Page 60 of Room Service
“So you said on the phone. Who is it you want found and dealt with?”
“His name is Derrick Woods,” I say as I pull out a picture of him from the inside pocket of my jacket, sliding it across the bar to him.
“Why?”
“He’s the husband of the woman I… of one of the maid’s that works here, and a couple of nights ago, he beat her out the back of the hotel. Since then, he hasn’t been seen, and I don’t have time to wait around.” I realise I nearly referred to Elise as more than a maid, but I stopped myself before I could voice what I really feel for her. Plus, I seriously doubt that he will give a shit about my love life. He’s here for a job and a nice meal, nothing more.
He studies the photo for a moment, and then he says, “Just a maid, huh?”
I clear my throat and drain the last of my scotch to avoid answering.
“And this maid, she knows about this?” he enquires.
“No.”
“And how exactly would you want him dealt with?” he asks, and this time, I turn my head to look him in the eye.
“I want him to fucking suffer,” I grit out. I don’t need to expand, he gets it. “So, how much?”
“Do not insult me by throwing your money around, Dorien,” he bites, but I don’t waver. I hold my own, my back straight and my eyes boring into his. “I don’t need money, but what I want is a stake in this hotel chain.”
I stay silent and unmoving for a beat. When I signed on the dotted line for the merger a few weeks ago, I was elated to be rid of the fucking board that wanted to take my hard-earned money for doing sod all. I was finally free to reign on my own, but if I give him a stake in my business, I will be right back to square one again, kind of. And with a crime lord, no less. But as I ponder his proposal, I already know that she’s worth risking it all for.
“Done,” I tell him.
“Just like that?” he says, tilting his head to the side, a slight smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth.
“Just like that,” I confirm.
“We’ll talk details tomorrow,” he says as he turns and looks at the entrance to the hotel restaurant. “My wife has just arrived.”
With that, he starts to walk towards her, briefly turning back around as I say, “Don’t you need more details than his name and a photo?”
He laughs at me before replying with, “You wanted the best, so there’s no need to question how I do things.” And then he turns his back to me once more and greets his wife, who has one hell of a smile on her face as she takes in her husband.
They walk across the dining area, a waiter leading them out to the private patio space, his attention solely on her. There are two big burly men in front of them, who scour outside before taking up residence just inside the doors that lead out there, and I ask myself what the hell I’ve gotten myself into by agreeing to go into business with the man that seemingly came back from nowhere after disappearing for five years and still retained the power that he has today.
Nate has more than likely got everything but my dental records at his disposal, but I also did a little digging into his background, and that’s how I know he disappeared for a few years, leaving the empire he built behind, only to return two months ago and firmly put himself back at the helm of the criminal underworld. And I’m also aware that if it really came to it, he’d slit my throat without a second thought, but when I picture Elise’s face the night of the attack, the pain in her face and the sorrow in her eyes, I know that finding her husband and getting him out of her life is the right move, no matter what happens between us in the end.
* * *
I open the door to the penthouse which is shrouded in darkness, except for the TV screen at the opposite end which is casting a dim light over Elise as she picks some popcorn out of a bowl in her lap, the duvet wrapped around her and her eyes glued to the film until she notices me.
“Hey, how did the meeting go?” she asks, and it’s such a fucking normal question that it throws me, because her being here feels so normal, her watching TV here feels normal, her being in my life feels so fucking normal, and I know I need to address it. Need to stop being such a pussy and really talk to her.
“It was good.” I’m not going to go into the finer details, nor am I going to tell her who I had the meeting with, because if she knows who Nate Knowles is, then she’ll know that my meeting wasn’t all above board. Not that it could really be called a meeting as such.
“Want to come watch the film with me?” she asks, moving the duvet back and patting the sofa next to her. It makes me smile so fucking wide, and it takes me no time at all to decide that there is nothing else I’d rather do.
“I’ll just go get changed and then I’ll be there.”
“Sure. Want me to make more popcorn?” she asks, but I’m not much of a popcorn guy, so I decline and go to the bedroom to change.
When I’ve stripped off my suit and put on a pair of jogging bottoms and a loose tank top, I make my way back out to her, the duvet still pulled back, the film paused as she waits for me. I get settled, letting her put the duvet over me, my arm going along the back of the sofa behind her, and her resuming the film. I couldn’t really give a fuck what film it is, and I don’t even care if it’s a chick flick, because being sat here with her, just like this, at peace, together, on our own, is truly something special.
Chapter Forty-Five
ELISE
