Chapter Thirty-Six — Oliver

Watching Bianca swing her hips as she sauntered back toward me, I kept looking behind her, waiting for Maya to appear. When she finally reached the table I’d secured for us, my stepsister still hadn’t appeared. Worried that she’d gotten lost since I’d moved a few feet away from where we’d sat before, my eyes kept darting around the space searching for her.

“Darling, the kid had to go back to her hotel. She has a headache. She said for me to tell you goodbye and that we should enjoy our evening together.” She smiled at me, flicking her fringe backward.

“What the fuck, Bianca. What if she gets lost? And she doesn’t have her fucking coat either.” I glared at her, unable to comprehend her stupidity. Through gritted teeth, I hissed, “And never call Maya the kid again, understand?”

That was all I had time for. I had to find Maya before she disappeared. I grabbed a few notes from my wallet and threw them onto the table. “Get a taxi back to your place. I'm going to find Maya.”

Thank fuck I hadn’t allowed Bianca to move into my place. Sure¸ she slowly brought stuff over and left it at my place, but I made a point of not letting her feel as if it were her home.

Snatching up Maya’s coat and scarf, I went in the direction of the bathroom, hoping to bump into her before she left the building. It was fucking freezing out there and I didn’t want her catching her death.

I pushed my way impatiently through the throngs of people who’d multiplied like locusts in the last half hour, my eyes frantically searching for a dark head. A few times I thought I'd spotted her, but every time I was disappointed when it wasn’t her. My gut dropped to my shoes and my mouth went dryer by the second.

Maya was gone. Fuck.

My stomach pulled into a tight knot when I realized I had no idea where she was staying or what her phone number was. A few months back I’d caved in and called her number, just to hear her voice on her mailbox, and I’d discovered that she’d discontinued that service.

Her coat hung over my arm, and I could smell her fragrance lingering on it. It was driving me insane. But then a thought hit me—I checked the pockets, grinning when I saw a keycard for a hotel that was about five minutes away.

“Find me a taxi,” I yelled above the noise to the young waiter as I shoved money into his hand. He nodded and scurried off while I glanced around the room again. Still nothing.

Two minutes later the dude signaled me that a taxi was waiting. They must’ve been lined up outside the place, and for once I was glad I could escape the jolly bustle of a Friday night. The fact that Bianca let Maya leave without her coat was pissing me off more and more. I clenched my jaw, anger swirling in my gut. Jealousy was an ugly look on anyone. I knew because I’d worn it more times than I cared to admit.

I shivered as I opened the door to slide in beside the driver. I wanted to be up at the front so I could look out for a Maya—if she hadn’t taken a taxi, she’d be frozen stiff. Directing the taxi driver to the hotel, I sat forward in my seat, my gaze pinned to the road.

Being a Friday night, there was a hell of a lot more traffic in this part of town than midweek. I cursed as we stopped at one traffic light after another, sometimes barely moving a few yards before stopping again. As soon as we turned off the busy road though, I instructed the driver to go as fast as he could. I couldn’t wait any longer to find Maya.

I'd been checking the meter as we drove, so I just pulled a fifty from my wallet and threw it down onto the seat as soon as I’d hopped out.

“Thanks—and keep the change,” I said to the driver as I closed the door and marched into the hotel foyer through the revolving doors. I checked the magnetic card for a room number. Fuck. Nothing.

The line at the desk was longer than I had the patience for. For some bizarre reason I had the strangest sensation that I had to hurry or I'd be too late. For what I didn’t know, but I'd had a sort of sixth sense when it came to Maya, and I knew something was going to happen.

A pretty redhead dressed in the hotel uniform stood alone on the far side of the desk, her attention on a computer. I was in luck. Plastering my most charming smile on my face, I walked over to where she stood. I cleared my throat so she would look up at me.

A small frown marred her forehead as she moved her head upwards, irritation just under the false smile she was about to present me with. “Good evening,” I said in my strongest American accent. Danish women were suckers for the way I spoke. The frown evaporated and was replaced with a genuine smile.

“Good evening, sir. How may I be of assistance?” The way she was checking me out, I was sure she had a few things in mind, but I didn’t have time for small talk. Time was ticking and I had to get to that room. But I also knew that if I didn’t play along, she could give me grief—I turned the charm factor up a notch.

“I was wondering if you could help me, sweetheart? I need the room number to this key card please.”

Her eyebrow shot up as she took the card from me. “We don’t give out room numbers unless we have the occupant’s name on record,” she said in a heavy accent.

Not wanting to piss her off, I leaned against the counter casually. “My sister left her coat in the taxi.” I held up the coat as proof. “Poor thing, she must be jetlagged.” That part at least was true.

“I'm just about to sign off for the night, and then I’m out of here,” she said, smiling widely. “If you want, I could arrange for someone to take the coat up to her and you could buy me a drink to say thank you.”

Fuck. This wasn’t going my way. “That’s the best offer I’ve had all night, beautiful. But little sis left her asthma inhaler in the pocket and I just want to make sure she’s okay.” I was completely fucked if she asked to see the damn inhaler I'd just fabricated.

Alarm came over her face. “Oh, my little brother has asthma, too. It's terrible having to watch him suffer sometimes. His seems to get worse at night.” I wouldn’t have a clue, so I was willing to go along with anything she said if it would get me to Maya.

She turned her attention back to the computer and typed something into it. “Tell you what. Go check on your sister, and when you’re done I’ll be here.” She wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to me together with the key card.

