Chapter Fifteen
A few people stopped to talk, but otherwise, she stood, and people watched. She knew a lot of people there, and some she had enjoyed being with, but they had all grown apart. Jessica needed to make a concerted effort to keep in touch with them.
“So, I hear congratulations are in order.”
Jessica turned to see a man standing beside her. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I just heard you and Gideon are married.”
“Yes.” She held out her hand. “Who are you? I don’t think we’ve ever met.”
“I’m Gideon’s cousin.”
Jessica stiffened. The few times Gideon had talked about the man, he’d never been happy. “I see.”
Adan smiled. “I can see he’s told you about me.”
Jessica shrugged. “He might have mentioned you a few times.”
“Where is my cousin? I want to congratulate him on his win.”
Jessica’s brows snapped together. “What win?”
Adan’s smile broadened. “He hasn’t told you about his grandfather’s will.”
“Not that I know of.”
“The will stated that if Gideon wasn’t married by a certain time, he’d have to step down from alpha, and I would take over.”
Jessica gritted her teeth and held her composure. “When was the deadline for taking a wife?”
“He’s known about it for eight years but just realized he needed to find a wife, and he only had a few months to do it.”
Jessica didn’t want the man to see her distress, so she smiled. “He’s said something about that.”
She didn’t think she pulled it off when the man’s smile grew even more.
“He didn’t give you the line of being his mate, did he?”
She felt her stomach tighten in dread. How could she have felt so happy a few hours ago and now want the earth to open up and swallow her?
“By the look on your face, I see he did. It was cruel, but he needed to do something drastic before his time was up.”
Jessica couldn’t take it any longer. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Oh, of course,” Adan grinned, knowing he’d upset her.
Jessica walked away, taking a large sip out of her glass before setting it aside. She smiled the best she could and waved at a few people as she made her way outside.
“Miss, can I help you?” a man said.
“Yes. Would you get me a cab, please?”
“Absolutely. There are a few parked on the street.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Jessica moved off to the side and waited. She kept her thoughts from what she just learned. She wanted to be alone when she did that.
“Here you go, miss.”
Jessica saw the man holding the cab door open. “Thank you.”
“Have a nice night.”
The cab moved forward. “Where would you like me to take you?”
“The Plaza Hotel, please.”
“You got it.”
They rode in silence until he pulled up in front of the building. Jessica took her card out of her tiny purse and swiped it through the card reader the man had attached to the back of his seat. It was better than taking cash because few people did that anymore.
She left him a nice tip before she slid out of the car. “Thank you.”
“Good night,” the man said and pulled away.
Jessica was about to go through the door when her phone rang. She pulled it out, saw it was Gideon, and turned her phone off. She wasn’t ready to talk to him at the moment. She felt raw inside.
She walked up to the desk.
“May I help you?” the woman asked.
“Yes. I’d like a room for the night.”
“Do you have a preference?”
“I’d like one on the top floor.”
“All right.” The clerk typed for a moment. “I’ve got you in Suite Four. It has the best views of the city.”
Jessica smiled. “That would be wonderful. Thank you.” She slid her card over the desk. “Is there a way you can somehow hide my name? I know my husband will be looking for me, and I need time to get over his deception.”
She could tell the woman understood, and the woman gave her a sympathetic smile.
“Of course. I’ll put you down as Molly Price. Would that work?”
Jessica nodded. “That’s fine.”
“I can’t change the name on the card you used, but I’ll hide it in my system.”
“You are wonderful.” It helped ease some of her tension.
“Here is your room key. It’s on the top floor, turn left out of the elevator, and it’s at the end of the hall. I’m going to send up a basket because I didn’t see a bag with you.”
“I left suddenly. Thank you. I’d appreciate it.”
The woman smiled and nodded.
Jessica walked in a daze to her room and locked herself in. Within a minute of entering her room, there was a knock at the door. She looked through the hole to see a teenage kid with a huge basket.
She opened the door.
“Are you Miss Price?”
It took her a second to remember her name change. “Yes.”
“May I set this down? It’s a bit heavy.”
Jessica stepped to the side while the boy put the basket on the table by the window.
“There you go.”
“What is your name?” she asked.
“It’s Bobby, miss. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“No. I just don’t have cash, and I want to make sure you get a tip. I’ll call down to the desk and have them put it on my bill.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. I know you work really hard.”
The boy grinned. “Thank you so much. Call down and ask for me if you need anything else.”
“I will. Thank you, Bobby.”
Jessica locked the door before shedding her dress and draping it over one of the chairs. She wrapped a towel around her hair to keep it dry and then stripped out of her lingerie.
She took a long shower, letting it ease some of her tension.
When she was finished, she used the lotion the hotel had on the counter, then the robe on the back of the bathroom door.
She looked over the things in the basket.
They had outdone themselves. There were feminine hygiene products, cosmetics, snacks, a small bottle of wine, and even a package with a pair of thin sweats, both top and bottom, and little booties for her to wear when she left. They had thought of everything.
For a long while, she stood and stared out the window, drinking from the bottle of wine. She wanted anything to help dull the pain she felt from Gideon’s deception.
The only other person she trusted besides Gideon had been her mother. Now, she had no one since her mother was gone, and she found out Gideon’s motives and lies.
Jessica slid into bed and pulled the blanket up over her head. Only then did she let the tears start.