Chapter 7

Chapter 7
After the fire between them cooled, silence settled over the room.

Henry lay on his back, one arm folded beneath his head, staring at the ceiling. His breathing was steady, but his mind was anything but.

Beside him, Anna slept soundly, her chest rising and falling in soft rhythm, her face relaxed under the dim hotel lights.

His eyes drifted downward—to the faint smear of blood staining the sheets.

He swallowed hard.

Heavy guilt settled in his chest.

He had never slept with an innocent girl before, never crossed that line. The women in his life were experienced, aware, and in full control. But Anna… she had been vulnerable. Fragile. Dazed.

"What the hell have I done?'

At the time, he thought she was just overwhelmed by lust. Maybe attracted to him. He didn’t blame her... he was used to that kind of attention. But now, looking at her sleeping form and the undeniable evidence on the sheets, it hit him hard.

She had been a virgin.

And she hadn’t possibly been in her right mind.

He cursed under his breath, running a hand down his face.

There was no undoing it now. The damage had been done.

All he could do was find a way to make it right. Maybe compensate her in the morning—give her something to ease the blow. Money. A favor. Whatever would make her feel less… taken.

With a sigh, he stood and walked into the bathroom. The water ran for a long while, steam fogging the mirror as he tried to scrub the guilt off his skin.

When he came back out, he slipped under the covers again, glancing at her one last time.

'Just sleep. Tomorrow, we figure this out.' he told himself.

The next morning, sunlight bled in through the edges of the curtains. Anna stirred beneath the sheets, her brows twitching as a dull ache pounded through her skull.

Her body felt sore. Her thighs ached. And her head was spinning.

She sat up slowly, blinking into the light, her memory foggy and broken. She looked down and saw the sheets partially covering her naked body.

Her heart thudded.

She turned her head...

And froze.

There was a man lying beside her.

Her first instinct was that it must be Sam.

'Did I… sleep with Sam last night? Did I actually give myself to him… just like I promised?'

But when she leaned forward and wiped her blurry eyes....

She screamed.

A loud, high-pitched shriek tore from her throat before a strong hand clamped over her mouth.

“Shh!” Henry hissed, now wide awake and leaning over her. “This isn’t a luxury suite. It’s not soundproof. Trust me, you don’t want to alert the whole floor.”

Her eyes were wide with horror. She gently pushed his hand away and pulled the covers up to her chest.

“What—what happened?” she whispered. “What did you do to me?!”

Henry stared at her, his face unreadable. Then he sighed.

“What do you think happened?” he asked dryly. “What usually happens between a man and a woman alone in a room? I'm not proud it happened, but the deed's been done.”

Anna’s eyes dropped to her naked body and then the man lying beside her again.

His bare chest rose and fell steadily, defined muscles catching the early morning light. She quickly looked away, her cheeks heating in shame. Her heart pounded painfully as pieces of the night started falling into place.

The jacket.

The kiss.

The way she had thrown herself at him, drunk on something she hadn’t even chosen to feel.

Tears stung the corners of her eyes. She blinked quickly, trying to stop them from falling.

Henry, still propped up on one elbow, saw the shift in her face.

“Come on,” he said, his voice oddly casual. “Don’t look so broken. I’ll compensate you, alright? Just tell me what you want.”

She turned to him slowly, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand.

“I know it was your first time,” he added with a shrug, “but you can’t completely blame me here.

I had plans last night,” he continued. “Real plans. I got stuck here instead. You threw yourself at me, and.... you were just quite persistent and irresistible. Not trying to make excuses but, it is what it is."

She said nothing. Just stared at him.

He chuckled lightly. “What’s with the silent treatment? Trying to make up your mind about what you want?"

Her entire body tensed.

She turned her face away, and stood suddenly, holding the sheet around her, and scanned the room. Her eyes locked on her phone lying near the door. She walked over and picked it up quickly, checking the screen.

Silent mode.

She didn’t remember putting it on silent. And then it hit her—Michelle had borrowed her phone earlier that evening. Just for a call.

'She did this. Michelle did this to me.'

She thought, her heart racing.

Behind her, Henry let out a breath. “Why are you hiding?” he asked, watching her grip the sheets like a shield. “I’ve already seen everything. There’s nothing to cover up.”

She ignored him and sat slowly on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at her phone.

The message…

She opened her messages. Her fingers scrolled quickly until she found it—Sam’s text, telling her to meet him in Room 20. Clear as day.

A shaky breath left her lips.

Her screen lit up again with a list of missed calls.

Her grandfather. Her mother. Her father. Tanya. Even Sam.

"What am I supposed to do now?" She wondered.

Then, a sharp knock echoed from the door and Anna jolted.

Henry’s phone buzzed a second later. He picked it up, answered casually.

“Tanya,” he said after a second.

“Good morning, Henry. I'm outside,” she said. “I brought clothes for Anna. The hallway’s clear. No press, no guests. Coast is clear.”

Henry glanced at Anna.

“Perfect timing,” he said into the phone.