It’s almost impossible to save up enough to even put a deposit on my own place. The amount of money they want me to put down on these little studios is crazy. I guess it’s because I have zero credit.
The only thing keeping me off the streets at this point is slipping into one of the empty rooms whenever I can. I could go to the shelter, but there are only so many beds, and the closer it gets to Christmas, the sparser they become. I hate the thought of taking a bed from a family when I could easily slip into one of the rooms that aren’t being occupied at the hotel.
I stare at the giant bed in the penthouse suite. This suite is hardly ever used. I was sent up to make sure it was all in order. I didn’t see any guests on the register that had made reservations for this room, which makes me wonder why they have it all decked out.
They even filled the fridge with food. Weird food but food nonetheless. I might have eaten one of the yogurts. I made a note in my book so I can repay it. I wish I hadn’t eaten it because it wasn’t worth it. I can normally get myself to eat about anything if it’s fresh, but that was the world's worst yogurt.
This suite is actually the only empty room in the hotel this week. With the price tag it carries, I understand why. Maybe they are thinking that it might get booked with nothing else being available. That people will get desperate and pay the exorbitant nightly rate.
It blows my mind that this suite is over ten thousand dollars a night. At least it was the last time I checked. How can someone spend so much for one night in a hotel room? I mean, don’t get me wrong; the suite is beautiful and bigger than most people's homes, but I could never justify spending that type of money on it.
I pull my phone out to check the time. It’s late. Maybe I could take a small nap. I was supposed to be off five minutes ago. I walk over to the bed, running my fingers along the soft, inviting fabric. I toe off my shoes before I pull down the zipper on the side of my uniform and let the dress pool at my feet. The material can be itchy, so it feels good to have it off my skin. I’ll only lie down for a few minutes, I reason with myself. Then I’ll go clock out and maybe come back to spend the night.
I mean, why can’t I? I’ll make the bed in the morning. No one will ever know. When I slip under the blankets, I know I’ve made a big mistake. I should have just gone and clocked out and then came back.
I’ll go in a minute, I repeat in my mind as I sink farther into the softness of the bed. I get lost in comfort. It’s something I never really have. On the rare occasions I do, I find that I can’t help but take a bit of it. Because I know it will never last.
Everything is always taken from me in the end.
3
Hunter
“Is this really necessary?” I ask Marco.
It’s late. All I want to do is crawl into bed and get some sleep before tomorrow. It doesn’t matter what time I go to bed, my body will wake me at six in the morning sharp, and there is no getting back to sleep. I need at least a handful of hours of sleep so I’m not a complete asshole, and Marco knows that.
“Yes, you’ll just have to be a bigger asshole tomorrow because you didn’t get your six hours of sleep,” Marco responds as the elevator doors to my suite open and two guards step off to search the place.
“No one knows I’m here.” With how Marco acts, you would think I’ve been kidnapped in the past or some shit.
“Enough people know. It’s necessary, and it will be fast.” I step off, ignoring his words. The penthouse suite is the same as a few other models we’ve already done. It’s one of the new designs. Knowing how the layout is designed, I make a beeline toward the master bedroom. “Will you wait?” Marco calls after me.
“I’m with security,” I point out. They're ahead of me, already opening the door to the master.
“The fuck,” one says the second one of the double doors to the master suite opens. The other guard pushes open the second door. Neither have gone tense or reached for a weapon yet, so whatever it is can’t be life-threatening. My curiosity has me speeding up my pace to see what has taken them by surprise.
I pause for a moment when I see the fucking surprise for myself. The light that’s spilling in from the hallway showers the massive bed. Tucked under the blankets is a tiny figure with a long dark braid lying next to her. Even though she is under the sheets, I still have a clear view of the lushness of her curves. Her rosy cheeks and the little button nose on her angelic face let me know she’s not far into womanhood. There is still a fullness to her cheeks. If I had to guess, I’d say she's in her early twenties.