Chapter 10
brOOKE
We pulled up to the Four Seasons, and Roy tossed the keys to the valet and told him, “Keep it close.”
I was in clothes I had on from yesterday with grass stains on my knees. My panties were missing because that was one thing I hadn’t found when I snuck out of Roy’s suite earlier. Obviously, I hadn’t lingered to pack a bag while there were two dead men on my living room floor.
He led me into the lobby, scanning the place like he was taking in everything.
Again, I wondered how a woodworker could afford all this.
Something didn’t add up about Roy. He was…
too into me. Too talented in bed. Too hot.
Too perfect. Too good to be true as far as boyfriend material.
Just like the men my mom had chosen who would turn out to be controlling and dysfunctional.
And also, a killer .
Was I crazy to let him protect me? Should I dash out the automatic door and run for my life?
Then what? I’d be on my own. I certainly couldn’t go home.
I couldn’t go down to the garage and to my car.
And I probably couldn’t go to work. The mob boss would have more men after me either way.
I didn’t know how to defend myself, at all.
But it wasn’t practicality that kept me at his side.
It was something about Roy even with all my concerns. He felt…safe.
Even though I had seen with my own eyes what he was capable of.
Was I playing out my mom’s past right now? Bonding with the first guy who I thought could take care of my immediate needs instead of waiting to find out his true character?
I’d literally thrown myself at Roy escaping the meeting in the penthouse. I could’ve walked out after the guy moved on after knocking on the door.
But no, I’d stuck around. Trusted him.
He’d protected me, but he’d killed four men to do it!
That wasn’t normal.
Why had I not noticed all the red flags?
He hadn’t even been fazed when he’d been shot.
Then, then! Instead of ducking out when the coast was clear, I’d had sex with him.
Yes, me. The crazy woman who had been thinking with her vagina not her brain.
God, I was just like my mother, glomming onto any man who had a fancy penthouse and a talented dick.
If I ever spoke to my mother more than a few times a year, she’d high five me and congratulate me on my score.
A rich, hot man with talents between the sheets.
Casey would tell me I was with a sociopath.
Run, Brooke, turn around and run . My mind was repeating that over and over because my BFF would tell me exactly that. That I needed to get the fuck out of here.
Indecision churned in my gut, but the moment Roy rested his big hand on my lower back to lead me across the lobby, I felt safe again.
I knew he was so wrong for me, but why did he have this magic power over me?
He had made me feel safe, ever since he’d wrapped an arm around my waist when I’d bumped into him in the hallway. From our very first encounter–the very first touch–I felt like no harm would come to me while I was with him.
Roy was right, I’d trusted him with my body the night before.
He’d given me more orgasms than I could count on one hand–maybe two.
He’d said more than once that he’d never hurt me.
He’d had the chance to do so multiple times.
He hadn’t been anything but respectful, except when he got dommy, which was hot as hell.
I had a feeling the only way he’d kill me was with too many orgasms.
But was I deluding myself?
He pushed open a door to an emergency stairwell, and his nostrils flared like he was sniffing the air.
I paused. Put on the proverbial brakes. “Why are we taking the stairs?” It made sense last time because the guys following me could’ve been in the elevator, but this time felt off. Did he want to kill me in the creepy stairwell?
His dark eyes met mine. “I don’t do elevators,” he said through gritted teeth.
I frowned. “Why not? Isn’t your suite on the fifth floor?”
“Yes.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Roy, I’m not walking up five flights of stairs–even if I take off the heels.”
“I’ll carry you,” he replied instantly.
I let out a helpless laugh. “Up five flights of stairs?” He probably would. He seemed dead serious about it. I looked him over, remembering his naked body. Based on all the muscles I’d run my hands over, I bet he could do it.
“That’s crazy.” I tipped my head up and whispered. “You’ve been shot, remember?”
His jaw clenched.
“I don’t want to,” I admitted. “Last time we were in this stairwell, you–” I couldn’t say the words.
The sound that came from him was a growl, which was odd. Everything we’d done together was odd from the very start. The sex wasn’t odd, it had been amazing, but the fact that I’d had sex with a guy I’d just met to burn off adrenaline was crazy.
Casey would love that I’d been properly laid, but if she knew the circumstances, she would shake me with a what the actual fuck?
Casey was the good devil on one shoulder, and my mother would be the bad devil on the other.
He closed his eyes, grimaced, and said, “Fine. We’ll take the elevator.”
His hand was on my back once again, and he walked–no, speed walked–back across the lobby and to the bank of elevators. He stabbed at the up button three times then another three.
Roy had been as calm as could be when we’d been shot at and when he’d saved me at my house earlier, but being inside this hotel seemed to be making him antsy. A bead of sweat slipped down his temple.
I looked around. Did he think they were here?
Or did he not want to be seen with me in case he had to hide my dead body later?
The ding of the elevator propelled us to the one that just opened. No one was inside as we stepped on. Roy pushed the correct floor button, and stalked the small space. With his big size and the mere six or seven feet of space, he took two small steps and turned around, pacing.
The puzzle pieces finally clicked into place. I remembered the last time we’d been in an elevator, he’d tensed up, too. And when I first met him, he’d come from the stairwell.
“You’re claustrophobic.” My voice was soft with compassion.
Roy stopped pacing and whirled to face me. His eyes locked on mine like I was a lifeline. Panic swam in his gaze.
This big, burly mountain man couldn’t stand confined spaces.
I stepped closer, bringing my palm to his chest. “It’s okay. We’re almost there.” I didn’t remove my gaze from his to check if it was true.
He searched my face like he hoped he could believe me. “This city is going to kill me,” he muttered.
As soon as the doors opened, Roy practically launched himself into the hallway and ran a hand through his hair as he waited for me to get off. “Sorry.” His whole body shivered, giving him the impression of a dog shaking off water. “I’m sorry about that.”
Oh God. Poor man. That had been a big deal for him. It was clear he hated elevators, that using one took him to a dark place. I followed him out and set my hand on his arm. I felt the muscle beneath my palm flinch. “You okay?”
He swallowed, tension seeping from his body. “Yeah.” He snapped me up into his arms and held me tight. My cheek pressed against his chest, and I couldn’t miss the frantic thumping of his heart. He put his mouth to my head and kissed my hair. Took deep breaths.
I wrapped my arms around his back to hug him back.
My head was turned and faced down the hall toward the suite I’d been in for the meeting.
While he’d been right that his suite was a safe place to be, we couldn’t linger here in the hallway.
He had his fears, and I had mine, which was the suite the meeting was in yesterday, right down the hall.
Pretty quickly, he calmed, as if holding me had helped.
“Come on,” I said gently, nudging the big guy away from the elevators. “Let’s get back to your suite.”