Page 18 of Gathered Sparkle

Who knows what we could use this for?

If I learned anything from all of this, it’s that I’ll never again pass up a random key card when I see one.

CHAPTER FIVE

Novalee

Adrenaline is coursing through me as I walk down the stairs, but I force myself to stay calm and keep moving down the hallway until I reach a door withSecuritywritten across it.

I glance around to make sure no one’s watching and step closer, but just as I approach, the door opens, and a bald man in a black suit steps out, his eyes glued to his phone.

I don’t even think. I act.

I shove him back inside the room, quickly stepping in behind him and closing the door with a quiet click. He stumbles, looking up in surprise, his eyes widening.

Oh, fuck. It’s him.

The security guy I stole the sunglasses from and switched them with the Elvis ones, all thanks to Captain Bossy’s orders.

My hand is pressed against his chest, and he looks at me, bewildered. I take a quick scan of the room. It’s spacious, filled with security camera feeds showing every corner of the hotel and desks scattered with papers and chairs, but no one else is here. Good.And bad.

Fuck. What do I do now?

“What are you doing here?” he demands. “This area is only for security personnel.” His gaze shifts, and I see the flicker of recognition light up his eyes. “Yo—”

“I was looking for you,” I cut him off while panic flares in my chest, but I push it down and force a smile, trying to catch that recognition and turn it to my advantage. “I still have your glasses, after all. And I don’t even know your name.”

“It’s Simon.” I watch his expression carefully. There’s something there—interest, maybe. We flirted last time. I know he was into it. But beneath that spark, there’s suspicion, a wariness keeping him guarded. He doesn’t soften like he did last time. “I wanted to see you again, too, but why would you be down here?”

Shit. He’s not buying it.

Leaning into the performance even harder, I let my fingers trail lightly up his chest. “You know, I was thinking about you.”

He blinks, his eyes studying my face as his body language shifts, still guarded but not entirely resistant. There’s a flicker of hesitation, the kind of opening I need.

Maybe I could…

“You don’t have to be all official with me, Simon,” I murmur, my lips only a breath away from his. I watch his gaze shift to my mouth, his suspicion beginning to soften, his attention momentarily diverted.

I see it—a crack in his defenses.

Here goes nothing.

I grab his wrist, pulling him close, as my other hand taps his forehead, and I say the word, letting all my intention pour into it.“Sleep.”

There’s a heartbeat of silence where everything seems to hang in the air. His muscles tense like his body is debating whether to resist or not.

Please, please, please.

Then he slackens, his head dropping forward as he leans into me. Relief washes over me, but I don’t let myself relax yet. I pause, holding my breath, waiting for the smallest hint of resistance, the slightest twitch that might mean I’m losing him.

But he doesn’t fight it. The only thing he does is breathe, his chest rising and falling steadily, his weight sinking into me.

Oh my God, I really did it.

I actually hypnotized him.

Swallowing, my heart pounds as I whisper, “You’re relaxed, you’re safe, and you like me… a lot. You trust me.”

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