Page 48 of Strangers in Love

“Ten minutes, Mr. McCrae.”

I thanked him and hung up. The shower was running now, but I didn’t know how long she’d be. I looked down at myself. I needed to figure out how to answer the door without looking like I’d been shot. Shit.

An idea popped into my head, and since it was the only one I had, I went to the closet and took out the complimentary robe. I took off my boots, stripped off my pants and both my shirts. The robe was comfortable, of good quality, and perfect for what I needed. I still looked sweaty, but that’d just make my story more believable.

Thirty-Three

Aline

As I lockedthe door to the bathroom, I had a moment to wonder if the man whose name I still didn’t know could hear that I’d done it, but then I decided I didn’t care. This was the first time in days I’d felt even remotely safe.

I grimaced as I pulled off the clothes I’d been wearing for almost a week and tried not to think about how awful I smelled. Heat flooded my cheeks as I realized that my rescuer had had me right next to his face. I pushed that thought out of my head, and then I heard a man’s voice close enough that my pulse spiked.

“This is Eoin McCrae in room one fifteen.”

I knew that voice. I closed my eyes in relief. Eoin. That was his name.

The next thing he said had my eyes opening and my jaw dropping. I listened harder, fury rising in me as every word painted a vulgar picture of me and why I was here. I turned on the water, hoping to drown out his side of the conversation. I’d already been angry with him for forcing me to leave the others behind, but I’d partially accepted it because it was the logical choice. I was the one with the emotional investment. The way he was talking about me probably had some logical reasoning behind it too, but I couldn’t see it.

As I stepped into the shower and let the filth of the last week slough off, I could feel the cracks I’d been pretending didn’t exist. Cracks that’d been made every time I’d pushed down the emotions that’d threatened my very sanity.

The strength and optimism I’d portrayed to the others had been as much lies to myself as they had been to them. I’d needed them to survive, but I was out now. Safe. Only one night away from getting on a plane and flying home to everyone and everything I loved.

Except I’d made promises that I wouldn’t be the only one going home, and those promises had been broken. What could I say to them, to their loved ones, about why I’d left them behind? That it’d been logical? That while four innocent people with family and friends were paying the price for my escape, I’d been taking a hot shower and would be eating good food, then sleeping in a comfortable bed?

I used the hotel shampoo, soap, and conditioner twice each, scrubbing my body until my skin turned pink. I used the familiar motions to clear my head, to build those walls back up again. I wasn’t going to break down. Not here and not now. Not with the stranger in the other room who was telling people I was a prostitute. Not when my friends weren’t safe.

A part of me wanted to linger, to simply let the steam and heat surround me. Sink to the floor, wrap my arms around my legs, and just stop. Stop moving. Stop thinking.

But I wasn’t going to do that.

When I was back with my parents and sister, I would hold my head high and know that I had been strong through all of it. I had survived something that would have broken the person they’d thought I was. I wouldn’t simply survive, though. I would use what had happened to make myself stronger. To make them see the real me, the strong woman I was, instead of the fragile child they still saw.

So, I didn’t linger. I got out of the shower and dried off, allowing myself the small relief at not having to deal with my reflection. It wasn’t a vanity thing. I felt different, and I was unsure how that would show on my face. I’d do it tomorrow morning before we left so I’d be prepared for going home. Tonight, I had other things to deal with, one of which was giving Eoin a piece of my mind.

With just the towel wrapped around me, I picked up the still-boxed toothbrush and the lone tube of already-opened toothpaste. I didn’t care that I was going to eat soon. I almost moaned at how good it felt to finally have clean teeth, and then I rinsed twice with the unopened mouthwash, starting to finally feel human again.

I dressed, just noticing that the clothes were actually mine, not ones Freedom had bought to leave for me. I hoped that meant Freedom had somehow gotten all my things from the taxi driver or from the police, depending on who’d had the luggage with my clothes. I’d be grateful not to have to replace the electronics I’d brought with me.

And then I saw it, sitting on the counter next to a first aid kit. My purse. Tears welled up in my eyes as I reached for it. My phone wasn’t in it, and neither was my wallet, but that didn’t mean someone had stolen them, especially since my passport was still there. Freedom had probably taken most of everything else out when she’d left my purse at Neutral Ground, not knowing who could possibly get ahold of my things. While my passport had personal information on it, that was something I’d need to get home.

It would’ve been nice to have my phone, but right now, being able to brush out my hair and pull it back into a neat braid was more than enough to make me fight not to cry. My deodorant, lip gloss, and lotion were in there too. Using them made me feel more human than I had since the moment that hood had been thrown over my head.

When I’d pulled myself together to the point where I could confront Eoin without bursting into tears, I left the bathroom with my head high. I’d survived.

Eoin’s expression was impassive as he ran his gaze over me from head to feet and back again. I opened my mouth to tell him what I thought of him, but he just moved past me, careful not to touch me.

“The food’s on the table. Eat as much as you want. I’ll take whatever’s left.”

And then he shut the bathroom door behind him, and I was alone again. At least, this time, I wasn’t worried for my safety. Just annoyed that I hadn’t gotten a word in first. I wasn’t going to let that bother me, though. All my attention was now on that important four-letter word.

Food.

Thirty-Four

Eoin

I threwthe dirty robe into the corner with the rest of the used towels and went right into the shower, figuring the water would probably still be warm but not caring if it wasn’t. I closed my eyes as I bent down to get my head under the spray. A lot of people thought it was great to be tall, but once you started going over six two or six three, it became as much of a pain in the ass as being too short.

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