𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝

Chapter 19- Theo x Lydia

The phone buzzes in my hand, indicating a message sent to "Wolfpack" group chat, a digital portal to the unending stream of idiocy that flows between Jack and Landon.

I didn't even want to be added, but every time I left the group, Jack added me back into it.

I tap the screen, and Landon's message fills the void: a picture of a splintered wooden bed frame.

The picture should've been captioned "Exhibit A: Why men shouldn't be allowed near furniture." judging how the bed looked like it had witnessed a particularly enthusiastic wrestling match.

Landon: Dudes you won't believe what just happened.

Landon: Visiting Dahlia, right? Sitting on the bed opposite to hers, and the damn thing just... breaks.

Jack: Seems like someone has a big ass.

Landon: *big muscles you motherfucker.

I'm swear not gay, but if Landon were to be right in front of me now, I'd have kissed him on the mouth, not out of some bizarre affection, but for the unintentional service he's just performed by breaking the bed which Lydia was supposed to sleep on.

Now she really has nowhere to stay, the only solution is to come back to the penthouse. To come back home.

To come back to me.

Me: Where are the girls now?

Jack: Here comes the Knight in the shining armor.

Landon: They went out to find a hotel room for your "fiancée" ;)

Hell nah.

Lydia Harper is not staying another night away from me.

I tap into the location app I'd installed on my phone after scanning the barcode with her phone camera "for safety reasons."

There she is, a tiny blue dot making its way across the map, heading straight for Skyline View Hotel, a ten-minute walk from campus.

With a few clicks, I find the number of the hotel and dial it.

"Thank you for calling Skyline View Hotel, this is Sarah speaking. How may I assist you?"

"Hi Sarah," I start. "This is Theodore Kingsley. I need to book some rooms... all of them, actually."

The receptionist sputters on the other end. "All of them, sir? We have a variety of room types available, perhaps you could specify—"

"No, all of them," I cut her off, my voice clipped. "It's an emergency."

There's a beat of silence, then a hesitant, "Certainly, sir. However, we do have several large groups checking out this afternoon, so I can only guarantee—"

"Just book them," I interrupt again, throwing money at the problem the way I normally throw it at business deals. "Leave not a single room vacant and the payment will be done a moment from now."

There's another stunned silence before Sarah finally manages a breathless, "Of course, Mr. Kingsley. Consider it done."

Ending the call, I take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me. This isn't ideal. Hell, it's a logistical nightmare, but there is no way I'm letting Lydia stay in a hotel. Not when she can be here with me.

Now, the real challenge begins- convincing her to stay.

***
Lydia

"SERIOUSLY?" I yell, storming out of the hotel with Celine and Dahlia in tow. "This is the fourth hotel that tells me all the damned rooms are booked, how the hell does that even happen?"