Chapter 13
SHOWERED and dressed for the first time in hours, Kiera sat down and turned on the television. Gray remained in the bedroom getting dressed while he talked to his father. She didn’t know exactly what had happened, but she’d heard enough to know his sister had been taken to the hospital.
Kicking off her sandals, she flipped through the channels, looking for either The Star Insider or This Week In Hollywood. Both aired on Saturday nights.
She found The Star Insider first and put down the remote as the camera panned in on host Aimee Trainor who sat next to her weekend co-host, Trish Simmons.
“I thought we were going for a walk on the beach.”
Gray appeared calm despite the phone call. “Everything okay with Allison?”
“Seems to be. She got into a car accident. The hospital is keeping her overnight for observation. Jake and Charlie are with her now. My dad and Abby are on their way to Virginia.” Gray sat next to her. “So are you ready to go?”
“Welcome to the weekend edition of The Star Insider. Tonight, we have all the details from Friday night’s awards show, as well as the latest news on all your favorites.” Aimee Trainor’s voice came through the speakers.
“Please tell me you don’t watch this.”
“Only sometimes. I missed the awards show Friday night. Stephanie and I bet on who would win the Best New Male Actor Award. I wanted to see who won, so I turned it on.”
“What kind of bet?” He kissed her neck.
“If I win the bet, Stephanie has to clean my apartment for two weeks. Well, now she’ll have to clean our apartment. It’ll will be so clean, we’ll be able to eat lunch off the kitchen floor.”
“What if you lose?” His hand cupped her breast.
“I have to cook her two weeks’ worth of dinners.” Kiera straddled his lap. A walk could wait until later.
“Before we talk about Friday night’s awards show let’s check out what our other favorite celebrities have been up to this week.” Aimee Trainor’s voice once again filled the room as Gray squeezed Kiera’s ass. “Trish, why don’t you get us started?”
“Well, Aimee, on Wednesday afternoon, Anderson Brady and Selena Cruise were spotted exiting her apartment building in New York. Friends close to the couple say their relationship is heating up and there has been talk of them moving in together.”
If she could turn off the television without getting off Gray’s lap, she’d do it.
“And I must admit, they did look cozy together when I spotted them at Nikki Reese’s birthday party,” Trish said to her co-host.
“Speaking of parties… Some of the world’s sexiest let loose Thursday night at the grand opening of The Illusion Resort and Casino in Atlantic City,” Aimee said.
“Among those I saw there were the always-delectable Mark Walden, and my personal favorite Gray Sherbrooke, who spent most of the night alongside Nadia Danilova. Viewers may recall that Nadia’s father is the current Prime Minister of Russia and one of her cousins owns The Illusion.”
She froze and looked over at the screen, which showed a snapshot of Gray and Nadia looking intimate inside the party. The hosts continued their discussion, but Kiera couldn’t hear it over the blood pounding in her ears.
Gray had told her he’d been in New York all day Thursday. He’d arrived at her place late because of a work emergency he’d had to straighten out. He couldn’t have been in Atlantic City with Nadia or anyone else.
What about the picture? Could they be old ones? Maybe they were pictures taken the previous fall? Could they be Photoshopped? People could do anything with pictures and a computer.
She swallowed as her mind raced. The media had no reason to say he attended the grand opening of The Illusion. Not only that, but it had no reason to state he’d spent the night alongside Nadia Danilova.
“Kiera look at me.” Gray’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Try to take some deep breaths.”
Kiera moved off his lap and took in one deep breath after another. A hand stroked her back as she tried to get enough air into her body.
“That’s better, love. Calm down.”
Rather than calm her, Gray’s voice sent rage through her. “Don’t touch me.” She pulled away and stood, almost tripping over the coffee table.
“Please, sit down. It’s not what you think.” He walked toward her.
Kiera took several steps backward. “So they made up that story? You weren’t in Atlantic City when you said you were in New York? Did they Photoshop those pictures?” Her body vibrated as wave after wave of anger washed over her. “You told me you were working. That some project had hit a snag and you needed to take care of it before we left.”
“I was working on a project. Once I got it taken care of, I came straight to you.”
“And just what were you working on? The best way to sleep with Nadia and not have me find out?”
