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The name sounded as familiar as he seemed, but I couldn’t place it.
When he put a card in the slot and pressed the button marked “PH,” the lift began its ascent. The doors reopened, and we stepped off directly into the suite.
“Grinder will order food. After you eat, you may rest.”
“Um…I’m sorry I don’t know what to call you.”
“Call him Rile.”
“Cortez is fine.” He put his hand on the small of my back and ushered me over to a sitting area. “What would you like to eat?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You will feel better if you have food in your stomach.” He smiled at me in a way a father might at his daughter, but the feeling that came over me was nothing like a child would feel for a parent. While the other man was probably closer to my age, it was Cortez who’d claimed my interest.
There was no hair on his head, but the stubble on his chin was gray, and he had the bluest eyes. Something about his powerful hands as he held me earlier and guided me now, his broad shoulders and strong arms, made me feel safe, even though both men had an intimidating aura about them.
There was something I’d wanted to ask him, but having him this close made me a little dizzy. He smelled so good. There was something familiar about his scent. What was it?
“How do you know the Queen?” I asked instead when I couldn’t remember my original question.
“I am a relative.”
“I…um…don’t have my clothes.”
Cortez closed and opened his bright blue eyes slowly. “I’ll have it taken care of. There is a robe in the closet you may wear for now.” He pointed toward a doorway.
“Are you going back to the other hotel?”
He studied me for a moment and then shook his head. “No.”
“How, then, will you get my clothes?”
Again, he studied me. “Trust me.”
I’d never felt more terrified in my life than when Konstantine was attacking me, but there was something about this man that made me smile. It also sent tingles down my spine.
“I’d like to bathe.” I wanted to scrub everywhere Konstantine had touched me.
Cortez nodded and closed the door when I stepped into the room.
I sunk down in the warm water of the tub. I was so strung out that I thought I might fall to sleep straight away if I wasn’t careful.
I washed my hair, scrubbed my body, drained the tub, and filled it a second time. I rested my back against the cool porcelain and closed my eyes. With the tub’s depth, the water came close to my neck, and it felt bloody wonderful.
Despite my resolve not to, I must’ve drifted off, but woke when I heard a knock on the door.
“Dinner has arrived,” Cortez said in a loud voice.
“I’ll be right there,” I hollered back.
I hadn’t felt hungry earlier, but once the scents of goulash and stropachka wafted into the room, I hurriedly grabbed the robe from the closet.
“It smells fantastic,” I said, taking a seat in the chair Cortez held for me. Before sitting back down, he set a dish in front of me.
“There is more, and we can always order something else if this doesn’t suit.”
I couldn’t help but notice the look on Grinder’s face, although I couldn’t read it. Amusement perhaps?
