Richard

I didn’t like being hindered. And I didn’t like being fucked with. Not when I’d made such careful, beautiful plans.

If any of that was going to come to fruition, I was going to have to be a little smarter about this. A little sneakier. A little more persistent.

I decided right then and there that when she died, I was going to stick around and watch. There’d be no saving her next time.

Chapter 11

Gunner

“I don’t think I’ve ever actually stayed in a hotel before,” Tanya said, looking up at the tower as we drove to the covered entry way. Waiting for us was a sharply-dressed valet—not the stoner high school drop-out one usually pictures working that kind of gig.

“How have you never been in a hotel?” I asked her, eyebrow raised.

“Well, when your legal guardian is a raging alcoholic who blows all his all his money on cheap whiskey, some things need to be sacrificed.”

I sighed, shaking my head. As long as I lived, Tanya would never let me forget what I’d done to her. Nor would she understand that I did way worse to myself.

I stopped and the valet came around to my side as I opened the door. He gave the broken back window one quick glance before nodding as I handed over my keys. He probably felt the same pain I did whenever he saw that window. I still couldn’t understand how anyone could do that to a classic—the pinnacle of American engineering.

Burning down a building was one thing. But fuckin’ up a Mustang? Man, fuck this guy.

“Let’s get inside,” Tanya said, tugging on my shirt. When she clenched the fabric in her fingers, I had the sudden image of her pulling it off me. My abs shuddered and she bit her lip. Fuck. She’d noticed.

Wordlessly, we made our way past the front doors. They glided open, smooth and silent, like they were just an illusion and not really there at all. This whole place had that kind of ethereal vibe to it. I’d never brought a girl here, myself. It always seemed too much. Like maybe I’d given them the wrong idea.

But with Tanya, I wanted her to feel safe. Even special.

“Good evening, sir,” the concierge said with a practiced smile as I approached. Tanya was only a little farther behind. “Checking in?”

“Yes,” I said, flashing my own fake smile as I pulled my stepsister closer, wrapping her up in my arm. “My wife and I are looking to spend a few nights here.”

Tanya gave me a look, but didn’t budge. I returned her glare with one that pleaded with her to just go with it. When she sighed, I assumed she got the hint.

“I see,” he said, tapping a few keystrokes into the computer. “Normally our guests book in advance, but I believe we have a few rooms available.”

I felt Tanya’s arms snake around my waist as the man behind the front desk continued his typing. Just like that, she’d gone from cold to hot again. What was her deal?

“Make sure it’s a big room, baby,” she whispered just loud enough for the concierge to hear. “I don’t want to spend our honeymoon cramped in some tiny little suite.”

The way she looked up at me had my heart thumping. She’d made her eyes real big and was looking up at me through those thick, flirty lashes. I felt her fingers running up along my side.

Now I understood. This wasn’t real. This was payback. A chance to make me squirm.

Bitch, I thought, even if I couldn’t help but smile. Two could play at this game.

“Honeymooning, hm?” the man asked, a knowing smile creeping across his lips. “We just so happen to have our honeymoon suite available—and I can even throw in a discount for you, Mr. and Mrs.—?”

“Thompson,” I said quickly. I had an English teacher named Thompson once. “Honeymooners. That’s us.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Thompson,” the man repeated, typing it into his computer. I casually glanced down at his nametag.

“We really appreciate this, Jerry.”

“Oh, no trouble at all. Always happy to help out a pair of newlyweds.”

We’d packed light, though Jerry was kind enough to offer us some assistance in the form of another staff member, which we politely refused. I had planned on having a talk with Tanya on the way up to the room, and having a nosy bellhop standing in the elevator wasn’t exactly going to make the conversation flow.

The thought of the kiss still burned through my brain, the way her lips felt against mine, how warm and soft they felt as they gave way against one another. I could feel my pulse quickening again just from the thought of it.

“The honeymoon suite, and I saved you some money,” Tanya said as the elevator doors closed.

“Yeah, but now we’re probably stuck with some heart shaped bathtub and pink wallpaper,” I replied.

“Sounds like you know the place. Do you take all the girls here?”

“Not all of them,” I said coolly.

I glanced over at her as we ascended. She was standing against one of the walls, her eyes trained on the digital display that flashed with every floor’s number as we passed them. We were near the top, just before the more expensive suites—the ones you had to pay top-dollar for. I’d never actually been to the honeymoon suite—mostly because I’d never been on my honeymoon. It seemed almost to imply something just from the very idea—it felt like a show of commitment. Maybe her little performance down in the lobby had saved us a few dollars, but now I was starting to think maybe I should have forced the issue and went with a normal room.

The elevator chirped when we reached our floor, its heavy, brass-plated doors sliding away to reveal a hallway with a few doors leading off to the side. Ours—of course—was at the very end and was promised to be the biggest on the floor. I guess I couldn’t be too upset about this. After what had happened these last few days, a little luxury sounded nice.

“Think they’ve got room service?” Tanya asked, and I couldn’t help but make a face.

“Of course they do, and we can order whatever we want.”

“Seriously? You’re actually going to let me order what I want?”

“What? Of course I am. You’re a grown-ass woman.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sorry. Must’ve forgot with the way you’ve been treating me lately_._._._”

I slid the keycard into the electronic lock on the door, watching the light shift from red to green before turning the knob and pushing it open.

The suite certainly did not disappoint. It was far from the gaudy image I had in my head. A small living area greeted us as we entered our temporary home-away-from-home. A large modern-looking couch and two matching arm chairs sat huddled around a low dark wooden coffee table, set with a perfect view of a forty-two inch plasma-screen television.

Past the living room rose a short set of steps leading up to a raised platform, upon which sat a massive California king-sized bed made up immaculately with what looked like the utmost care. Just past the bed, a door lead into what I could only assume was the bathroom.

Tanya let out a squeal of delight as she threw her bag down on the couch and rushed over to examine the bed. I turned my gaze toward the massive plasma-screen TV, imagining what channels I could get while we stayed.

“Oh, my God!” I heard my sister scream happily from somewhere behind me, turning back around just in time to see her exiting the bathroom with a look of pure joy lighting up her beautiful face. “They have a Jacuzzi in here!”

Before I could even say a word, Tanya’s shirt was coming off. My eyes opened wide, my face beginning to flush as she began shuffling out of her jeans until she was left in just her lacy red thong and a perfectly fitted matching bra.

“Tanya!” I said, trying to at least appear somewhat scandalized by the thought of my naked stepsister. Though after the last few days, I couldn’t deny that I’d been yearning to see exactly this, ever since that first night she’d spent at my house.

“C’mon, Gunne

r! You and I both need to relax after the couple of days we’ve been having,” she said, turning around as she began undoing her bra, letting it fall to the ground as she disappeared from view. “Besides, aren’t you on vacation?” she shouted.

Despite my protests, I followed after her into the bathroom, removing my shirt and dropping it where Tanya had left her own clothes. She was right, of course. After the time we’d been having, a little relaxation would probably do us some good.

As I turned the corner into the bathroom, I got my first look at the Jacuzzi, relief flooding over me as I saw that it was separated in the center into a sort of “his-and-hers” setup. At least there’d be one thing between me and my very naked stepsister.