“There’s nothing between us. We’re business associates, that’s all.”
She walked to the other side of the couch. “Business isn’t my thing, but I know that people don’t finalize international projects at a party like that, Gray.”
Gray raked a hand through his hair, drawing Kiera’s attention to his expensive watch. Right away, the picture of Nadia getting out of a limo in California came to mind. In it, a well-dressed man wearing an expensive-looking watch had been helping her.
“You were with her in California, too, at the fundraiser.”
“Yes, we did talk that night but that was work too.”
“Why? If you wanted to see her you could have ended our relationship. I wouldn’t have hated you.”
She would have been crushed, but not pissed like she was now.
“My project involved her father, Kiera. Nothing has happened between us.”
“And you couldn’t work on it in your office?”
“It’s complicated.”
“That’s all you can say? You’ve been lying to me and all you can say is, ‘It’s complicated?’” Kiera shouted the last few words. “What else have you lied about?”
“I love you, Kiera. For now, I need you to trust me when I say nothing is going on. When I can explain everything, I will. I promise.”
Fury built inside her. “Trust you? Do you even know what the word means?”
Kiera pulled the engagement ring off her finger. Her first instinct was to throw it at him, but she didn’t want to be childish so she dropped it on the coffee table.
“Save that for the next woman you manage to fool.” So far, she kept back any tears. She hoped her anger held them back a little longer. When she fell apart, she wanted to do it alone behind a closed door.
“I’ll go as soon as I pack my stuff.” She started walking away, but didn’t get far as Gray leaped over the couch and landed in front of her.
“Don’t do this. Please, Kiera. I know you love me.” He grabbed her upper arms, his fingers biting into her skin.
“I did love you, but I guess that wasn’t enough for you. I should’ve known better. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
Gray’s eyes darkened with pain. “You don’t mean that. You’re upset. I understand that, but we can work this out.”
The pain and anguish she heard in his voice stabbed her already aching heart. Every fiber of her body wanted to accept what he said, but she couldn’t. Not only had he lied, he had cheated on her.
“There’s nothing to work out, Gray.” Grief and despair tore at her as she walked away.
She held it together just long enough. When she locked the bedroom door, her teeth began to chatter as her body trembled.
Why? Why bother acting like he loved her? Why sneak around with someone else? There had been nothing holding them together; he could have said goodbye at any point. Was he the type who found it more exciting to sneak around behind someone’s back? And why bother trying to convince her otherwise now? Was one woman not enough for him? Did his male pride require a whole harem of women lusting after him?
The door handle rattled. When Gray couldn’t open the door, he knocked on it. “Let me in so we can talk.”
Kiera swallowed the sob that rose in her throat. She needed to pack. When she got home, she’d give into the despair. Right now, she needed to get as far away from Gray as possible.
Crossing the room, she grabbed her suitcase from the closet.
“Kiera, I know you can hear me. Don’t leave like this.”
Her hands shook as she grabbed her clothes and stuffed them into her suitcase.
“Please say something.” Gray’s voice cracked.
He wanted her to say something? Fine she’d say something. “Get me a separate room for the night.”
A thud echoed through the door as if he’d slammed his head against it.
“Give me a chance to explain.”
Kiera pulled the door open and Gray pitched forward into the room.
“Some things you can’t fix.”
Damn it to hell. This wasn’t happening. Now, more than ever, he wished he could tell her the whole truth about his job with the Agency. Since he couldn’t do that, he had to make her believe him some other way.
“You mean the world to me. I would never do anything to hurt you.”
Tears glistened in Kiera’s eyes, the sight increasing the pain in his chest.
“You really expect me to believe you? I’ve caught you in lies twice now and you’ve been photographed with someone else.”
He asked a lot, but he had no other option until she was cleared?
“The Russian project is just about done. After that, I’ll have no reason to work with Nadia Danilova again.”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she went back to packing. “Just get me another room, Gray. I’ll fly home tomorrow. Goodbye, Gray.”
Kiera walked passed him, not bothering to turn around when he called out to her. Icy fingers gripped his heart and he turned toward the bedroom door. He had to convince her that nothing had happened. Things between them couldn’t end like this.
