Authors: Mia Hoddell
Actually, forget that.
I planned to kill him either way.
“Are you still there, Cole?” Levi’s voice rang out in my ear, but it wasn’t what drew me from my murderous thoughts. The ping of the automatic doors and the cool breeze that swept into the lobby forced me to sit up straighter as Alaya shuffled into the building.
My jaw dropped open and the air caught in my throat that suddenly felt too small. I forced myself to swallow and remain seated. A flurry of emotions swirled within me, excitement battling with raw fear. If she was here then no doubt Ryder wouldn’t be far behind. The thought had me diving over the back of the sofa, my body moving like a slinky.
“It’s Alaya,” I murmured more to myself, forgetting all about Levi until his confused questions bombarded me.
“What? Who’s Alaya? What are you talking about, Cole?”
“Alaya, the redhead. She’s the one I met on the train. She was working in France and moving around Europe, and now she’s here. She’s the one I’ve been waiting for.”
A loud crash emanated from the other end of the phone. It sounded like something had gone flying across the room. “You really picked a great time to fall for someone. You know that?”
“I haven’t fallen for her. She was helping me get my life back.”
“You have, but that’s
not the fucking point
, Cole! Where are you?”
“Cologne. We’re staying at The Beckett.”
I heard furious typing so I knew it wasn’t his laptop he sent flying. Then he let out a string of furious curses.
“There are no flights out until seven o’clock tonight and then it’s going to take six hours with layovers.”
“I’ll deal with it. Just get here as quickly as you can.” Moving from my crouch, I turned my back on the room and pretended to peruse the bookcase. Keeping the lift in my peripheral, I watched as Alaya came into view carrying her bags.
“No, Cole. Get out now. Go and find another hotel then text me the address.”
She paused in front of the doors, waiting for the lift to descend. The red light above it counted down the floors until it reached zero and the doors slid back. She allowed the people to step out before walking in, spinning, and placing her bag on the floor. When she reached over to press the button for her floor her gaze met mine.
Like someone zapped me with a bolt of electricity, the connection sent a current through my veins and it spread like wildfire as her lips parted in a gasp and the doors shut.
Hurriedly, I moved to the other lift, watching the numbers count up on Alaya’s. I stabbed at the button frantically, my lift arriving as Alaya’s stopped on the fourth floor. I jumped into the lift, pressing the button with the number four on it, and tapped my foot impatiently. There was only a sliver left to close when I caught sight of the figure coming through the entrance: tall, dark-haired, and a prominent scar running down his right cheek.
Drake Ryder.
“Cole! Fucking listen to me!” Levi shouted down the phone, making me remove it from my ear with a wince. I’d forgotten I even held it.
“I’ve got this. But get here as soon as you can because Ryder just walked into the building.”
“Christ, did he see you?” I could imagine him running his hand through his hair in distress.
“No, and it’s going to stay that way. I have to go.”
“Don’t be an ass, Cole. Get. Out. Of. There.”
“Can’t, Levi. This has become bigger than me now. It’s about her too. I’m not going to let them get to her, even if it means putting myself in the firing line. She doesn’t deserve this shit and I can’t run and leave her to deal with it.” I puffed the air from my cheeks. “We both knew I wouldn’t be able to run forever, and now is as good as any time to stop. She’s worth it.”
He let out a strangled groan and I disconnected the call as the lift doors opened to reveal a corridor filled with doors. Stepping out into it, I caught the tail end of Alaya’s bag disappearing into one of the rooms.
Got you.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Alaya
I’d only been in Cologne for a few minutes and already I felt festive. As soon as my plane touched down in Dusseldorf and I boarded the train, I couldn’t wait to see the markets. I deliberately delayed my stay in Paros despite the changing weather and decrease in holiday goers so I wouldn’t have to wait for the markets. They opened two days ago and excitement bubbled through me at the thought of getting out there to see if they were as good as I remembered.
