“Yes.” The word barely leaves my mouth.
For a moment neither of us moves. Then he reaches for me, his fingers brushing the side of my face, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. His eyes search mine like he’s asking permission for something neither of us has said out loud.
I lean closer without thinking. His hand moves to my waist. “Sera…” My door clicks open behind me and he starts to follow me inside.
Then a voice echoes down the hallway. “Lucien?”
We both turn. A woman is walking quickly toward us, heels clicking against the floor. She looks relieved the moment she sees him.
“Lucien, there you are,” she breathes. “I’ve been worried sick. You haven’t answered any of my calls.”
Lucien freezes. Shock flashes across his face.“Charlotte?” The woman finally notices me standing beside him. She smiles politely, though her eyes are curious.
“Oh—hi. I’m Charlotte.” She slides her hand around Lucien’s arm naturally. “Lucien’s girlfriend.”
For a second I just stare at her.
Then something inside me cracks.
A small laugh escapes before I can stop it.
“Of course.” My voice sounds strangely calm. I extend my hand slightly. “I’m Sera. Nice to meet you.”
Charlotte looks a little confused but shakes my hand anyway. The whole time, Lucien hasn’t moved. He’s looking at me like he wants to say something. Like he’s waiting for the moment to explain.
But the words never come.
Finally he clears his throat. “Charlotte… this is Sera. She works for the company.” The words land like a slap. Just someone from the office. Charlotte beams at him again, completely unaware of the tension.
“Baby, I’m starving. Let’s go get dinner.”
Lucien looks back at me quickly. “Sera—”
I feel a lump in my throat. “Don’t let me interrupt,” I say quietly, forcing a small smile. “I have an early flight tomorrow.” For a moment it feels like I should say more. Ask questions. Demand answers. But the words never come. “Excuse me.” I open my door and step inside.
The door closes softly behind me. The second it clicks shut, the tears start falling. I cover my mouth, trying to keep the sound in. I can’t believe this is real. I almost gave my heart away again.
I almost believed him. God, I feel stupid. I wipe my face roughly and force myself to stand. Part of me should feel devastated. Instead, there’s something worse. Numbness. Like some small part of me expected this all along. I pack my bag slowly, fold clothes, zip the suitcase. stare at the minibar for a long moment.
Funny. When I first arrived at the hotel, I wanted a real drink. Something strong. Something poured by a bartender with tired eyes and no questions. Not these. Now the minibar is the only thing in the room that feels honest. Small, quiet and predictable. I open it. The glass bottle is cold in my hand, the amber liquid catching the dim glow of the lamp. For a moment I just look at it. Then I twist the cap and take a swallow straight from the bottle. The burn slides down my throat.
I welcome it. At least this pain is simple. At least this one makes sense. I sit on the edge of the bed and stare at nothing. No more tears left in me. I cried them all out already. Gave them away to the wrong people. Why should I cry more? They don’t deserve even that from me. At some point I lie back against the mattress, the bottle still resting loosely in my hand. The ceiling above me slowly blurs.
And eventually, exhaustion pulls me under.
In the strange softness of sleep, I hear footsteps.
Fast.
Someone running.
“Era, wait.”
I turn, and even before I see him, I know who it is.
Dominic.
He’s running toward me like he’s afraid I’ll disappear. “That’s not what you think,” he says breathlessly.