Page 76 of Deeper

Rylan

We are at Ridgemount Hotel.

Callen’s at the hotel bar with a woman.

She’s beautiful. Her skin is dark. Her complexion is flawless, and her hair is smooth. She might be my exact opposite. She’s put together and polished. Her hand touches his arm as she shamelessly flirts with him. His eyes roam her body while they sit practically pressed against one another. I’m close enough to see her lashes flutter as her crimson-red lips suck on the straw in her drink. His hand goes to her leg, and he whispers in her ear.

The stalking, watching Callen sends a jolt of adrenaline through my veins.

His hand on her leg evokes madness inside me.

She pushes from the bar top and leads him through the bar with her dainty fingers locked between his masculine ones. It drives me to the edge. She walks with a sway to her hips, and his eyes lock in on her as she leads him into the lobby.

I watch.

Her hands touch him. He beams with an arrogance that men get right before they are about to get off. They walk to the elevator, and my breathing intensifies as they wait. She leans into him, which makes my pulse spike, and when his hand goes to the small of her back, possessiveness forces me forward a few feet.

I stop myself when the doors to the elevator open.

They step on. She looks up at him while he stares straight ahead. The doors slowly close, and I move forward, watching as the red number above the elevator ticks higher and then stops at six. With a shaking hand, I push the button and wait. The numbers decline slow enough to make me pace.

Callen is six floors above with a woman. He’s here, at a hotel, with a woman who wants him. He’s with someone who isn’t me, and I suddenly know what he felt when he watched me in the room with that guy. I jump when the elevator dings, indicating its arrival. Not being able to see what Callen is doing is killing me. I get on and push the button for floor six.

One.

Two.

Three.

In my mind, I see him touching her. She loves it. Her eyes roll back in ecstasy. She moans while he whispers dirty words into her ear. She trembles as his hands roughly bring her pleasure. He gives to her what he should be giving to me.

Four.

Five.

Six.

The elevator door opens to a long hall dotted with closed doors. They are behind one of them. The possible scenarios run through my head as I walk forward into the hall. I check each door for a clue, an indication that I’m headed in the right direction. I find it on room 614.

Do Not Disturb.

My sign.

My fingers twitch with anticipation. The hair along my neck dampens with sweat. I twist my lip between my teeth and strain to listen for their voices just on the other side.

I close my eyes. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Then, I dip my fingers into my front pocket. The rectangular card practically burns in my hand.

The green light flashes, and the lock on the hotel room door clicks. A gray-and-coral color scheme greets me as I take a single step into the room and shut the door silently behind myself. A picture of a lake hangs on the wall immediately to my right.

The woman’s voice is soft as she speaks, “You like things a little kinky, do you? I’m into that.”

A click sounds. Handcuffs.

“You have no idea how kinky I like things.” Callen’s voice raises the hairs on my arms.

“Then, show me,” she challenges.

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