Greece had been the right move, though. It gave me the time I needed to clear my head, get my plan back on track, and finally I was where I was meant to be. It had been fun to let go and party most nights. I needed the downtime—the pure escapism that came with being able to go wild. In Greece I lived solely for the night. There had been no one derailing what I wanted and no one other than myself took priority. Besides one drunken, emotional breakdown during my first week I hadn’t thought of Cole the entire trip. And I blamed the alcohol for that breakdown. Jägerbombs and feelings didn’t mix.
However, while Greece was fun, a person could only handle so much clubbing and two months pushed the limit. It became more about killing time until I could get to where I really wanted to be: Cologne.
Out of all the countries and cities I wanted to visit on this trip, Cologne held first place on my list. I had so many memories from the school trip I went on and I wanted to create more while spending the time doing everything I missed out on previously because of a strict plan laid out by my teachers.
With my duffle bag over my shoulder and my second bag in my hand, I walked into Dalton’s hotel and checked myself in. Unlike the other hotels I’d stayed in, this one was tailored more towards the student market. It had a modern design whereby everything was clean and shiny. White and grey surfaces glistened in the bright daylight bulbs and the fading natural light that filtered in through the solid glass wall above the entrance. The angular shapes and the sharp edges of every corner, pillar, chair, desk, or piece of furniture gave the building a regimented quality. It didn’t feel homely like the other hotels, but it felt practical.
As soon as the receptionist handed me over my work schedule and room key I headed for the lift. My enthusiasm only grew when I noticed I had a whole week to myself before I started work. It put a bounce in my steps as I hummed a random song in my mind. I really needed to thank Dalton again, and maybe buy him a present as well.
I pressed the button for the lift, folding up the piece of paper and burying it in my pocket while I waited. When I entered the lift and turned to push the button, I gasped as I retracted my hand. As if someone had poured cement down my spine, I stiffened.
Holding my breath, I watched him drop his hand from the shelf, twisting fully to bestow the full effect of his hazel eyes on me. His lips quirked up into a weak smile as the doors began to close, and only once they shut out Cole did I exhale.
That asshole was here.
He’d made good on the promise he sent in his flowers, I just interpreted the message wrong. I’d forgotten all about our conversations in which I told him my plans. I hadn’t even thought he was really listening. And that was what I got for assuming.
How long has he been in Germany?
Shaking my head, I cursed myself for questioning it. If I didn’t want to see him I didn’t have to, and I definitely didn’t have to talk to him. It would be as if he never existed because I didn’t want him ruining another place for me … especially this one.
The lift jolted to a stop, sending my stomach into a somersault. When the doors opened with a chime I strode to my room as quickly as possible. It took me a few attempts to get the electronic key to work—my hurry to get in the room not giving the device time to process my request—but finally I got it open. I stumbled into the room as I fell against the door with my bags pressing down on my back. Without even glancing over my shoulder, I shut it behind me and headed straight for the double bed.
As soon as the backs of my knees touched the mattress, I collapsed on to it with a groan. Throwing an arm over my face, I buried my nose and mouth in the crook of my elbow to muffle the scream I let out.
Who was I kidding? I could tell myself Cole’s presence would have no effect, but it already had. He knocked me off balance the instant I saw him, and just like that he took prime position in my thoughts again. All the work I’d done in Greece turned out to be for nothing. I thought I had successfully gotten over him when all I did was bury the idea of him under a ton of work and alcohol. I hadn’t dealt with my feelings in the slightest, only ignored them until I returned to a state of denial.
A knock on my door forced me to lower my arm slowly and eye the wooden panel with suspicion.
Oh hell no. That had better not be him.
I remained on the bed and a few seconds later the knock came again, only more urgent this time.
“Who is it?” I called.
“Room service.” The deep, rich voice like liquid gold that came back through the door was not one I could forget. Just the sound of him forced my heart rate to spike involuntarily and shots of longing to flow through every inch of me.
Damn my body. Why couldn’t it listen to my head that screamed he was a bad choice?
“I didn’t order anything.”
“Come on, Gingernut. Let me in.”
