Temptress

14|New York

Elliot's POV

I checked my stocks on my phone and sighed in relief when I realized they had gone up.

"No," she muttered as her head twitched on my shoulder.

We were on our way to the hotel and she fell asleep.

I considered waking her up, but she was sick after all. I needed her well-rested for tomorrow.

"No," she began to cry as sweat trickled down her face.

I immediately put down my phone and tried to figure out what to do in this situation.

I decided to wrap my arm around her and pull her into my chest.

That seemed to do the trick because her cries began to subside.

"How much longer?" I asked the driver.

"Uh, five minutes out," he guessed. "It won't be long. It's just up there."

"Vile," I assumed she muttered.

Vile?

I brought my ears closer to her as she kept mumbling the same word.

Eventually, I figured out that she was trying to say Violet.

Violet.

As in the flower or colour?

I held her tighter as she trembled.

Did she do this every night or was her sickness causing her to say random words?

"We're here," he announced and I looked down on her.

I didn't want to wake her but she'd be better off sleeping on her hotel bed.

I gently shook her.

"Sereia," I called out her first name. "We're here."

It took me a few more tries before she slowly got up.

Her eyes widened when she saw my wet shoulder and chest.

She immediately turned away to wipe her tears.

"It's ok," I attempted to comfort her and minimize the awkwardness.

That didn't help.

She opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle.

The driver and I both got out and collected the suitcases from the back.

"Have a good one," he said as he took the tip from my hand.

She insisted on holding her suitcase so I allowed her to as we walked into the building.

An old buddy of my father's owns this hotel. I remember coming here as a kid whenever we came to New York.

Every time I come to New York, this is where I stay.

"Mr. Harrington," Rachael, the receptionist greeted me as I approached her.

"Good to see you again Rachael," I said as she began looking for my reservation.

"I see you've brought your mistress," she said looking at Sereia and I choked on air.

"What?" I asked. "No, she's an employee. We're here for business."

She nodded while holding in her smile and handed me a room key. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

"It's not-" I stopped talking when I realized my words were falling on deaf ears.

"Where is the other?" I asked as I picked up the card.

"Oh, you weren't joking?" she asked as she looked at the computer again. "Your reservation is for a two-bed room."