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Dex pushes a handful of tissues into my hand as he takes a seat on the bed on the other side of me.
“I’m so sorry,” I finally get out as I do my best to stop crying. “I’ve been so strong all night, but I’m just so glad you’re here. I’m sorry I ruined your vacation.”
“Of course, we came back. I’m not going to let you go through this alone,” Katja reassures me before adding, “We can go to Paris any time.”
I feel Dex moving away. “Are you ladies going to be okay here? I’d like to go check in on Z.”
His words remind me of the bad news I need to share with Katja. Clearly if Dex is planning on going to my room, he has a pretty good idea of what Z is doing there.
Katja pulls out of our hug enough to look me in the eyes. “Have you eaten anything yet?”
I shake my head, still finding it hard to get rid of the emotional lump in my throat. I manage to get one word out. “Coffee.”
Katja smiles. “I could use some of that too,” she says before turning to Dex. “Can we order room service to be delivered here?”
Why would she be asking Dex such a simple question?
“I’d rather you didn’t. Z only orders in from The Rooftop and I don’t want to raise any suspicions if you called to have food sent to his room.
“Let me place an order for two and have it delivered to my office down the hall. Then I’ll bring it to you ladies when I come back up.”
Dex leans in and gives Katja a quick kiss before reaching out to lightly touch my hair. “I’m sorry this is happening to you, Rowan.”
He pauses, as if he wants to say more, but instead he turns and leaves us alone.
The second we are alone, Katja starts inspecting me for visible injuries while pelting me with questions about exactly what had happened, not even bothering to let me answer before moving to the next.
How did I meet the attacker?
How did he get into my room?
How in the world did I manage to overpower him?
It’s all too much.
“Stop!” I finally cry out, feeling guilty the second the word leaves my mouth. I try my best to temper my next words. “I’m sorry, I just can’t talk about it all. Not yet. I have something more important to tell you.”
I pause… afraid to say the next words, but knowing I have to before Dex returns with the food.
Confusion registers on her face. “What could be more important than the attack on you?”
“I…”
What if I’m wrong about the men? Then I remember Z is currently cutting up and disposing of the dead body of a mafia leader.
I’m not wrong.
“I don’t know how to say this, but… Dex and Z are criminals. They’re doing business with criminals. There are secret elevators and floors and… well… Z is…” My voice trails off, unsure how to even describe the horrific things he has planned. “He is doing horrible things, and while I’m grateful he seems to be trying to help me, I don’t know how to break the news to you that there are a lot of things they are keeping secret from you. Things that could get you and The Whitney into a lot of trouble.”
There. I’d said it.
I wasn’t sure how Katja might take the news, but I sure as hell didn’t expect her to smile at me.
“I can’t believe you’re worrying about me right now,” she says. “You’ve gone through hell, and you’re trying to protect me?”
When she put it like that, it does sound weird. “I guess thinking about you kept my mind off my own problems,” I answer truthfully.
The angry questions I expected from her don’t come. In fact, Katja says nothing for a whole minute before finally taking my hands in hers.
“What I’m about to tell you, you can’t repeat,” she cautions.
Not exactly what I’d expected her to respond with.
“Okay…”
“I mean it, Rowan. It’s top secret.”
I don’t like her accusatory tone so I snap back with my own bitchy, yet obvious, comment. “Kinda like keeping the fact that I killed a man last night secret?”
“Right… sorry. I just don’t talk about this very often, so I don’t exactly know what to say.”
“How about the truth? Are you telling me you actually knew that they are doing illegal business here at The Whitney?”
Her guilt is unmistakable. “It’s a long story.”
“That isn’t a no.”
“I know everything,” Katja finally admits before adding, “It’s complicated.”
That’s the understatement of the year.
The painkillers I’d taken after waking up must be wearing off because the throbbing in my head is back, only this time, I want something stronger. If only I had a Xanax or better, an Ambien—something to knock me out and wake me up when the nightmare is over.
