Chapter 26

“I’m going to bed. I’m tired. I’ll grab a shower and a light snack and hit the sheets.” I need to get away from his probing eyes because I know he will start questioning me, and we’ll only end up quarrelling about this.

“You don’t want to come for dinner?” He sounds odd and tense, watching me closely.

“No, I just want to stay here.” I sound normal despite the hammering inside my chest and the tremble in my fingers, ever grateful for years of perfecting this. My whole body feels weak and surreal, and I’m lightheaded.

“You want me to order you some dinner to the room?” The look of concern is still crossing his face, and it endears me to him for a moment, guilty that I’m clamming up, but I can’t help it; it’s who I am.

“Why, Mr. Carrero!” I smile at him, hoping to look amused. “I didn’t know you knew how to do such things,” I purr demurely, and he smiles, relaxing a little. Finally, that look in his eye dissipates; mission accomplished. I’ve always been good at