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Where the fuck do you think she went? She’s not hanging out at the bar by herself with a tear-stained face…
Oh, shit. What if she’s already in Xavian’s bed? What if she’s fucking him?
With a curse, I grab my key from the nightstand, then dash out my door. X’s room is just down the hall. I don’t see a light on under the door. He’s got to be roaming the hotel grounds since nothing else is within walking distance.
Then I hear a woman moan. Not like she’s upset or hurt. But like she’s halfway to orgasm.
Seriously, X already has her naked and aroused? Is he inside her, too?
Rage takes over.
I bang my fist against his door. “Open up, you son of a bitch. Right now!”
Nothing—at first. Finally, I hear whispers, then scrambling. A light comes on. Then X inches the door open, wearing a pair of hastily donned basketball shorts and a layer of sweat. “What the fuck, dude?”
“You tell me.” This is one time I’m happier to be bigger and taller than my pal. I reach over his head and shove the door wide, slamming it against the wall while I charge inside. “I told you not to touch Echo, and what did you do?”
But it’s not my bestie sitting on the rumpled bed, holding the sheet up to her flushed, naked body. Just like I predicted earlier when X first got lei’d, he’s now getting laid again.
“Shit. I’m sorry.” I look away from her, feeling ridiculous. Echo isn’t the kind of girl to go straight from kissing me to getting naked with someone else. I need to calm the fuck down.
I’m never a hot-head. I don’t like impulsivity. I definitely hate stupidity. Tonight, I’ve been all of those.
“Happy?” X snaps.
“No, I’m embarrassed. I’m not thinking straight. Echo and I had a fight about last night. She slammed out. I assumed she’d come to you, and when I heard a woman moan…”
“She’s missing?”
“No. She’s got to be around.” Doesn’t she? She couldn’t take a plane home at midnight.
“But you don’t know where she is?”
Admitting the truth sucks, but lying doesn’t help. “No.”
“Fuck.”
“It’s fine.” I try to convince myself of that. “I’m sure if I look around I’ll find her. Don’t worry. Um…as you were.”
I race out of the room like my ass is on fire and start looking around. There’s nowhere in the hallway for her to have gone. There are no lounges or common seating areas on this floor. So I head to the bank of elevators and rush down to the lobby. She’s not sitting in any of the plush chairs designed for guests to wait. Like I thought, she’s not in the bar. She’s not near the taxi stand, which is empty both of cabs and attendants.
Where the fuck did she go? I turn. The sweeping expanse of the moon over the vast blue Pacific gives me an idea.
But when I run down the multiple layers of stairs to the beach, it’s empty. All the chaises have been stacked beside a little stand. The sign indicates that check-out for towels and umbrellas will begin tomorrow at eight a.m.
Pushing down my panic, I dash back up the stairs. Where would Echo go when she’s upset?
I scan the resort critically. To the left of one of the many swimming pools, I spot a garden area with a sign for a nature walk. And I’m off.
A little bridge leads to a koi pond. Beyond that, a stone path sends me into a lush forest of palms and flowers, subtly lit by the landscape lights and the huge moon. I continue winding down the empty walkway. A sitting area. Another pond. A few discreet information signs about the foliage. Finally, the path ends near a cluster of cabanas around a smaller, adults-only pool that suddenly springs up like an oasis.
There, on the far side, I spot a figure in the fetal position silhouetted against the moon. Her hair and her curves tell me that’s Echo.
I bite back the urge to call her name. I don’t want to wake anyone, but I especially won’t risk her running away.
What the hell are you going to say?
No clue.
Cautiously, I approach the blue-draped cabana and kneel beside her. Tears stain her face. Her mascara runs. Her eyes look lost and confused.
That expression rips at me.
She sits up, blinking and flinching like she thinks I’m going to berate her.
“Hey.” I brush a curl from her cheek and tuck it behind her ear. “Let’s talk.”
Echo looks down before her gaze bounces back up with a too-bright smile. “I’ll make this quick and painless. I messed up and I’m really sorry. I was drinking all day and I did more of it at dinner. It was stupid and irresponsible. I said and did things I shouldn’t have. I’ll be sober the rest of the week and go back to being your only slightly crazy friend.”
