Page 25 of Dex

“Which one?”

“About whether you had a girlfriend.”

“I’m not sure you’d like to hear the answer.”

That’s a warning.My mind churns through the possible answers he could give me.

“I don’t currently have a girlfriend,” he says, after a while.But even though he answered, I worry if he’s telling the truth or convoluting it like his father would.These people are strangers to me.I was starting to think that Dexter would be a good choice of partner, but I’m not sure anymore.

I decide not to push him anymore, because I don’t want him asking more personal questions of me, so we sit in silence for the rest of the journey.I’m cautious about giving too much away, and I’m also curious as to why his father hasn’t been upfront with him.I have doubts about marrying into this family.Everything looks great on the outside, but just a short few hours have exposed so much.

At least with Oscar Ramos, I know what I’m getting into.

We soon pull up in front of my hotel.Dexter turns to me.“You have arrived at your destination,” he says in a robotic voice, his face expressionless.

“Thank you.I’m sorry for taking up too much of your time.”

He nods, looking relieved.“Okay.”

Okay?“Good night, Dexter,” I say, in the breeziest voice I can muster as I start to get out of his car.

“Good night.”

He doesn’t look at me again and stares straight ahead as I step out.My sequined dress shimmers under the moonlight, and I pray I don’t trip as I walk into the hotel.I’m sure I can feel his eyes on me.

It’s only when I get into the elevator that I sigh with relief, and when I get inside my hotel room, I kick off my high heels and I quickly get out of the dress.The sequins have been digging into my skin all night, and I’m itching to be rid of them.

I collapse onto the bed, exhaling heavily, glad to be back in the privacy of the hotel room, away from lecherous eyes and hostile faces.But I feel stuck.Tonight was supposed to give me a solution.A way out of marrying Oscar Ramos, but I don’t think I am any better off.I don’t even think most of the Knights like me.

What do I do now?

A knock at the door makes me bolt upright.I grab my dress and try to quickly get into it but another impatient knock follows quickly.

“Who is it?”I tread slowly towards the door, holding the dress to me.

“Dexter.”

I spring back in shock.“Dexter?”

“The guy who just gave you a lift here.”

“I know who you are.”

“You forgot your cell phone.”

My cell phone.I quickly open the door, worried that Paul Knight might have called or messaged, and Dexter might have seen it.

I frown at him.“How did you get my number?”

“Twenty bucks can get you a lot of information around here.”His gaze starts to lower from my face but as soon as he sees that I’m holding the dress, and not wearing it, his gaze quickly bounces back to my face.“You just open the door to unexpected guests?”

“You told me it was you.You sounded like you,” I protest, my fingers tightening around the fabric I’m holding to my chest like a shield.

“You have to be careful.A woman like you … here… alone.Desperate men could try all sorts of tricks.”

I narrow my eyes.“Are you confessing to something, Dexter?”

“I’m not desperate, sweetheart.Just warning you to be vigilant.”He shakes his head.“And opening the doornotwearing the dress …”

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