Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 102560 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102560 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
I welcome the distraction. I’m not ready to think about how I feel about Cain. Taking a deep breath, my chin tips to look up. “So even the hotel has a rec room?”
“Yep. Have to have guests happy, too.” Cain leads us back out of the hotel room, and we begin to walk through the large hallways again.
“Other than steel beams, is it just glass that’s the main material in this building?”
“On the outside, yes. Obviously, between each room and the interior spaces are drywall. But other than that, yes, all exterior walls are glass. That way, the guest feels immersed in branches.”
“It must be amazing when it rains.”
“Most people think it would be scary.”
“Rain isn’t scary. It’s beautiful,” I say dreamily.
“It is.”
Then we are back on the elevator and heading down to the lobby. When we arrive at our destination, we are no longer the only people in the lobby.
Barbara is standing with a clipboard in her hand, tapping her foot as she reads from it.
“And who do we have here?” an unfamiliar voice says, and I turn to see a handsome man with short, dirty blond hair and a scruffy face move closer to me. When he’s standing directly in front of me, he lifts his hand to shake mine. I’m about to, but Cain steps forward, blocking the man’s path.
“No one for you to concern yourself with.” Cain’s voice booms through the empty space, causing Barbara to cross the distance until she stands in front of us.
“Now, now, boys. Layla, why don’t you come with me? Scott had to ask Mr. Archer a question regarding the lower-level gym. Didn’t you, Scott?”
“I did,” the man I now know as Scott says.
“While you talk, I’ll bring Layla to see where the bar is going to be. Ready?”
“I am.”
Without a backward glance, Barbara starts walking me in the direction of a glass door. Once inside, I see it’s not complete yet, but I would have to be an idiot to not know that this, in fact, isn’t a bar, but just a plain room.
“Okay, so if you aren’t going to show me where I can grab a drink, why don’t you tell me why you led me here?”
“Be careful.”
“With?”
“You know what.”
I glare at her; my temper barely contained with this conversation. “I can assure you I don’t.”
Her lips thin. “Mr. Archer.”
Now I’m furious, but instead of snapping, I inhale deeply and will myself to calm. “What about him?"
"Why are you getting so close?” She basically spits out the question.
I narrow my eyes, shooting her a cold and angry look. “I’m here to tour the property for my article.”
“You need to know he’s not like other men. You don’t know him like I do.”
“Again . . .” This time, there’s no hiding my red-hot anger. “I’m not here for him. I’m here for The Elysian.”
“I’m just warning you. He’s not a good man.”
“From what I see, he’s not the monster you make him out to be.”
“He’s not showing you his true self. I don’t know why, but what you’re seeing isn’t the guy the rest of us see on a daily basis.”
“What does he do normally?” I place my hands on my hips in challenge.
“The man doesn’t let anyone in. He has no one. I’ve seen him disappear for days in his office working on projects, not a care in the world if he talks to anyone. What you are seeing now is a fluke because you are different from his daily routine. Sure, you are pretty, but you don’t have what he needs.”
“Are you . . . are you jealous?”
“No. It’s not like that with us. I just want to warn you. This won’t go anywhere. You’re not safe to pursue this further than this silly article.”
“Silly? Fine. Got it. Consider me warned. Now, if that’s all . . .” And with that, I leave, heading back to Cain. Back to my tour.
When I return to the hallway, Scott is no longer there, and Cain is on his phone. He looks up at me and crinkles his brow in concern as I walk by and out the front doors toward the car.
Striding up next to me, he ends the call, shoving the phone back into his pocket. “Why the frown? What did Barbara say to you?”
This man is too perceptive for my own good, but I wave him off. “Oh, just typical women talk. Everything is fine. Where are we off to? What’s next on this grand adventure?”
“Lunch.”
* * *
Later, when I’m in bed and ready to call it a day, my phone chimes. A text from Cain on the screen.
The text I open asks me if I’d like to go to a fundraiser The Elysian is holding at the grand opening of the new lounge in town. It’s VIP and invite only. He wants me to be his plus-one. Since my time is coming to an end, he says having insight into all the new business coming to town could help my article.