Reputation's Play (Book 1)

Ch. 42 Pillow Talk

Chapter 42 

Holding the left side of his ribs, Daniel stepped off the elevator and held the door for Gia. she followed him silently as they walked down the empty hotel hallways towards their room. Armani had insisted upon the new couple getting some alone time on the night of their wedding. He said to disagree would be to reject his wedding gift to the pair. He was the owner of the hotel and for Daniel and Gia, the top suite was reserved for the rest of the week.

When Gia began to realize she wasn't going back home with Carla, her insides twisted horribly as if she was on a roller coaster with no destination. She knew there was no point in fighting or saying anything to protest. The men will have their way and she will just end up regretting her words. So after a tearful goodbye to her aunt, Gia climbed into Daniel's car and followed him to the hotel.

"There's only one bed," Daniel said as they stood in the middle of the lavish suite staring at the king size bed.

"I can see that," Gia said quietly.

"There's a sofa over there," Daniel appointed to the sofa by the window. "I'll take that."

Gia didn't argue. She didn't care where she slept or where he slept. Slipping off her heels, Gia reached back and undid the zipper of her dress. She headed straight into the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

The marble floors were cold beneath her feet as she stood by the mirror with her hands gripping the edge of the sink and her shoulders slouched with tension. Even though her chest swelled up with a cry, Gia's eyes were too dry to shed any tears. She looked up at herself and winched from what she saw. Her eyes were red and swollen, her lips dry and chapped. She looked as pale as a ghost, especially against the maroon of the dress she wore and the white interior of the bathroom.

After several minutes, Gia slipped the dress off and stepped into the shower. She let the steam fill the room until she couldn't see. Her skin burned from the scolding water. Her scalp began to hurt from the water pressure. But anything was better than nothing.

The physical discomfort of being under the hot water reminded Gia that she could feel something. Placing her hand on the wall, Gia slowly slid down to the floor and wrapped her arms around her legs. She sat like a rock under the waterfall as the steam began to seep out from underneath the door.

On the other side, Daniel watched the white smoke from where he sat on the edge if the bed. He was exhausted to the bones but is heart was restless. Daniel wanted to pull Gia into his arm and hold her until she forgave him. He wanted to tell her his world started and ended at her. She meant so much to him and he blew it all. With a heavy sigh, Daniel rose from the bed and walked over to the bathroom door.

"Gia?" He tapped lightly against the door and listened to the sounds of the water running and Gia's soft sobs.

Daniel pressed his forehead against the door and shut his eyes. His life was spirling out of control and he could not do anything about it but blame himself. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be married to the girl he had been in love with since they were kids. But it happened and because the universe was cruel, Daniel's dreams had turned into nightmares. His wife had locked herself in the bathroom and was crying over the heart ache he had caused her.

How could he hurt her so bad? How could he do that to the only girl he had ever wanted since he knew how to want something?

Falling in love with Gia didn't happen in a day or over the course of a foolish summer. It happened between having her sit beside him at the beach and seeing her for the first time at some charity event. It happened when Daniel didn't want to fall in love with her but couldn't stop himself from thinking about her every chance that he had. She was his obsession and she didn't even know it. She was unaware of just how much her existence fueled Daniel's life.