CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR
Scott nearly jumps out of his skin as we land next to him.
“Sorry,” I mouth, and he waves it off. I go into the bedroom to find Devon. He is lying flat on his back on the bed staring at the ceiling.
“At least it is comfier than the floor,” I say, going to sit next to him.
“I wish she would wake up already. Get it over with,” he grumbles.
“Dev. Are you going to be okay with her once she does? I know you are upset with her right now but hating her is only going to make things worse.”
“I don’t hate her. I hate what she did. What she made me do. Will you tell her it’s not okay? That what
she did was wrong?”
“I will, don’t worry about that. But I think she needs to hear it from you first. After you have reassured her, she is going to be fine,” I add.
He looks at me then. “You said you would take care of it. Of her. You said you would do it for me.”
“I will, Devon. But no matter how much responsibility I take on, you are still her sire. The one she will find comfort in and need to be with.” It kills me having to defend her. I don’t think I can do it much longer. I am this close to just leaving her here and going home.
“I’m not sharing a room with her. In New York. Or Miami, or anywhere else.”
“Sweetie. We aren’t going to New York. From here we are going to Toronto. Scott is sorting it all out and you can have separate rooms. Grayson can watch her. Okay?”
“Thank you.”
“No worries. I am here to fix your problems,” I say with a smile and brush his hair away from his forehead. He turns his face into my hand and sighs. “You should get out of here. Get some space. Why don’t you go and hit the casino? Try and win us a shitload of cash,” I say.
He chuckles. “You know that I will. I never lose.”
“No, you don’t.” I smile.
“Will you come with me?”
“Sure. CK is feeling generous, he said to make the most of it.”
“I don’t even want to know what you promised him to get him to say that,” he says as he sits up and pulls his t-shirt over his head. “Let me get showered and changed.”
“Okay, baby.” I kiss him softly and leave him to his business.
“Bad news, Liv,” Scott says as soon as I walk back into the sitting room.
“Oh, Scott. Don’t start a sentence with those words, please,” I beg him.
“Sorry. We have to give up some rooms. There is a conference coming into town first thing tomorrow and they need the rooms free.”
“What? Just offer them more money or ask to speak to Xane. He’ll sort it.”
“I did offer them more money and also offered to pay for the other guests to be put up elsewhere, but it’s a big conference. There are no rooms anywhere. And you speak to Xane. He’s your….” he pauses, waving his hand around, “friend.”
“What can they give us?”
“Two suites. Yours and Mr. D’Arcangelo’s and this one.”
“So, Sebastian, you and Linc have to give up yours. Where is Linc by the way?”
“Took an opportunity to conduct some business.”