He ran out of the bedroom. “Please Kiera don’t leave. I love you. You’re the only person I want to be with.”
She stopped walking and looked at him. “I wish that was true, but I don’t think you know what the word love means.” She took a few more steps and pulled open the door. “Don’t bother me again tonight, or I promise I’ll call hotel security.”
The door slammed shut and Gray bowed his head as he leaned against the wall.
He hadn’t cheated on her, but he had lied to her. Although he never meant to hurt Kiera, she might never forgive him.
Raw grief ripped through his body. He needed her like he’d never needed anyone before. He’d make things right. He had no other alternative.
Left with no other choice but to wait, Gray called the front desk. If Kiera planned to get her own room, he’d at least make sure he got the bill for it.
Gray spent the rest of the night pacing and flipping through television channels. He had to try talking to her again. Maybe now, after several hours, she’d listen and not threaten to call hotel security on him. She might not accept the ring, but perhaps she’d give him a chance to make things right.
Without changing out of the clothes he’d worn all night, he went downstairs. It was still early. He hoped Kiera hadn’t checked out yet.
A too perky young woman stood at the front desk when Gray approached.
“I need to know what room Kiera Renault is in,” Gray said as he kept an eye out for Kiera. In order to leave she’d have to check out first and come through the lobby.
“I’m sorry sir. I cannot give out that information.”
Under other circumstances, he’d accept the answer and walk away. Not today. “Why don’t we ask the manager, then?”
The clerk picked up the phone and asked the manager to join them.
“Mr. Sherbrooke, what can I do for you this morning?” the hotel manager asked when he appeared.
Gray forced a tight smile and read the man’s nametag. “I just need to know what room my friend is in, Miles. I paid for it last night.”
“Yes, yes. I remember when you called.”
He watched each guest who passed by while he waited for the information.
“She was in room four-twenty,” Miles said.
“Was?” He should’ve camped out in the lobby last night.
“Miss Renault checked out at five o’clock this morning, sir.”
She had a two-hour head start on him.
“Thank you, Miles. I’ll be checking out myself soon.”
He’d head back to Providence and try talking to her again. For now, that was all he could do.
“We’ve reached cruising altitude; you may now use any electronic devices,” the flight attendant’s voice came through the speakers.
Kiera unclipped her seatbelt. The way she saw it, the safety device wouldn’t make a bit of difference in an emergency anyway. Then she reclined her seat and looked out the window while trying to ignore the passenger next to her who kept moving around as she pulled one item after another from her carry-on bag.
What a different plane ride this one promised to be. On the trip down, she and Gray had been alone. The only other people on board had been his private flight crew. Now, she was surrounded by at least a hundred other passengers.
“Do you mind if I use your tray?” The passenger next to her asked, a laptop and several file folders out. “I need to get some work done, but don’t have enough room.”
“Go ahead.” Kiera lowered the tray, grateful she never worried about getting work done while traveling.
“Thanks. I was in Anguilla for business. I work for a linen company. We supply the towels and bedding to many of the resorts. My boss wants all these requisitions on his desk the moment I land.” The overworked female passenger put some files on Kiera’s tray. “What about you? Were you in the Caribbean for business or pleasure?”
Heartache. “A short vacation.”
“I haven’t had a vacation in over three years.”
She hoped the passenger didn’t talk all the way back to Providence. Right now her overtired brain couldn’t handle it. “This was my first one in a while.” Kiera pulled her ear buds from her purse, hoping her neighbor would notice and focus on her work.
“My last one was right before my husband moved in with his new girlfriend. We flew down to the Florida Keys to celebrate our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, then two weeks later, he moved in with his twenty-two year old fitness trainer.”
Kiera had enough heartache of her own, she’d rather not have anyone else dumping stuff on her.
“That’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
Maybe if she put the ear buds in, her talkative neighbor would get the hint.
“Take my advice. Stay single. Men want only one thing. When they get tired of you, they move on.”
She learned that already. “I’ll try to remember that.”
Done sharing her sage advice, Kiera’s neighbor got to work while Kiera popped in her ear buds and closed her eyes. She would not fall asleep, but her neighbor would never know that.