"Laura, what's taking you so long? The one time I actually need you, you're useless."
I didn't rush to smooth him over the way I always did. I just asked coldly, "What is it?"
He dragged me over to the front desk. "You tell her."
Then he stepped behind me and stood there like some indifferent bystander, as if none of this had anything to do with him.
Nothing like the Byron from Bernice's social media feed.
The clerk kept a polite smile on her face as she explained. "I'm so sorry. The suite got overbooked. Right now you can either check out, or downgrade from the suite to a twin room."
I listened, then gave a light nod. "Either's fine with me. Ask them."
Byron and Bernice froze. Even the clerk looked a little thrown, like she hadn't expected that reaction from me.
Byron panicked. He yanked my arm, a vein standing out on his forehead. "Is this really the time to be difficult?"
"We booked through a legit platform. What gives them the right to—"
I twisted free of his grip and looked at him, cool and detached. "Never mind. It's hard for them too."
His pale, clean-cut face went ashen in an instant, like he'd just swallowed a fly.
He knew. I was getting even.
Getting even for that line he'd thrown at me over lunch.
So Byron said nothing. He just ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek and let out a furious little laugh, saying "fine" three times over.
Without a word, he took the new key card.
Bernice's eyes went red. "Laura, even if you're mad at Byron, you shouldn't be taking a stranger's side."
Byron said nothing. He grabbed Bernice by the wrist and swept off.
Bernice was still muttering complaints as they went, and I caught Byron's airy little remark. "Let her do whatever. She'll regret it anyway."
I hauled my luggage out of the old room and went to get into the new one, only to find the door locked from the inside.
And suddenly I understood exactly what that meant. She'll regret it.
I knocked, my voice tired and helpless. "Byron, stop it, okay? I haven't eaten all day. I'm exhausted and starving. Just let me in first."
But there was no answer from inside. Instead, one burst of laughing and horsing around after another came through the door, as if they were putting it on for me to hear.
My eyes went red in a flash. I knocked harder, but the door didn't budge.
The laughter inside only grew louder, and whatever fury had been sitting in me caught fire completely.
I pounded on the door, again and again, and inside they acted like they heard nothing.
I hit it harder and harder, and a door opened.
It was the one next door. A big man, bare-chested, pulled it open and glared at me like a thug. "Screaming your head off in the middle of the night. You calling back the dead?"
I froze, not daring to move.
The laughter inside the room paused. They'd clearly heard, and still they did nothing.
The man looked at my face and suddenly grinned. "Out working the night, little sister? How much? Big brother'll pay."
And with that, he started to pull me toward his room.
The tears came before I could stop them. I beat on the door with everything I had. "Byron, open the door, help me!"
I heard Bernice say, "Byron, don't you dare open that door for her. She's got it coming. Don't get involved."
"Mm. Not opening it. She brought this on herself."
My heart went cold, all the way through. I clung to the doorframe for dear life and screamed.
But the man behind me seemed dead set on dragging me into his room, grinning that sleazy grin. "Forget whatever Byron-whoever. Come to big brother's room, come have some fun with big brother."
In the end I couldn't hold out against his strength, and just as I was about to be pulled all the way inside, the door opened.
