” I said, getting comfortable. “You came back?” I teased. Our relationship was forged from blood, sweat, and tears, and I felt confident it was unbreakable. Both of us bore mental scars from our last project together at the hotel.
It really should make me question my sanity that I had chosen to leave my job at the agency and take up a permanent position here.
“He’s like a snake charmer,” Pete told me as he jerked his head in the direction of Gerard, who had just entered the conservatory. “Doesn’t matter if I say no. I somehow find myself back at this damn table.”
Russ and I laughed. Yeah, we definitely all could relate.
“Isla, darling,” Gerard murmured as he dipped his head and kissed me on the cheek. “I have so many ideas. You’re going to love it.”
And with that threat, my boss sat down as I prepared myself for the inevitable battle of his propositions against my practicality.
The meeting lasted longer than expected. I collected my belongings, closed my office door, informed the front desk staff I would see them tomorrow, and exited through the front doors, inhaling the warm summer air as I stepped outside.
I wasn’t sure where Jayden was, and I didn’t go look for him. I did glance over my shoulder more times than I liked as I headed to my car. I parked the car around the side of the hotel and promised myself I would park closer to the front door tomorrow.
I glanced back again, making sure I wasn’t being followed. I felt stupid for it but not stupid enough to ignore the instinct.
In the car, I pulled out my phone and texted Zayn. I’d resented the idea of check-ins, and now I was grateful for them.
Heading to Elixir.
I didn’t wait for a response. I drove to the club, entered the underground parking lot, and would never admit the speed in which I went from the car to the elevator. The elevator doors opened to the loft, and a quick look around told me Zayn wasn’t here yet.
I kicked off my heels and padded into the kitchen, turning on more lights as I went. The moment the light flickered on, the tension finally slipped from my shoulders.
I was here. Safe. Sort of.
Opening the fridge, I saw the bottle of wine that would have been left for me. I poured a glass and stared at it for a minute before taking a sip.
Then I reached for my phone. I’d put it off earlier, but I knew I needed to tell him. Plus, it was only fair to Jayden to know too.
I’m upstairs. When you have time, can we talk?
I didn’t expect an immediate reply—he never texted back quickly unless it was urgent—but this time, my phone buzzed within seconds.
Ten minutes.
That was all he said. But the words steadied me. I went to the bathroom, sidestepping into his closet, and pulled on one of his hoodies without thinking about it.
I curled up on the couch, the wine untouched on the coffee table.
When I heard the door open, I didn’t turn around. I heard it click shut behind him, and then he came around to stand in front of me. When our eyes met, I exhaled for the first time that day.
He wore a black-on-black suit: black pants, a black vest, and a black jacket. His hair, though messy, looked perfect. His sharp, chiseled jaw was accentuated by faint stubble, which made it appear even more defined. Men shouldn’t be allowed to look that good.
Zayn looked down at me, his gray eyes seeing far too much. “You okay?”
“I think so,” I answered, watching him as he lowered himself to crouch in front of me .
His hand cupped my cheek, and I leaned into it automatically. “What happened?”
I told him everything.
The prickle on the back of my neck. The feeling of someone watching me. The sense of unease.
I watched his face tighten as I spoke, his jaw set, yet he didn’t interrupt. Not once. He merely shifted to perch on the edge of the coffee table as I continued. When I finished, he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, rubbing a hand over his face.
“I should’ve sent someone else,” he muttered. “You’re right. Jayden stands out.”
“Zayn.” I touched his arm. “I wasn’t in danger. Not really. I just… I felt something was off. That’s all. I was probably being paranoid.”
“I’ll send someone else tomorrow.” He turned his head, his eyes landing on me. “You know I’ll kill anyone who touches you, right?”
The words should have frightened me. Instead, they made me feel secure. I'd probably need to unpack that later. At that moment, I offered him a small smile. “Yeah, I do.”
He reached for my hand and didn’t let go.