AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A ball of fabric hits me in the chest, and no one bothers hiding their laughter now as I look at what are not, in fact, my clothes.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say.
Van claps a hand on my shoulder and squeezes a little too hard. “When it comes to the Boss, we aredeadlyserious.”
I hold up the crop top and spandex biker shorts, wondering how fast I can make it to my car at a dead sprint.
Fast, it turns out. But not fast enough to miss a lot of snickers and stares. I’ve never been more grateful that I keep a change of clothes in the back of my SUV. I’m also especially glad my windows are tinted enough to allow me to change in the backseat. The last thing I want is to have to walk in the hotel wearing spandex and a crop top.
By the time I finally get there, I’m exhausted. Physically. Emotionally. Ready for sleep and some quiet.
But the moment I open the door to my hotel suite, I sense something off. An unfamiliar scent, sweet and cloying, hits me first. And something’s wrong with the lights. They’re … flickering.
I blame exhaustion for it taking longer than it should for me to realize the flickering lights are candles. And the scent must be coming from the woman stretched out on my bed, thankfully under the covers because her bare shoulders suggest she’s not clothed.
It takes me another few seconds to recognize the woman who hit on me my very first night here, the one who works at the front desk and clearly can get access to my room anytime she wants.
“Hello, Logan,” she says, her voice grating. “Thought I could offer a little distraction after a long day of practice.”
Nope.
I’m back out the door almost before she finishes her sentence. My feet are anything but slow as I pound back down the stairs to the lobby, where I locate the manager and then pull out my phone, texting the only person I can think of right now.
* * *
Felix’s place isn’t what I expected. Located on the second floor of an older warehouse building, it looks sketchy at best.
Like I might need a tetanus booster at worst.
He texted me a code to get into the building and once inside, I climb a staircase leading up to a hallway with two big metal sliding doors. I knock on the closest one, and it slides open to reveal a woman with long, brown hair and a weary look of resignation.
I take a big step back. After the events of my night, better safe than sorry. “Uh, I’m looking for Felix?”
“Hockey players belong over there.” She points to the other door, then gestures to her own with a smirk. “This? This is a sports-free zone.”
The second door slides open and Felix steps outside. He smiles warmly at the woman, who narrows her eyes. But I notice she’s still smiling. Just a little.
“Sorry, Gracie,” Felix says. “This is Logan. He’ll be staying with me for a bit.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say.
Gracie eyes me. “Are you going to knock on my door at random hours and ask me out?”
I cast Felix a glance. He’s chuckling, ducking his head and covering his mouth with his hand.
“Um, no?”
She nods. “Then I guess it’s nice to meet you too.”
“I liked the song you were playing earlier,” Felix says. “Is that a new one?”
Gracie’s cheeks flush the slightest bit. “Oh, um, thanks.”
“If you ever want an audience, I’m right over here. Anytime.” Felix hooks a thumb toward his open doorway.
“Thanks for the offer,” Gracie mutters, her expression shifting. And then she’s ducking back in her apartment and slamming the door.
“You want to explain that?” I ask.
