"You don't know that," she said, her body deflating. "I certainly don't. Don Marcus isn't like Don Angelo. I'm not his heir. I'm a means to an end. The end being making himself more powerful. I don't even know if the arrogant oaf believes in things like photographic memories and dead man's switches."
I could see the fear in her eyes. Something told me turning around and walking out that door stopped being an option the moment we presented that invitation to the front desk though. Plus there was still the whole reason we had come here in the first place: my sister was in there.
"This way, if you please," the manager called out to us.
"I don't think we have much of a choice, Stace," I said, watching two beastly men approach us from behind.
She grabbed my hand and we linked our fingers in each other's, her squeezing my hand hard as I led us to the elevator.
Once we were in the elevator, we watched the manager unlock a little compartment below the button panel. It was a special button with a b for basement on it. The manager pushed the button while the rest of us anxiously waited for the elevator to move.
When the elevator doors opened again, I asked the manager, "Where's the bathroom?"
Following his directions, I pulled Stacy along behind me.
"I guess I'll just go and mingle," Ken called after us. "Go team."
By the time we got to the bathroom, Stacy was pale. I could feel her trembling next to me as her hand shook in mine. First, I locked the door behind us. Then, I let go of her hand and checked all the stalls to make sure they were empty.
Finally, I went back to her and stopped her pacing by laying my hands on her shoulders and bringing her to a halt in front of the mirror.
"I'm sorry, I can't do this. Scott, don't make me do this," she begged.
"Ssssshhhh. You're okay. It's okay," I said, advancing and letting my fingers go up to her head.
Lowering my lips to the side of her head, I kissed her hair.
"Eyes on me," I whispered into her ear.
I brought my face before hers up close until our noses were touching and we were staring straight into each other's eyes. Then I undid the buttons of the suit jacket and let it drop to the floor. I took my time with the blouse, reaching for the first button. And then the next and then the next. Her breathing slowed as she looked at me without a word, rooted to the spot.
"Good job. Do you trust me?" I asked, my fingers travelling down to the buttons between her breasts.
Her eyes were an ice blue, but they'd always been the warmest, friendliest eyes in my book. Right now they were blazing with passion.
"I do," she said, as I reached the end of the blouse.
My hands trailed over her flat tummy as I parted the blouse, then went up her naked back, my gaze still firmly fixed on hers. Bringing my hands back up to her shoulders, I turned her to face the mirror. Our eyes met in the mirror as I peeled the fabric off her shoulders.
"Just follow my lead in there, okay? Just like you're doing now," I said, fishing her bra out of my pocket.
She held her arms out for me, standing there topless with so much trust and heat in her eyes as I slid one of the bra straps past her wrist and up her arm. I knew I could have looked, like I'd fantasised about doing when she first handed her bra to me. This wasn't about satisfying my own urges though. I needed her to be calm so that I could think once we got in there. I needed her to believe that I could get us through this.
"God, you're beautiful," I said, the words slipping out while I inhaled her scent, my lips inches from her neck as I dragged the second bra strap up her other arm.
Once the cups were loosely over her breasts, my gaze dropped for just a fraction of a second before our eyes met again in the mirror.
"I'm a very bad friend, Stace," I said, lowering my gaze to her back to clasp her bra.
Touching her soft flesh was intoxicating. Her skin was so smooth that I almost forgot about everything else.
"Grow up, Scott. It's not like you've never looked before," she said, calling me out with a teasing smile.
My hands moved up her back, while my mind chastised me.
She's different.
I pulled the pencil out of her hair and tore her bun apart with my fingers.
The way she moves me is unlike anything I could ever be worthy of.
Piling her hair onto one of her shoulders, I kissed the other, pressing my lips down on her bra strap.
She matters.
She let out a little moan, her eyes now closed as she leaned back against me.
She deserves better than Luca. Better than me.
"I'm going to take this back once we get out of here. Together," I said, attempting to soothe her as I pulled away.
Then I bent down, picked up her blouse, and redressed her. She watched me without a word, allowing me to manipulate her body like this wasn't the most intimate moment we'd ever shared. My mind was a mess. With every button I did up for her, I was thinking about all the other places I hadn't kissed her yet. Still, I stayed on task.
She's different. She matters. I can't hurt her. I can't have her.
When I was done, she turned around and looked into my eyes like she was seeing right through me. It felt uncomfortable. I hated it. She was just half naked in front of me and yet somehow I was the one feeling vulnerable. These emotions were all foreign to me.
As though understanding the hell I was in, she backed away.
"Okay," was all she said, picking up Kenny's jacket and pulling it over my shoulders. "Let's go and get Willow."