Page 20 of Exquisite Temptation

"Excuse me, Sir. I need the restroom." He nods, helping me stand up.

My treacherous body shudders in the absence of his warmth. I yank my mini rubber skirt down, covering my ass, and make a beeline for the toilets. Thankfully, I don’t need to wait long to use the facilities. I wash my hands and as I come out, Katie rushes towards me.

"Allie left a message with reception for you to call her. Maya said she sounded upset." She pinches the skin on her throat, wrinkling her brows with worry.

"I’ll call her now. Listen, I feel exhausted. Can you tell Christopher I have gone home? I’ll text him later."

"Of course, girl. I’ll call you tomorrow. Send my love to Allie." After she gives me a quick hug, we part ways. Marching to the reception, I get my coat and bag, waving at Maya as I leave.

Two weeks ago, Allie plucked up the courage to tell Sebastian about her missing clothes and suspicions that someone might be following her. He blew his top, demanding she stay with him while our brand new state-of-the-art alarm system gets installed. She is due to come home after her twelve-hour shift. When I get into my car, I dial Allie. She picks up after two rings.

"Hey, babe. Katie told me to ring you. Are you home? Is everything okay?" I fire questions, but the sound of muffled voices and ambulance sirens in the background quickens my pulse.

"Nathan broke into my bedroom…he’s dead. Cops…killed him," she sobs, her voice cracking into thousands of pieces. A ball of emotion clogs my throat, cutting off my air supply.

Fucking Nathan. I knew he was stalking her.You should have been there, the little voice inside me taunts me. I'm painfully aware he is a human being, someone’s son and brother, but at this moment, I give zero fucks about him being dead. All I care about is the well-being of my best friend.

"Son of a bitch! I'm coming now, babe." Clenching my jaw, I struggle to control the anger rising inside me.

I navigate through the light traffic of Seattle’s streets, gripping the steering wheel like a boa constrictor. The relaxing music does nothing to calm my overactive brain, which decides to shame and blame me.You should have insisted harder on her going to the police. That psycho bastard could have finished the job he started last time. Do you think you could have lived with yourself if something bad happened to her?I blink the angry tears burning my eyes. I blow a sharp breath out.Enough. She is alive, and that is all that matters.The Gods of traffic must be with me tonight because I whizz through green lights, arriving at my house in record time. Several police cars and ambulances block the road, forcing me to park behind them. I slam the door shut and duck under the yellow tape.

"Hey, Miss. Stop," an owner of a gruff male voice shouts at me. I don’t bother stopping.

"This is my house," I shout back, sprinting in Allie’s direction.

Sebastian stands next to her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders protectively. Coming to a stop, my eyes lock with Allie’s. Her chin trembles, tears rolling down her ashen face. Sebastian and I exchange a knowing look. Nodding, he lets go of her. I open my arms wide, and she runs into them, crushing me close to her. The sound of her gut-wrenching sobs breaks my heart in two.

"Shhh…it’s okay, babe. Let it all out. Everything will be okay."

When she stops shaking, and her sobs die down, she pulls away. I stare at her red face and puffy eyes, gritting my teeth for control.

"Did he hurt you?" She shakes her head, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Sebastian and the cops arrived just in time, otherwise, he might have. We can’t go back inside…the floor is soaked with his blood. I'm sorry-" she sighs heavily, her voice filled with anguish.

"Babe, don't worry about the house. You have been through enough tonight."

She chews her bottom lip, shifting from foot to foot. "But do you think we should go back after it’s cleaned?

My gaze drifts to my house. The adrenaline coursing through me urges me to run, to scream, but my body becomes petrified stone. Damn it, I can't live in the house where Nathan was shot dead ever again. He violated her, stole her chance of being a mother by beating the shit out of her, mutilating her body and sexually assaulting her, and now his death would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"We’ll find a temporary accommodation until I decide what to do with the house." I whip the phone from my pocket. "You go stay with Sebastian. I’ll book a hotel room for tonight."

Sebastian edges closer, tugging his eyebrows down in obvious disagreement. "It’s late, Heidi. You and Alexandra will stay at my house tonight. Christopher has realtor friends who can help you find a temporary rental apartment if that is what you decide to do." I bob my head in agreement as I have no energy left to fight him.

Sebastian takes Allie to his car in time to stop her from watching the paramedics wheeling Nathan’s dead body out of the house. I blink several times, unable to avert my gaze. It’s super morbid.Come on, you need to leave. I will my legs to move, but they stay rooted to the ground.

Sebastian lays his hand on my shoulder, concern glowing in his eyes. "We need to go, Heidi. You think you can drive? If not, you can come with us." I give him a small smile, grateful for his genuine kindness.

Whenever we see each other, that strange sense of familiarity, as if I've known him all my life, washes over me, but it’s purely platonic, unlike with Christopher, which is romantic.

"Yes, I can drive." Putting his address in my phone, he walks me to my car. I thank him and get in, wishing this awful day was over.

Chapter 14

Christopher

Ireclineonthetwo-seater beige couch, letting my gaze wander around the small open-plan living area. Herb pots soak up the light on the window ledge while a black espresso machine and a blender sit on the clean, uncluttered kitchen counter. The modern cookie cutter rental apartment lacks the warmth of Heidi’s quirky personality. Raucous laughter and fake screams from throngs of young people drift through the open window, assaulting my ears. It’s one pitfall of living in downtown Seattle, but not the worst. Hopefully, she will find a new home in a safer and quieter neighborhood soon from the several property listings Aiden gave me to pass on to her.

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