I shuffled over to stand next to the door so I didn’t have to shout. “This is a funny type of room service. Usually people are more professional.”
“Alaya, please open the door.”
“Should I be worried you know my name? I’m not sure it’s common practice for someone delivering room service to be on a first name basis,” I said dryly, wondering how long it would take for him to give up. A small thud came from his side of the door as if he’d placed his head against the wood.
“Alaya, you know it’s me. Please open the door because I shouldn’t stay out here much longer.” His words came out faster, his tone filled with a wary insistence.
“Good. Then you’ll go away quicker.”
“I said shouldn’t, sweetheart, not that I won’t.”
Damn it
.
Opening the door, I stood in the gap to block him from entering. I folded my arms across my chest and glowered at him. “What do you want?”
“Can I come in?”
His voice drew my gaze up over his body. The navy T-shirt he wore clung to his toned body, tightly hugging the muscles in his arms. Absently, I licked my lips, moistening the suddenly dry surface.
As soon as our eyes met, I inhaled sharply. His appeared almost brown with a few flecks of green shining through. For a second they rendered me speechless, my mouth refusing to cooperate with my brain that wanted to hurl insults at him.
The sight of his lips curving into a smile allowed me to shake off my admiration. It had my hackles back up instantly and I hardened my stare. Pursing my lips in thought, I fought to remain unaffected by his presence.
“Why do you want to? In fact, a better question is why I should let you? Convince me as to why I should allow you to come in here after the shit you pulled in France.”
He glanced over his shoulder, staring nervously towards the lifts. When he turned back to me his expression morphed from pleading to desperate. Each emotion swirled through his features—anxiety and earnest. “I want to explain everything, and I mean
everything.
This isn’t about the bet anymore, but you were right. If I had stayed I would have spilled everything before the three months were up and now you’re involved you deserve to know the truth.”
“The truth about what? And how does it have anything to do with me?”
“Do you remember I said I was trying to outrun my past?”
I nodded cautiously.
“Well, it’s finally beaten me and you’re probably in a lot of trouble right now because of me. If you let me in I’ll explain everything.”
“I take it Levi didn’t give you my message then?”
“You spoke to Levi? When?”
“He came by the hotel about a week after you left to look for you. He gave me his number in case I ever saw you again because he couldn’t find you and said that you were in trouble. I told him to tell you you’re an asshole who I never wanted to see again.”
Cole’s face paled, transforming into a ghostly mask as all of the blood drained away. “That right there is why you need to let me in.”
When he attempted to push by me I braced my arm on the doorframe. If he really wanted to move me he could, yet he didn’t.
“Why?” I demanded, scowling at him.
“Levi never made contact with anyone in France, Gingernut. He didn’t even know who you were until I told him a few minutes ago on the phone. You’ve never met Levi, and if you give me the chance, I’ll explain what’s really going on.”
My mind struggled to process his words. Things refused to add up and I couldn’t decipher everything fast enough. Only the odd words registered.
Explain.
Trouble.
Not Levi.
I shuffled back and allowed him to enter the room. When the door clicked shut behind him a small ounce of tension seeped from his posture. His breathing became marginally lighter and his gaze stopped darting about all over the place as if he expected someone to jump out with a gun at any second.
He moved to sit on the corner of the bed, forcing me to take the wooden chair at the desk since I figured sitting next to him was a bad idea. For a few minutes neither of us said anything. I stared at him in waiting while his eyes glazed over in thought.
“Well?”
“Oh, right.” Reaching up to knead the back of his neck, he then ran his fingers through his hair.
The uneasiness in my stomach churned violently. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear his explanation. Ever since I met him it had been the only thing on my mind; however, now I was confronted with the reality I wasn’t so sure. He hinted at it being bad, he tried to warn me and scare me off, but I’d been stubborn. My fucking stubbornness always got me into trouble.
“Cole, who did I meet and what do they want?” I tried to keep the tremble from my words since his silence only increased the nerves dwelling within me.