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CHAPTER FOUR

VICTORIA

I woke up thanks to the early ht I think I was still s arh loas replaced by panic I sat up and looked around He’d locked one Oh Jesus! What if I’ve lanced over at the clock… it was only six-fifteen Thank goodness I woke up before Manny ca face to face with hi on this alreadycake

I gathered ot dressed I wondered where Alex had gone and when Did he slip back to his own rooht out of the fear that one of the other staff would catch us? Did he have a date? Surely he hadn’t already gone into the office It was so early Then again, he didn’t go in yesterday, that I knew for a fact But today was Saturday; oing to face hi of me and I couldn’t help but wonder what I’d just done to inpayment due soon How could I have been so stupid… and for sex? But it wasn’t just sex I didn’t want to think that I was trying hard to discouragethat but it was the truth At least on my end, it wasn’t just sex I’d felt a real connection there, or had I just been stupid once again?

I got into the elevator and pushed the button for the upper floor where theI noticed was thatcart was still there Alex… or so I noticed was that the door to his suite was open I carefully moved across the upper balcony All was quiet downstairs Not even the cook came in before seven Alex liked it that way Those were his rules No staff between seven planced inside The bed was made and all looked neat and tidy I hadn’t made the bed yesterday… I wondered who did Karen wasn’t usually in on Fridays, but what if she’d come in for soh and that hy she had the job of lead staff I’d seen her fire people for less I looked at the cart again and told myself that if it had been Karen, she would have put the cart away downstairs where it went Did Alex uess that wouldn’t be completely odd He’d done it before

“Alex?” I called out to the empty roo roo stone fireplace was ee bathroom was open and that room was empty as well I looked at the clock It was six-thirty now I had to get out of here before the other staff ca here in a wrinkled unifor into thewild sex all night Or maybe that was just the invisible “Guilt” stamp on my forehead

I guiltily retreated and headed for the elevator I took it to the h the locked service entrance in the back of the large, gour a deep breath of the fresh, salty ot into ot out to the e and ular Iand heldto be that lucky She was sitting at the little dining rooh the door

She grinned broadly and said, “Well hello You look like you had a good night” I iine that in my anxious statemy uniform…

“Um… yeah, it was okay,” I said “How are you?”

She raised an eyebrow and stood up “I’e Then, you and I can talk”

“Talk about…?”

She took a cup out of the cabinet and turned around and looked at ain She ran her eyes over my uniforht and you’re still in your uniform…”

“Oh, that!” I said, trying to sound sincere I’ive it a shot “I didn’t have any clean clothes at Jason’s, so I just put this on”

“I’m shocked,” she said

“That I didn’t have any clean clothes?” She shook her head “That I stayed at Jason’s?” She shook it again “That I’rined

She nodded then with a se and hurry back, I can’t wait to hear all about it”

I changed into a pair of cutoff sweats and a t-shirt and washed my face, brushed my teeth and pulled my hair back into a ponytail at the nape of my neck I didn’t feel any better, but I at least looked hu a sip of coffee

“That is so good, thank you”

“You’re welcoht”

“I was at the mansion,” I said I took another sip of coffee It really was good “How did you knoasn’t with Jason?”

“He ca”

I al it down too hard on the table “What did he want?”

“He just wanted to pick up the jacket he left here a few days ago Your bedroo I started to go get you but he said to let you sleep, he’d talk to you later Iine my surprise when I saw you pull up out theand then couilty”