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When I woke up, it wasn’t yet full bright out. I expected to be alone, that Tristan might’ve left after I fell asleep, but there was a dip in the bed where his weight rested behind me. He’d spent the night. My stomach filled with butterflies.

His arm was draped over my stomach, his heat at my back. I had to be at work by nine, but the dim light told me it was still early. Weekends were tough because I couldn’t use the school showers. Tristan had helped me sneak into the shower room in the hotel’s gym once or twice, but it was still risky. I’d showered there last night before the beach party, so I’d be good until later.

Allowing myself a moment, I turned in his arms, careful not to wake him. I let my eyes trace over the masculine planes of his face, peaceful in slumber, and realised I hadn’t felt this safe with anyone since my dad had passed. Tristan had become a haven for me. I never realised a person could be that because I’d always considered havens to be physical places. But they weren’t. Whenever he was around, I felt like there was an invisible umbrella above my head, keeping out any rain that might fall.

I gave his cheek a soft kiss, then eased myself out from under his muscular arm. I went and grabbed a bottle of water, alongside my toothbrush and toothpaste to brush my teeth. I’d just finished brushing when I saw a new text pop up on my phone. I kept it on silent whenever I was here for fear of the noise somehow travelling and garnering the attention of the hotel guests or staff. There were ten missed calls from my sister, along with the text that came through just now.

Can you please come to the apartment? You were right about Graham. I should’ve listened to you, Erin. I’m so sorry.

Oh, fuck. What happened? Going into panic mode, I quickly texted her back, I’ll be there asap, then shook Tristan awake. He turned over, rubbing at his eyes. “What time is it?”

“It’s only seven, but I need to go. My sister’s been calling me. I think something happened with Graham. You can stay here if you want to sleep a little longer.”

“No, I’ll come with you.”

Tristan was up and ready to go in record time. We took the usual shortcut, but I was too concerned about my sister to worry about being seen. And I should’ve been concerned, because when the elevator reached the ground floor and the doors slid open, several people were waiting for us at the bottom.

10.

Tristan

Ah…so…this was bad. We should’ve used the old stairwell, but Erin had been in such a panic about her sister that I didn’t want to waste any time.

There in the corridor stood my dad, a hotel porter and the security manager. I should’ve known something like this would happen. We’d been using the elevators far too often and had probably been caught on camera.

“Son, I’d like a word with you,” Dad said, his voice hard and stern. I hated when he was mad at me. He glanced at Erin. “Mr Parsons here will escort you out, miss.”

“Wait, I need to go with—”

“It’s fine,” Erin said, cutting me off as she placed a gentle hand on my chest. “You go with your dad. I’ll call you later.”

I studied her expression, hating the embarrassment and shame that was practically oozing from her. She almost couldn’t meet my eyes. This was my fault. I’d promised her we wouldn’t be caught. I should’ve been more careful.

Cupping her cheek, I dipped down and made her look at me. “Everything’s going to be okay. If you need me, call me straight away.”

Erin nodded, swallowing thickly as she turned and walked out of the hotel with the security manager following behind her. I was unreasonably angry at him, escorting her out as if she were some kind of criminal. I tried to remind myself that he was just doing his job.

“You can go now, Mark. Thank you for your assistance,” Dad said to the porter who I unfortunately recognised. He was Natalie Green’s older brother. I vaguely remembered her saying he studied History in college and worked part-time at the hotel on weekends. Fuck. He’d better not tell her about this.

When we were alone, my dad silently began walking in the direction of his office. I followed, shutting the door behind me as he went to take a seat at his desk. “Care to tell me what’s been going on?”

“Don’t you already know?”

“All I know is that Mr Parsons has spotted you and that girl on the security cameras sneaking around the upper floors of the hotel several times over the last few days, and you were seen by the night shift porter coming out of the kitchen in the early hours of this morning. What’s been going on? Have you been using the empty rooms to…” His words fell off as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

I screwed up my face. “Oh bloody hell, Dad, no! It’s nothing like that. Erin’s my friend.” It wasn’t exactly true, not after that kiss last night. Fuck, it was an incredible kiss. I’d barely stopped thinking about it. Pretty sure I dreamed about it while she lay sleeping in my arms.

“Then explain yourself, please. Because there’s also been reports of food going missing from our storage, and now I have a sneaking suspicion my own son’s been stealing from me.”

I ran my hand over my jaw, wrestling over how to respond. It didn’t sit right with me revealing Erin’s situation to him since it was her story to tell. But my dad wasn’t some gossip, and I knew whatever I told him would stay between us if I asked. “Look, I’ll admit I took the food, but I’ll pay for it.”

Dad arched an eyebrow. “And the rest?”

I slumped in my seat, tugging at my hair. “It’s kind of sensitive. You have to keep this to yourself. She would be humiliated if any of this got out.”

His expression grew very serious, and he steepled his hands together. “Okay, you have my discretion.”

“She doesn’t have anywhere else to go.”