Chapter 55
CHAPTER 55
RYLEE
W e arrived at the hotel, but instead of going through the front, he pulled his car around back. I glanced at him, a little confused but trusting him. A minute later, there was a flurry of activity. A well-dressed man appeared along with a bellhop.
“It’s good to see you, Mr. Abbot,” the man nodded.
“Thank you for this,” Simon answered.
“Of course, sir.” He nodded. “Your suite is ready. Can I send anything up?”
“Coffee,” I answered for him.
“Coffee will be fine for now,” Simon agreed.
Simon kept his arm around me as we were led through back hallways and into the service elevator. The bellhop remained quiet as the elevator climbed higher and higher. Soon, we were being ushered into the biggest hotel suite I had ever seen. It felt like it was a luxury apartment rather than a hotel room. Of course, he had the penthouse.
The bellhop left without saying a word. I looked around the suite, a sense of awe washing over me. The expansive living room overlooked the city through floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The interior was sleek and modern with vaulted ceilings, a grand piano in the corner, and an electric fireplace that cast a warm glow on the furniture.
“Are you okay?” Simon’s voice echoed in the large space. I turned to look at him standing by the door, his tall figure silhouetted against the light flooding in from the hallway.
“I’m better than okay,” I responded lightly, stepping further into the suite. “This place is amazing. It’s hard to feel like this is a hardship when these are the accommodations.”
He smiled. “I need to check in with Katarina. And then the security company and my lawyers. I’m not sure how long we’ll be here. Once I get this settled, we’ll make a list of things you need and I’ll have it delivered.”
I gave him a warm hug. “You don’t need to worry about me. Do what you need to do.”
“There’s probably a room-service menu around here. Look and see what you want.”
There was a knock at the door. Simon went to answer it, a moment later pushing in a cart with an elaborate coffee service setup. We each poured ourselves a cup. “I’ll be in the office,” he said.
“You seem very familiar with this place,” I commented.
“I’ve stayed here countless times when I was in town for business.”
“Go,” I said with a smile. “Handle business. I’m going to pretend I’m a princess.”
He gave me a quick kiss. “You don’t have to pretend. You’re my princess.”
I carried my coffee into the bedroom of the suite. It was huge and luxurious. I popped my head into the adjoining bathroom and nearly squealed. It was a beautiful bathroom with a huge tub and a shower that was big enough for a small party. I checked the time and saw it was just after six. Most of my friends would be awake. Not all, but some. I wanted to let them know we were officially in hiding. I didn’t know how long that would be but they would be worried.
I sat cross-legged on the king-sized bed in the penthouse suite, my phone propped up in front of me on a stack of plush pillows. Simon was in the other room, deep in conversation with his people. My gaze drifted out the window. I had opened the blinds to appreciate the view.
I pushed the button to call Karen first, knowing she would be up. It took a minute to get the others on the video call. The screen flickered as the group call connected, and one by one, my friends’ faces popped up. Karen, Jenny, Lauren, and Mary Ellen. They looked tired.
“Sorry to wake you guys up,” I said.
“I was up,” Karen replied.
“Why are you up so early?” Lauren yawned.
“I’ve been up for a few hours,” I admitted.
“What’s going on?” Mary Ellen asked.
I laughed, uncertain of where to begin, then decided to rip the band-aid off. “Simon and I are in hiding.”
“In hiding?” Jenny gasped. “Like witness protection program hiding?”
“Not exactly,” I replied. “It’s just until Simon sorts some things out.”
“But why? Is he in trouble?” Mary Ellen asked worriedly.
“No, not really,” I reassured them. “He’s just dealing with some complicated matters.” I tried to keep my tone light despite the situation. All of their faces displayed varying degrees of concern, curiosity, and confusion.
“What does that mean?” Jenny asked.
“There was a break-in at Simon’s house,” I said. “Technically, it wasn’t a break-in. They just threw a brick through the window.”
The group gasped on the other end of the line.
“Oh my god!” Karen exclaimed. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I assured them. “It was just a warning.”
“Where are you now?” Lauren asked. “That doesn’t look like Simon’s place.”
“No, it’s not,” I confessed. “We are at a hotel. Well actually, it’s more like a luxury penthouse suite in one of the swankiest hotels in town.”
Their eyes widened as I panned my phone around to show them the expansive view through the windows and the amazing accommodations. “He’s on the phone with security and is working on getting better security at his place.”
“I thought his place was safer than here?” Karen asked with disgust.
“He doesn’t know how they got on the property, but he’s already got the security team handling it,” I assured them.
“How are you holding up?” Jenny asked gently.
I forced a smile, but I could tell they saw through it. “I’m okay. It’s been a lot.”
