Page 18 of Hero's Prize

Ella didn’t say anything, just walked past them, glad when they stepped out of the way.

It was silent for a moment, but then she heard snickering and whispers. Most of it she couldn’t make out because she was trying her best to get down the hallway as quickly as possible.

But one phrase was definitely clear. The one she hadn’t been allowing herself to think at all. The one that encapsulated the whole night with Colton.

Pity fuck.

CHAPTER

SEVEN

“You look like shit.”

Colton took the cup of coffee from Tony’s hand as his PR manager walked into the suite.

“Thanks.” The words came out through gritted teeth.

It was all Colton could do to be polite when the only thing he wanted to do was put his fist through the wall. They were two hours until wheels up for the stunt. Tony and his team had already been in and out of the suite a dozen times, running around handling last-minute PR stuff.

That was normal—almost part of Colton’s process. The more everyone buzzed around him before a stunt, the calmer and more focused he became. He preferred the chaos.

Tony had already warned Colton that it was pretty much a mob of fans down in the lobby area and not to go down there unless he wanted to take time to talk to them.

He didn’t. He didn’t want to talk to anybody.

He shouldn’t feel betrayed that he’d woken up to find Ella gone after their lovemaking. He’d had plenty of casual encounters with women over the years. Sometimes when the sex was over, it was just…over. With a hug and a kiss, Colton was gone. No promises asked; none given.

Hell, he made it a normal practice of going to women’s places rather than having them come to his, for multiple reasons. He wanted them to feel safer and more comfortable. But also, because he wanted to have as much control over egress as possible—easier for him to leave than to make someone else go.

He always tried to be respectful of women, even his casual rendezvous. Just because he wouldn’t be having a relationship with someone didn’t mean that person didn’t deserve consideration.

And hell, more than once, he’d left an encounter with a woman very clear that he hadn’t been much more than a trophy for her. Something she could brag about to her friends.

He had not even considered that would be the case with Ella. Maybe Lincoln had been wrong and she didn’t have a crush on him at all. Maybe she’d just wanted to have this notch in her belt.

What was truly surprising was how disappointing that was.

He’d been telling the God’s honest truth when he said he was perfectly fine just talking last night. Hell, he would’ve been more delighted spending a night talking and laughing with Ella than all sorts of sexual gymnastics with a stranger whose name he wouldn’t remember in a couple weeks’ time anyway.

He hadn’t expected sex, but he certainly hadn’t been disappointed when things had gone that way.

Who was he kidding? His mind had been damned near blown by the chemistry between them. He’d definitely planned for a round two. And maybe a three, four, and five.

Only to reach for her after he’d woken up to find their encounter obviously hadn’t meant anything to her at all.

He had to stop himself from crushing the coffee cup in his hand.

Tony walked back over to him after talking to a few members of the team. “Hell, Colton, we’re going to have to put some fucking makeup on you. Nobody wants to see their favorite action hero looking like he’s just coming off a three-day bender.”

Colton rolled his eyes. “Pretty sure I’m wearing a helmet, so I don’t think we have to worry about that.”

But Tony was right. He did look like shit.

He didn’t care.

Tony was wise enough not to argue the point and returned to his team. Colton didn’t get testy very often, but when he did, his crew knew to give him some space.

Colton nearly growled when there was another knock on the door. There were too many fucking people in here already. Tony shot him a wary look and answered it.

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