The Range Rover glided into the underground parking garage of a luxury hotel in Upstate New York. The darkness of the night was replaced by harsh fluorescent lights.
Alex handled the check-in at the front desk. He returned with two key cards for connecting penthouse suites.
Antoinette followed Hiram into the private elevator. They rode up in silence, stepping out onto the top floor and entering their respective rooms.
The suite was massive. Antoinette walked straight into the marble bathroom. She stripped off the heavy mourning dress and stood under the scalding shower, scrubbing the smell of the funeral and Fabian's cologne off her skin until it turned pink.
She stepped out, wrapping herself in a thick, oversized white hotel bathrobe.
Standing in front of the fogged-up mirror, reality crashed back into her. She needed to secure her parents' life insurance money immediately. Fabian had tried to stall the process, and she couldn't leave any loose ends.
She walked over to her duffel bag and dug out the crumpled insurance claim form.
It required the signature of a legal guardian to be processed. She needed Hiram. Now.
Antoinette walked over to the heavy wooden connecting door between their suites. She raised her knuckles and knocked twice.
No answer. Just the faint hum of the central air conditioning.
The insurance form felt like a burning coal in her hand. Fabian could be actively working against her right now. She couldn't afford to wait. Taking a deep breath, she tried the handle, hoping he was just in the living area. It turned easily. The door wasn't locked.
Antoinette pushed the door open and stepped quietly into Hiram's living room.
It was empty. But from the direction of the master bedroom, she heard the loud rush of running water.
Heat rushed to her cheeks. He was in the shower. She immediately turned around, planning to sneak back into her room before he noticed.
Suddenly, the water shut off.
Before she could take a step, the frosted glass door of the master bathroom slid open.
Hiram walked out.
Steam rolled off his body in thick waves. He was wearing nothing but a white towel slung dangerously low on his hips.
Drops of water clung to his broad shoulders, tracing the deep cuts of his chest and sliding down the hard, defined ridges of his eight-pack abs before disappearing into the edge of the towel.
Antoinette sucked in a sharp breath. Her brain short-circuited. She stood frozen, her eyes wide, completely forgetting how to look away.
Hiram's head snapped up. His sharp eyes locked onto the intruder instantly. A deep frown carved into his forehead.
Pure, unfiltered panic seized Antoinette. She scrambled backward, desperate to escape the room.
She moved too fast. Her bare heel caught the thick edge of the Persian rug.
Her ankle twisted violently. A sharp gasp tore from her throat as her center of gravity vanished. She fell backward.
Hiram's eyes darkened. His body reacted before his conscious mind did.
He lunged forward like a striking predator. His long arm shot out, his large hand wrapping securely around her narrow waist.
Antoinette crashed hard into his solid, burning-hot chest. Her nose was instantly filled with the sharp, clean scent of cedarwood body wash and damp skin.
The moment their bodies collided, both of them went completely rigid.
Antoinette scrambled to push herself upright, but the moment she put weight on her right foot, a blinding pain shot up her leg. She gasped, her knee buckling.
Hiram felt her give way. He looked down at her foot. The skin around her ankle was already starting to swell and turn red. His jaw clenched tight.
He didn't say a word. He just bent his knees, slipped one arm under her legs, and scooped her up into a smooth, effortless bridal carry.
Antoinette let out a startled squeak. Her hands flew up, her fingers instinctively gripping the lapels of his bathrobe-wait, he wasn't wearing one. Her hands flattened against his bare, damp chest.
Hiram ignored the contact. He carried her across the room with long, purposeful strides and gently deposited her onto the wide leather sofa in the living room.