Mary Ellen’s face softened. “We’ve been worried sick about you. Are you sure you’re safe there?”
“For now,” I replied. “Simon got us this penthouse. It’s secure.”
There was a collective sigh of relief, but the tension was still palpable. Karen, always the brave one, was the first to voice what everyone was thinking.
“Rylee, we need to talk about this. About Simon.”
I straightened up, defensive already. “What about him?”
Karen held up her hands. “I’m not saying he’s a bad person. But this? This is his life, Rylee. That’s the red flag. His business, his family, everyone seems to be against him. If you choose him, you have to consciously decide or at least accept that you’re choosing that too. This is not going to be the last time. He’s got a reputation. People don’t like him. They’re going to keep coming after him. This isn’t the first oil spill or land takeover. People get pissed about stuff like that. He’s likeable to you and I’m not saying I don’t like him, but no one else does.”
Jenny nodded. “It doesn’t mean he’s not the guy for you,” she added gently. “It’s just an opportunity for you to look at the whole picture. This is scary. This is a big deal. We all know that. And I never want you to be in a position like this.”
“But you might be if you want to be with him,” Lauren finished for Jenny.
I looked at their faces on the screen, all nodding in unison like bobbleheads. The conversation was giving me a lot to think about—things I didn’t want to think about. But I knew my friends loved me and wanted what was best for me. They were just pointing out something important. Something I had been too lovestruck to pay attention to until now.
“I have to go,” I said, not wanting to get into all of that. They were making a good point and I didn’t want to hear it.
“Check in with us,” Jenny said.
“I will,” I promised. “Bye.”
Just then, Simon came into the room, his expression serious but determined. He must have sensed the heaviness in the air because he walked over and sat beside me on the bed.
“I’ve got a plan,” he said, his voice steady. “I’m going to fix this. I’ve pushed up the meeting with the resident representatives. Maybe if we make a deal sooner rather than later, I can get some information and figure out how to make these vermin go away.”
“You’re going to give them what they want?” I asked, my tone sharper than I intended.
“That’s not what I said,” he replied, a hint of irritation in his voice.
“It’s what I heard.”
Our tempers were shorter than usual. We were both exhausted, mentally drained. And I was pissed I was stuck in this position. The brick through the window had scared me more than I cared to admit. I felt like everything had shifted. I couldn’t explain it, but things just weren’t right.
Simon took a deep breath and softened his tone, wrapping his arms around me. “Let’s order some room service. Maybe cheesecake, like in Edinburgh?”
I knew he was trying to comfort me. I appreciated it, even if I was still feeling off-kilter. I managed a small smile. “Cheesecake sounds good.”
“Maybe we can balance all that sugar with some bacon or fruit,” he joked.
“Sure,” I said with a tight smile.
I leaned back against the headboard, closing my eyes for a moment. Simon was beside me, scrolling through the room-service menu on his phone. He placed the order, then put his phone down and looked at me.
“Rylee,” he said softly, taking my hand. “I’m sorry about all of this. I never wanted to put you in danger.”
“I know,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “But it’s not just about the danger, Simon. It’s everything. The constant battles, the enemies. It’s overwhelming.”
He squeezed my hand. “I understand. And I’m doing everything I can to make it right.”
I nodded, but a part of me wondered if things could ever truly be right. I loved Simon, but my friends had raised valid points. His life was complicated and being with him meant stepping into that complexity. I would always be known as Simon Locke’s girlfriend. That made me a target. How would I be able to work? What about the Big House? Would it ever be safe?
His phone rang again. He leaned over and gave me a kiss. “I’ll be right back,” he said. “I have to take this.”
I closed my eyes, trying to process all of it. At first, I had been calm, but after my conversation with my friends, I was seeing the bigger picture and I didn’t like it. A relationship with him would change my life. I just wasn’t sure if that was a change for the better or worse.
The room service arrived ten minutes later. I sat down at the dining table not feeling all that hungry. We ate our cheesecake in relative silence, the rich, creamy dessert reminding us of better times. Simon tried to lighten the mood with a few jokes, and I laughed, but the heaviness lingered.
After we finished, Simon stood up and held out his hand. “Come on. Let’s get some fresh air.”
We walked out onto the balcony, the cool morning breeze ruffling our hair. Simon wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder.
“We’ll get through this,” he murmured. “I promise.”
I leaned back against him, taking comfort in his warmth. “I hope so,” I said softly.
We stood there for a while, just holding each other, the city stretching out below us. I didn’t want to walk away from him, but I just wasn’t sure if I was ready for the kind of life I would have if I stayed with him.
But could I leave him alone at a time when he needed someone in his corner? If people could just see him for the good man I knew him to be, they wouldn’t do this.