Chapter 13 Not Our First Meeting
The heating in the spare room was cranked up.
I stepped out of the bathroom barefoot, easily retrieving a hair–drying cap from the drawer. As I lowered my head to dry my hair, I checked my phone–Reuben had sent a message. “I’ll be standing guard in this building. I’ve told your people to grab a change of clothes from home. Will keep you posted.”
Now that the key players had shown themselves, I was eager to see Sean’s next move. That was precisely why I walked into this trap–fully aware of what awaited me.
An expensive, decanted red wine sat on the table. I poured half of it out, watching the ruby liquid swirl before flushing it down the toilet.
Not long after, another message from Reuben came through.
“Sean Lambert is on his way. Stay safe.”
I switched off all the lights in the room and lay down on the plush bed.
Then, I heard the click of the door when it was unlocked.
Footsteps approached from afar. The intruder first stopped at the table with the red wine, letting out a low chuckle. A crisp echo followed as he flicked the rim of that glass. “Well, her being asleep makes it easier for me.”
Sean slowly moved toward the bed, stopping just beside me. I sensed him bending over, his breath creeping closer.
Without warning, he stopped what he was doing and lifted the locket I wore on my neck.
My eyes fluttered open in an instant. I reached out to grab his neck and yanked him onto the bed.
Sean looked momentarily stunned, but he quickly recovered. The stark difference in our strength became evident when he overpowered me, pinning me down with ease. His fingertip, cold to the touch, traveled against my neck and lifted the locket once more.
Moments later, he snapped the chain of the locket in half.
A moan escaped my lips when I sensed the stinging pain. Feigning anger, I thrashed against him. “That’s my son’s locket! Give it back to me!”
Judith, must have given the locket to me for a reason–something to do with Sean. So, I decided to use it to test his reaction.
“Oh, is it your son’s locket?” Chortling, he pinned my face down on the bed with just one arm.
“Anyway, you’re more interesting than the last time you were here.”
I froze mid–struggle. What was that supposed to mean?
“It’s more fun than dealing with a motionless body.”
Sean removed his jacket and bound my hands behind my back with his tie.
I sat in the middle of the bed, carefully reaching for the pillow behind me. Then, I pressed the recording button.
Meanwhile, Sean had pulled a chair over and sat by the bed. He leisurely enjoyed me faking my fear.
Once I made sure I started the recording, I let my voice tremble. “W–We haven’t met before, have we?”
Sean, who had been sitting away from me, now joined me in bed. He started toying with my hair. It might have seemed like a charming gesture coming from anyone else, but from Sean, it made my skin crawl.
“Of course not.” He carefully and gently tucked the strand of hair behind my ear after he was done twirling it. “We’ve met more than once.”
My head snapped up in shock, as I did not recall ever meeting Sean. But I didn’t have time to think deeper when he stunned me with his devilish remark.
“We met in the same hotel, same room, and same bed.”
My back stiffened. I couldn’t help but check out the room. My gaze landed on the hair drying cap had carelessly draped on the back of the chair. I remembered the way I had retrieved it so naturally, as if my body remembered where it was before my mind did.
Faint and faded memories stirred in the corner of my mind.
