Three days after my sister’s wedding, I found myself standing outside Room 1427 of the Grand Meridian Hotel, my heart hammering so violently I could feel it in my throat. My hands trembled as I clutched the keycard Damien had slipped into my palm during a brief, silent encounter in the hotel lobby. I told Ethan I was going shopping with an old friend from college. The lie had come out so easily it terrified me.I should have turned around. I should have gone home to my husband. Instead, I slid the keycard into the lock and stepped inside.The room was dimly lit, luxurious, with heavy curtains drawn against the afternoon light. Damien stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, already waiting. He had removed his suit jacket, his white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, revealing the strong column of his neck. He looked even more imposing here, away from the crowd, completely in control.“You came,” he said, his voice low and satisfied. No greeting. No small talk. Just that simple statement, as
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