“Thanks, babe,” I said, relief washing over me.

She laughed. “Sure. Your sister is in room 3003 on the top floor. Now hurry; I’m waiting for that drink.”

Crossing the foyer with long strides, I pressed the button to the elevator. If she’d just told me the room number, what had she written on the paper? I opened it slowly.

Clara—room 515. I'll be waiting.

Underneath she’d scribbled a heart and a smiley face. Crumpling the paper into a ball, I shoved it into my pocket as the doors opened. I stepped inside and sent up a prayer of gratitude that there weren’t ten other people in the car all wanting to get off at a different floor. As I went to press the button for the thirtieth floor I heard a laugh. Clara was inside the car with me.

What the fuck just happened?

Clara inserted a card into a slot and pressed a code into the keypad.

“I thought I’d come with you to check on your sister.” She waved her card at me, smiling. “This means we go directly to the top floor with no stops. Handy, huh?”

Fuck, how was I going to get rid of her? I had to keep my shit together. “That’s cool sweetheart, but why don’t you go to your room, five one five, and I’ll see you in a bit?” Luckily I’d remembered the number so that I’d sound more convincing.

“And miss all the fun?” she said, laughing as she pulled the front zipper of her dress down all the way to her waist. She wasn’t wearing a bra. “I love fucking in the elevator, American,” she said as she pushed the dress off her shoulders and let it drop to the floor. Fuck me—she wasn’t wearing panties either.  She’d looked so professional, innocent even, standing behind the desk earlier.

I groaned loudly. Her legs went on forever in black heels and her pussy had been trimmed with only a small landing strip of dark brown hair. The red hair was fake.

Large brown nipples scraped against my arm.  “Let's see how quickly you can come.” Seconds later her hand was on my dick, stroking through the fabric. I felt myself harden under her skillful fingers. A day ago I would have been up for this. A quick fuck on the way to the top floor was nearly as good as the mile high club. I wasn’t unfamiliar with down and dirty stranger sex. No names. No emotions. Just raw fucking.

She tugged on my pants zipper and pulled it down expertly—she’d obviously had plenty of practice. Stunned, I watched her hand disappear into the opening and grab hold of my cock while she licked her lips.

Gripping both her wrists with one hand, I pushed her backwards. “Babe, I want to fuck you all night long, not just here.” I grabbed hold of a nipple and twisted until she gasped. “And I’m the one who calls the shots,” I growled, squeezing her tit forcefully in my palm, intending pain. “Do you understand?’”

She nodded. I turned her around and smacked her ass hard. She yelped, so I smacked again. “Later baby, when I can give you my full attention. Now get dressed like a good girl and go wait for me in your room.”

“Oh God,” she panted. “I'm so fucking wet. Just fuck me now and then I’ll go wait for you.”

“Did I say you can talk?” I growled, lifting my hand for another smack.

She whimpered as my hand connected to her ass, her pussy juices dripping down her leg. I threw back my head and laughed like a madman. Yesterday I would have fucked her upside down if that was what she wanted. Now I wanted no part of her. I had another woman on my mind.

Maya. She was all that mattered.

The elevator came to a stop.

“Get dressed,” I said as I left, already forgetting about her as I scrutinized the numbers looking for Maya’s room. She’d better be there. She’d better be okay. I slapped my hand to my forehead. I was the dumbest fuck on earth. No other pussy—no other woman could come close to Maya.  I’d always known that. I wasn’t going to lose her again. To anyone or anything.

Once I reached her door I froze. My heart hammered against my ribs and my mouth went dry. I couldn’t just barge in even though I had a key. I knocked on the door and took a step back, controlling my breathing in an effort to stay the fuck calm.

A minute later I knocked again. Maybe she was asleep already. Jetlag was a real thing. I knocked again, this time considerably louder. Still nothing.

Visions of her on a crimson bathroom floor, blood trickling from her veins, flashed through my mind. My heartbeat sped up and my chest tightened so that I could hardly breathe.

Fuck me, I was going in.

Swiping the white piece of plastic with trembling hands, I heard the beep and then a green light flashed. I was in! I turned the knob and pushed the door open slowly. I didn’t want to scare her if she was sleeping, but I also didn’t want to take my sweetass time.

I stumbled into the darkness, stretching my arms out in front of me so that I wouldn’t bump into anything.

“Maya? Are you here?” My voice echoed around the room, unanswered. I reached for a bed lamp. I needed light so I could see what the fuck was going on. Fear had gripped my insides as silence swirled around me.

Her perfume permeated my nostrils—she’d been in this room only a short while ago. The light flickered to life a few seconds later. My gaze fell on the empty bed. It hadn’t been slept in at all. Fuck, no! Please don’t let my little bee be lying on the bathroom floor.

I'd never really prayed before, but now I was on speed dial to heaven. The light from the lamp was too dim to see into the bathroom. Why did they make these rooms so fucking dark? And cold. A shiver ran down my spine; I was chilled to the fucking bone.

“Maya? For fuck sake, answer me!” This wasn’t the way I planned on greeting her when I came looking for her, but right at this moment it was all I could muster not to scream her name into the darkness. Fumbling, I found a light switch and flicked it on, feeling relief when a light blinked to life. Preparing myself for the worst, I couldn’t help sucking in extra oxygen as I stared at the bathroom floor.

Empty.

No Maya.

Where the fuck was she?