Page 72 of Obsessed Heir

Considering my state of near undress, I’d be embarrassed to have her see me and start asking questions.

“I’m fine,” I assure her then think better of it. “Unless you think you might need me,” I hedge.

She stifles a yawn. “No. I have a feeling I’ll sleep straight through until morning.”

“Okay, well, I’m right next door in case you do.”

“Good night, dear.”

“Good night, Miss Opal.”

Clicking the door shut behind me, I head down the hallway to my room. Once inside, I go straight to the bathroom, intent on a hot shower to remove what’s left of the makeup and hair product.

After an initial struggle with the belt, I shrug the robe off and hang it on the hook behind the door. Next, the transparent dress comes over my head, then I set it on the marble counter. I’ll have no choice but to wear it again tonight because I don’t think I could sleep without a stitch on.

The ridiculous panties are a whole other matter. I let them fall to the floor in disgust. The little pearls look up at me innocently. After all the trouble I got myself into because of their lack of coverage, I can’t stand the sight of them.

I pick up the pile of string and toss it into the waste basket. The plastic liner barely rustles with the impact.

As I’m walking away, I’m hit with a bout of concern. What if Holly wants them back? They won’t wash the outfit and put it up for sale again. Still, I shouldn’t assume it’s mine to do with as I please.

With an annoyed huff, I reach down and pull the underwear from the bag. I can’t just leave it out. I dig through the drawer, finding a disposable laundry bag and shove it in there. At least this way, I won’t have to see it.

I’m faced with a new dilemma. Can I go to bed without wearing any panties? The thought makes me squirm. I’ll end uptossing and turning. What if something happens in the middle of the night? I’d have to step out of my room completely exposed.

My mind flips to the other lingerie sets Holly had me try on earlier. Did she pick up the other outfits I wore? While still revealing, they at least covered me more than what I was just wearing. Then again, at this point, anything is better than going commando.

I wrap the belt around my fingers as I struggle with indecision. Should I go check the other bathroom, where I changed?

That means going to the bedroom on the other side of the suite. Barron’s side.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Barron

Muffled music and laughter penetrate the walls of the office at the back of the club as Austin and I walk in.

“Grab a seat.” I pull two water bottles from the mini fridge, handing him one as I go past him, then take a seat behind my desk.

“No major incidents to report, just the usual quirks of this type of crowd.” His delivery is deliberate, filled with the intensity of a leader with a military background. “My team has everything under control, but it’s still early.”

When we started looking for a consultant, the name that came up over and over was Austin Connors. His reputation, which was primarily on the West Coast, was making its way across the country.

“What about last night?” I lean back against the cushioned leather office chair. “I understand Bronwyn was acting erratically.”

“Like I said, the usual quirks to this type of crowd.” To his benefit, Austin doesn’t bat an eye. “We neutralized the situation. Then two of us, a woman on my team and I, escorted her to her cabin. I stationed a guard at her door to make sure she stayed there.”

“Well done.” So far, everything I’ve seen with this man has been spot-on to the recommendations I’ve gotten.

“I’d be careful,” he says. “She was quick to throw your name out once she thought she was in trouble. I’m not sure that’s the kind of attention you’d want.”

I rake a hand through my hair. “Definitely not the attention I want.”

I consider for a moment whether I should share the report on her. Austin and his team will still have to deal with her until the end of the cruise. And with his customer base, he may cross paths with her again. “Let me show you something.”

I pull up my email on the office computer and send the report to one of the screens on the wall. Austin strides over, folding his arms as he reads through the document.

After a few seconds, he glances over his shoulder, pulling an arm up to point at the screen. “Where did you get this kind of information?” he asks, somewhere between curious and impressed.

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