Page 51 of Safe and Sound

Warmth flooded my cheeks. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s just he’s sleeping so soundly that I’d hate to wake him.”

He didn’t reply. Instead, he kept eyeing his phone. After a few awkward seconds, he looked up. “The car is downstairs.”

“Thank you so much…”

“Niall.”

I nodded. “That’s right. We were introduced last night.”

“Yes, we were, Ms. Carras.”

“Well, anyway, it was nice seeing you again.”

As I started to the door, his voice stopped me again. “He doesn’t normally bring women home.”

I threw a glance at him over my shoulder. “That’s not what he said last night.”

“I’m not surprised.” Niall rose out of his seat. “I can ask the car to wait if you’d like to say goodbye.”

After nibbling on my bottom lip, I shook my head. Motioning around the room, I replied in a whisper, “I’m not all this.”

“He doesn’t give a shit about that.”

“But I do.”

“Don’t let your fears hurt your future with him.”

“Do you double as Dare’s relationship guru along with being his bodyguard?” I snapped.

“While he might be my boss, he’s also like my family. He watches out for the men who work for him. I can’t help but look out for him as well.”

“That’s admirable. You know Dare, and I know myself. I’m fully aware of what last night was and what it wasn’t. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a ride waiting.”

And without another word from Niall, I walked out of the penthouse.

I don’t know if it was from being hungover or sleep deprived or on sensory overload from all the sex, but I cried the entire way to the hotel. From time to time, I caught the driver glancing at me in the rearview mirror. “I’m fine,” I said more for me than for him.

And I was fine.

I had an amazing life and family to go back to. I had my post-Preston future to embrace. A one-night-stand with a millionaire wasn’t going to change me.

After we arrived at the Ritz, I thanked the driver. Although we weren’t normally Ritz hotel clientele, Nick had insisted that we stay there. We’d cut costs by the four of us sharing a room.

When I entered the hotel room, Dani and Lexie were still bundled in the covers in their queen sized bed. What would’ve been Nick’s and my bed was empty, but the shower was running in the bathroom.

Embracing the mother hen within me, I went over to the bed. After grabbing the duvet from the bottom of the mattress, I jerked it off.

The moment colder air swirled around them they both started grumbling. “Come on. Get up. We have to get back home before the festival starts at noon.”

“Fuck the festival,” Dani mumbled into her pillow.

Sweeping my hands to my hips, I demanded, “Would you say that to Pappouli and Yaya?”

Dani raised her head. “Yes, but I would blame it on being hungover.”

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