Page 78 of Five Days

Crazy, but to each their own.

“This is actually me repaying you.”

I barked a laugh that sounded muffled in the tiny room I’d hidden in. “How the fuck does that work?”

“Trust me just this once?”

My smile faded, and I inhaled the scent of cleaning chemicals deep into my lungs. “Yes.”

“Sweet. Got a pen handy?”

“Nope.”

“I’ll text you the hotel name and room number.”

My eyelids slammed shut at what he wanted from me. “Sean…”

“Listen—I know trust doesn’t come easy for you, but I’ve got your back in this one-hundred percent. I would never steer you wrong.”

The breakfast sandwich I’d grabbed before heading in to volunteer for the day churned in my guts. But Sean repaying me by asking me to hook up with a client…it had to be a positive thing, right?

Maybe he thought meeting with Jamie would be a good idea?—

“There aren’t any files to look through, no NDAs to sign this time around,” Sean informed me, cutting my thoughts on clients off.

“Okay…” I drew out the word, waiting for him to fill me in.

“I gotta run, but I’ll shoot the info over right away.” Sean hung up before I could push for more information.

Lips pursed, I shoved my cell back in my pocket and strode from the closest. A few dozen people lingered at the cafeteria tables, and I forced myself to stop and chat with a handful on my way toward the kitchen to help with cleanup.

I’d taken that time off Sean had insisted on, relieved to have my name removed from Elite’s list of available escorts. It had seemed the right thing to do, and I had enough money in the bank to extend my break for months if that’s what I decided on.

Volunteering and hanging out at Humanity House still fulfilled me, gave me a sense of purpose I would be lacking otherwise. The gym had become yet another home, when before, it’d been a means to an end of keeping my body in prime condition. I’d challenged myself to lower my walls a bit and be more friendly. Maybe make some friends outside Elite.

I stewed over Sean’s text that informed me I had a night of luxury ahead of me. The booked suite lay on the top floor of Boston’s most lavish hotel that offered a gorgeous view of both the city and the ocean.

Only a handful of clients over the years had been able to afford similar lodgings.

Regardless of my lack of desire for sex, I thoroughly cleaned myself, trimmed, and shaved areas I’d ignored since my vacation in hell.

Who was I joking?

Being with Landon and Callum had been nothing but heaven. Even the ache over missing them, the desire to seek them out I ignored due to continued fear, was addictive as fuck. Who knew being in love could hurt so good?

A room key had been left at the front desk, but I hesitated before entering the suite.

Trust.

A word that was the bane of my existence. But Sean had my back before. He’d believed me, never once questioned what had taken place with the client who’d tried to extort Elite all those months ago.

Sean had proven himself to me time and again.

I entered the room, a quick glance around the sitting area revealing the absence of a client. Slipping off my shoes, I set the key aside. Rather than voicing a greeting, I made my way farther into the room, a cursory glance noting the buildings beyond the windows backlit by the setting sun.

The bedroom door was left open.

I stepped through, halting at the sight before me that caught my breath. My heart stuttered then raced as adrenaline rushed through my system.

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