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“It must be really important, since you were supposed to come see me half hour ago—” he stops, his eyes widening. “Katie?”
Fuck.
“What the hell is Katie Harris doing in your hotel room?” he asks, turning his frown back to me. “Is there something you need to tell me?”
“Come in. I’ll explain.” I usher him inside and close the door.
I look at Katie, sitting on the bed in the hotel bathrobe, and I cringe. It looks so much worse than it is, or rather, worse than it needs to be. My heart thumps as he glares at me, waiting for an explanation. The only problem is, how do I tell him?
“Fre … Adam, why is Katie sitting on your bed, in a bathrobe?” he asks, keeping his voice even.
“There’s an explanation,” I begin. “I promise.”
He shrugs and sits down. “Then let’s hear it.”
“It’s a long story,” I warn.
“It always is,” he mutters. “Just tell me Lily isn’t here?”
I glance at Katie. Julian’s eyes widen. He curses, then he laughs and shakes his head.
“Fuck,” he growls. “Why is she here? The wedding? Oh God.”
“She’s not going to do anything,” I promise him.
“Where is she?” he asks.
“My apartment.”
“Fuck.” Julian frowns. “I’m pretty sure Alberto is suspicious. If Alberto realizes my ex-girlfriend is here …” He laughs uneasily. “God, I don’t even want to think about that.”
“What makes you think he’s suspicious?” I ask.
He shrugs. “Nothing, it’s just a feeling. It’s probably nothing.” He sighs and stands up. “I need Lily out of Vegas, Adam. She can’t be here.”
“I know,” I promise him. “I’ll take care of it.”
“How are you going to do that and still be here for the wedding?” He shakes his head. “If there is a wedding.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing,” he mutters.
I sigh. “Then we need to get to the apartment. Now.”
I frown at Katie when she stands up.
“What?” she asks.
I raise my eyebrows. “You’re wearing that?”
She flushes when she realizes she’s still in her bathrobe.
“Give me a minute.” She walks over to her clothes and snatches them up, then disappears into the bathroom.
“Are they even dry?” I call out after her.
“Dry enough.”“Are you coming?”
We’ve just pulled up outside the apartment complex. Julian shakes his head. I frown at him, not in the mood for any games.
“Why not?”
“Because I just saw Alberto and Louis walk in there.”
“Fuck,” I mutter. What are they doing at my apartment complex, at almost midnight? “They do know. I just can’t figure out how.”
“Does it matter?” Julian snaps. “I can’t go in there. Hell, you can’t go in there, either.”
“I don’t have a choice,” I growl. “Stay here. Both of you.”
“What are you doing?” Katie asks when I open the door, her eyes full of fear.
“Just trust me,” I say.
I go in via the back entrance, taking the stairs up to the fourth floor. I walk out from the stairwell, breathing hard, just in time to see Alberto and Louis walking toward my apartment.
They’re too deep in conversation to notice me and their voices are too low for me to make out what they’re saying. I watch as they walk in the direction of the room where the girls are. They stop in front of my apartment. My heart pounds.
“Alberto,” I announce. They both turn around as I walk toward them, a wide smile on my face. “What are you two doing here?”
I shake my head, like seeing them is a happy surprise. You’d think we’d run into each other in the store, instead of outside my apartment, at nearly midnight, where I’m hiding his future son in law’s ex-girlfriend.
“Frederick,” Alberto says, glancing at Louis. “Fancy running into you here.”
“Outside my apartment?” I query. “What are the odds. I’m just here to feed my fish. Why are you here?” I add, praying neither Darcy or Lily raise their voices.
If I have any chance of getting the girls out of here unnoticed, I can’t give Alberto any reason to want to hang around.
“You have fish?” Louis frowns at me.
“Two of them,” I confirm. “I had three, but as it turns out, Gerald isn’t too fond of other males.”
“You didn’t say what you were doing here?” I remind them.
I keep my tone light and curious, but what I get in return is a cool stare.
“I was just visiting an old friend, but as it turns out, they’re not home.”
“Or maybe they’re sleeping?” I suggest. “Since it’s nearly midnight and all.”
“Maybe.” He nods to Louis. “Either way, we should be getting back.”
I nod. “I imagine you still have a long night ahead of you. With the wedding tomorrow and all,” I add when he gives me a strange look.
“Yes. I’m sure we will. Good luck with your fish. They can be so fragile, can’t they?”
I watch them as they walk back to the elevator, my hands clenched into fists in my pocket. I hold my breath until they walk inside. As the doors begin to close, Alberto looks me right in the eye. I stare right back, until they’re gone, then I walk over to the window and wait.
