Page 7 of The Penthouse


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When I leave the room and go back down to the second floor, still slightly out of breath and no doubt red-faced, I, unfortunately, run into my manager, Danny.

“Brie. Where have you been? It’s past five and everyone else has clocked out and left already.”

I set the vacuum next to my cart and begin rummaging around for nothing in particular.

“Oh—I… uhh…”

The elevator dings, and out walk the three men.

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

The three of them slowly circle Danny and me. Christian leans against the side of the vending machine; Michael stands in front of the restrooms across from the elevators; Josh plants himself in the middle of the hallway entrance, crossing his arms over his chest. They don’t say or do anything, just stand there staring at us with mischief gleaming in their eyes.

I turn my attention back to Danny, trying to think up an excuse as quickly as I can. “It’s just taking me a little longer to finish. The guests in room thirty asked me to come back later, so that’s the last one I have to do.”

Danny looks at me, then the three men. “Are you alright?” he asks quietly.

I swipe a coil of hair out of my face. “Of course,” I say, but it comes out pitched and breathy. My hands start to tremble. I grab some gloves and move to go to the room that needs to be cleaned, but Danny stops me again.

Why am I such a terrible liar?

“Are you sure?” he asks me under his breath, eyeing the strangers suspiciously.

I plaster a smile on my face. “Yeah, really. I’m fine. I’m almost done, and then I’m heading out.”

Danny glances at the men a moment longer, then nods and leaves. I let out a relieved breath, then turn and glare at the three of them.

“I said I would come back when I’m finished,” I snap. “Leave me alone.” I don’t wait for them to say anything else before I turn away to the room.

Luckily, the guests in room thirty only want their floors vacuumed and toilets cleaned. When I’m done, I walk back out to my cart, fully expecting Josh, Michael, and Christian to be standing there waiting for me, but they’re nowhere in sight.

With a sigh of relief, I take all of my cleaning supplies back to the supply room as quickly as I can, then head to the staff room to gather my things and clock out. Before I can change my mind—and before Danny has a chance to corner me about what happened—I race out the door.

Once I’m outside, I inhale the cold autumn air. The walk to the bus stop will take me five minutes, and while I usually take my time—since the bus won’t come for another thirty minutes—I hurry to the bus stop.

The shelter finally comes into view, and I sigh in relief, but just when I’m starting to pick up my pace, a large black SUV pulls up beside me.

My stomach drops.

Shit.

“Brie,” Josh calls.

Dammit.

I turn to the car. Michael is driving with Josh riding shotgun. I don’t see Christian, so I’m assuming he’s sitting in the back, but the windows are so tinted I can’t see inside.

“Leave me alone.”

“You said you were coming back,” Josh points out.

“I know.”

“So why didn’t you?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I can’t just up and leave my entire life to be with you. I don’t even know you. And you don’t know me. What we did earlier—all of those things you did to me—that was just fun. A one-time thing that happened out of nowhere. But it can’t happen again. Itwon’thappen again.”

Josh cocks a brow and smirks as if to say,You sure about that?

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