Page 27 of Reverence

The steady rush of water filled the bathroom, somehow sounding louder than usual against the eerie silence of the room.

I stood beneath the hot stream for longer than necessary, trying to piece together the fragments of last night.

When I heard shuffling on the other side of the bathroom door, I hurriedly finished showering and got dressed.

Thankfully, I’d packed everything I needed into my travel-sized bag that sat neatly on the bedside table, practically begging to be grabbed.

I snatched it and hurried past Ares.

He undoubtedly watched me as I gathered my belongings and escaped the room within seconds.

The moment I stepped into the hallway, I sighed in relief.

My shoulders finally relaxed but my skin crawled at the mere thought of sharing a bed with a man, let alone a man I wouldn’t hesitate to kill if the opportunity ever presented itself.

How drunk had I been to allow that?

To allow myself to cling to him so tightly.

To fall asleep beside him.

Disgusting.

Yet, there was one thing I couldn’t ignore.

He had been lying peacefully beside me.

Which meant he had willingly stayed.

Why?

If he’d wanted to leave, he could have.

So why hadn’t he?

I grimaced and pressed the button with the upward arrow. The elevator doors opened with a soft ding, and I stepped inside, clutching my bag tightly against my side.

The sigh that escaped me sounded heavy, as though the weight of the world rested on my shoulders.

Perhaps it did.

This weekend was supposed to be about relaxation. An opportunity to unwind, forget about work, and temporarily escape everything that plagued us on a daily basis.

Yet, I couldn’t seem to relax.

The elevator doors closed, and I immediately realised I hadn’t pressed a button.

“Jesus.”

I hurriedly selected the ground floor before leaning against the handrail.

My head spun.

I couldn’t tell whether it was the lingering effects of the alcohol or the movement of the elevator.

When the doors finally opened, I stepped out slowly, dragging my feet as I made my way through the hotel lobby and outside.

I’d done enough sightseeing during the weekend to know there was a cute little bookstore not too far away.