Dangerous Temptations(43)

"I'm not staying at a hotel! I can't afford that," I hissed, moving away  from him. I had a savings account, but the last thing I wanted to do  was blow it on a seven-hundred dollar a night hotel room.

"You need to be somewhere safe," was all he offered back.

"Well, I'll go broke staying there. I'll be fine at Staci's."

"You aren't paying for it. And you are staying there. Those reporters  are probably going to follow us and follow you wherever you go, so  you'll need to stay somewhere with security. They won't be able to  bother you once you're inside."

Although he was right, I hated agreeing with him. I wanted to hit him,  scream at him, but I just continued sitting there staring out of the  window. I couldn't believe this was happening … who the hell at the event  would talk to the press?

"Mac … "

"Not now," I shot back before he could continue. We arrived at the hotel  shortly after. I had nothing with me except my purse, so I'd have to  ask Staci to bring me some of her clothes and other necessities up to me  later on. I felt bad for getting her involved once again, but I knew  she would help me.

Alex paid for the cab and started to get out before I stopped him.  "Wait … won't it look bad if we both go in a hotel together? I mean, I can  check in by myself. I'll be fine."

"I really don't care what it looks like, Mac. I told you that already.  Keeping you safe is something I'm much more concerned about than what  some stupid newspaper says."

I nodded in response and let him rush us inside before the reporters  could catch up with us. He checked me in and handed me the key. "C'mon … I  made sure you had a good view."

"Really? You think it's the view I'm worried about?" We walked around to the elevators and hit the call button.

"No."

"Well, thanks … but I could've stayed at Staci's … " I pressed again, but I  knew it was worthless. He was ‘in-charge' Alex and nothing I said would  change his mind.

"Can we please talk?" he asked as we stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the thirty-seventh floor.         

     



 

"It's not going to change anything." I stood in the corner behind him.

Once the doors closed, he turned around and stared at me, intense and  controlled. "I didn't know who you were … when I first saw you that night  at the club-I didn't know."

"You're lying."

"I'm not," he urged, his voice strained. "I swear. I didn't know."

I swallowed, wishing I could believe him, but I wasn't sure. I could  hardly think with him this close to me. "Then when?" I whispered. "When  did you know?"

He blinked, taking a step closer. I watched as the muscles in his upper  arms shifted and his hand came up to reach for me. "The next morning.  That's when I recognized you. I'd seen pictures of you online and it  just hadn't clicked until you woke up in my bed."

I stared at him, unmoving and barely able to breathe. If he was telling  the truth, then why did I still feel sick to my stomach about it?

"Then why didn't you tell me then? Why didn't you say something?"

"I had thought about it, but I don't know … I liked you, Mac. A lot. I  knew if I told you first, I'd never have the chance to prove you wrong  about William. I knew you didn't belong with him the moment I figured  out who you were."

As I let his words soak in, it all started to make sense. Him giving me  that note as I was leaving his suite, him overly calm when we finally  came face to face at dinner a week later … he knew we'd be meeting in  person soon. He knew we'd be meeting in front of William …

"That's why you didn't call … " I said, mostly to myself. My eyes burned  into the wall behind him as I talked it out. "If you were so interested,  you would've called that week … I mean, you had my number after I called  about my ring. You knew we'd be forced to officially meet … you knew we'd  be living together … you knew everything."

"Mac … just listen … "

"You had days to tell me, Alex … that whole week before dinner … the four  weeks after that." I finally blinked and looked at him. "Why didn't you  say something? You lied. You left me in the dark … you made me believe you  were honest."

"I've been completely honest with you, Mac. I didn't know it was you  that night, and once I realized it, yeah-I didn't tell you-but that  doesn't mean I lied."

"You withheld the truth. It's the same thing." I scowled. The elevator  came to a stop and dinged, the doors sliding open just in time. "There's  no point in this conversation." I stepped around him, exiting the  elevator and heading toward my room.

"Mac … " He followed me out, walking behind me as I searched for my room.  "You've got to believe me." I could hear the desperation and pain in his  voice, but I didn't care. My blood was still boiling, his betrayal  fueling my thoughts and actions.

"I don't have to believe anything, Alex." I quickly spun around and  faced him. "You lied to me. You knew I was going to tell William about  us and you still didn't tell me the truth. So give me one reason why I  should believe a word you say?" I challenged, keeping my eyes locked on  his.

"Because I've shown you over and over how much I care about you … I've  opened myself up to you, can't you see that? Have you seen me bring any  other woman over? Or even mention other women?" I swallowed at the  intensity of his eyes and face. He stepped closer. "No, because there  was no reason to. I didn't want anyone else, Mac. I want you. I don't  know how else to make that perfectly clear."

I snorted, huffing out an amused laugh. "Calling me a fox and ‘hotter in  person' is reason enough to believe you're just as fake as your  father." Before he could stop me, I spun back around and walked the rest  of the way to my room.

Just as I was shutting the door behind me, he stopped it with his foot  and stared down at me. He looked defeated, broken. I couldn't get my  emotions in check, not when I was around him anyway. My heart ached,  wanting to wrap my arms around him and tell him it would all be okay,  that I could forgive him, that my feelings were just as strong as his  were, but my head was too stubborn. I've dealt with complicated for most  of my life. I've suffered from disappointments, lies, and false hope.  That was why William and I were so compatible. He wasn't multi-layered.  It was easy. Our relationship was simple and it's what made us work.         

     



 

Had I known it was all based on lies … I would've walked away sooner.

But better late than never, I thought. I couldn't let myself get involved with someone like that again.

"What?" I asked, pushing my feelings for him away.

He swallowed and looked at me genuinely. "I'll send someone to bring up  your things. Don't answer the door for anyone but room service or me.  Answer your phone when I call."

I blinked. "Anything else?"

He stared at me for a long moment before speaking up. "You were never a revenge lay, Mac. Never."

I didn't know how to respond. I was always vulnerable around him but  right now, I needed to stay focused. My entire life was changing, and I  needed to make a plan on how I was going to get through this alone.

"I'm going to take a bath," I said quietly. "Call me when I can expect my things to be delivered."

"I will." I started to shut the door, but he held it open and continued, "Remember what I said."

"Yes, I will." I sighed. I watched as he released the door. I breathed  out in relief, finally left alone to get my head back together-figure  out what my next step would be.





AFTER TAKING A long, hot bath, I lay on the bed looking out through the  large floor-to-ceiling windows. My phone was blowing up with texts and  voicemails from Staci, Chelsea, and Brittainy. I didn't have the energy  to explain everything to all of them right now, so I only planned to  call Staci for now.

"Oh my god! Please tell me you're okay?" she answered on the first ring.

I sighed in relief from hearing her voice. "I'm okay."

"Thank god … shit, Mac. What the hell happened?"

"I'm staying at the Four Seasons. Alex brought me here. William's a  complete asshole and liar. Someone at the event spoke to reporters about  us," I breathed out. "That's about it, in a nutshell."

"How … I mean, how could anyone know?"

"It was all based on speculation, from the pictures at the event of Alex  and I walking in together and being seen next to each other all night.  It was a fabricated story on their end, but … it was true. I slept with  him. I was ready to tell William before everything blew up in my face." I  swallowed, exhaling slowly before I continued. "He overheard Alex and  me fighting. He didn't even care, Stace," I explained softly. "He only  cared how it would affect his image."