Anna stirred awake, a low moan spilling from her lips. She rubbed her eyes, sitting up with a groan. She felt sore. Her body ached from the way he'd bent her all night.
Jason.
Her eyes snapped to the space beside her.
Empty.
She frowned. It wasn't just empty, it looked like it wasn't slept in-no rumples, no indent where a body should've been. She ran her hand over it.
It was cold.
"Maybe he slept in the other room," She muttered, tossing the duvet aside and pushed to her feet. Her knees gave way and with a yelp, she fell forward.
"Jason, you-you jerk!" She gripped onto the bed, pulling herself up slowly.
With halting steps and quiet winces, she made her way to the bathroom. Anna's breath hitched as she caught her reflection.
Her hair was a wild nest, knotted from hours of being dragged against leather and pillows. Her lips-swollen and bruised. Her neck bore darkened bruises and lower still, her neck bore the shadow of his grip. Faint bite marks lingered along her shoulder, down toward her collarbone, the kind of marks that would be impossible to hide with anything short of a turtleneck.
Heat rushed to her cheeks, part embarrassment, part something else.
She brushed trembling fingers over the darkest hickey. A hiss left her lips at the sting. "God, I look like I was mauled."
Still, a shiver crawled down her spine, betraying her.
She quickly slipped beneath the hot spray of the shower. The water scalded at first, but she leaned into it, letting the steam pour over her aching muscles. Every stretch of her body reminded her of him-the sharp ache between her thighs, the way her legs felt like jelly.
Her mind betrayed her further, flashing back to his mouth on her throat, his voice rasping in her ear, the way he'd told her not to move unless he said so. She braced her hands against the tile and shut her eyes tight, willing the heat in rising in her to fade with the water streaming down.
After a long while, she stepped out, wrapped herself in a towel, and dressed in something simple but soft against her tender skin-a pair of leggings and an oversized turtleneck sweater she'd packed just in case. She pulled her damp hair into a messy bun, not bothering with makeup.
"What would it cover anyway?" She muttered.
Taking a steadying breath, she padded barefoot out of the bedroom. Her steps slowed when she reached the sitting room. Her eyes landed on the couch and heat crept up her neck. She turned away quickly to the other room, tugging the turtleneck higher as if it could erase the memory.
Should she even let him see her like this? She would want the ground to swallow her whole if he gave her that infuriating smug smirk of his.
She knocked gently on the door. Nothing. She tried again. Still nothing.
"Is he still sleeping?"
Actually, he would be a beast if he wasn't. With how he wrecked her, he should be sleeping the whole of today away. But then, the damn man was built like a Greek god with endurance carved into his very bones.
"Stop. Stop it, Anna," she muttered under her breath.
She hesitated, then turned the knob. The door creaked open.
"Hey, I just-"
She froze. Empty.
Just as her forehead furrowed, the door to the suite creaked open. She whipped around, shut the door quickly, and moved away from it.
But instead of him, the hotel employees wheeled in carts filled with assorted cuisines. They greeted her, moving to lay out an extravagant spread across the dining table, enough for five.
Anna's brows knit together. There was no way Jason would've prepared this. They had agreed last night was going to be just that-last night. Ordering breakfast for her after a supposedly one night stand defeated the whole premise of it. They disliked each other. The deal was to go back to barely tolerating each other's presence.
This wasn't really bad, though. As In-laws, they were practically family.
"Calling us family is kinda weird after last night."
"Ma, Did you say something?"
Anna smiled widely at the employee and shook her head. "I was just thinking out loud. Go on."
The employee nodded and went back to work. Anna sighed.
Well. Whatever they were, having a civil friendship, at least, would be better for the good of all.
"Uhm. Where is he?" She asked the employees.
He frowned. "Who, Ma?"
Just as Anna's lips parted to say Jason's name, Elena breezed in. Silk slip dress, sheer ivory chiffon robe flowing open around her shoulders, bottle in hand, and a smile that lit up the room. Her dark hair tumbled loose down her back, glossy and brushed, and her satin slippers clad feet padded softly across the floor.
"Lovely Morning, Big Sis," she quipped. "Or, should I say, Reneger?"
Anna's frown deepened. "Reneger?"
Elena gave her a glare. "You were supposed to help me set up for last night." Anna gasped, covering her mouth with a palm. Elena grinned suddenly. "But, as your sweet little sister, I'm going to let it go."
In spite of herself, Anna smiled, following behind Elena to the table. She wriggled her eyebrows. "You sure it has nothing to do with a certain young man, and what you two were up to last night?"
Elena leaned in and whispered. "Is it that obvious?"
Anna laughed, taking a seat. "Glaringly. You look- you're glowing, girl."
Elena giggled, smiled widely at the employees as they bowed, and turned to take their leave. "I'll make sure to put in a good word with your manager," she called after them.
They thanked her, the door clicking shut behind them softly. Anna pulled her seat closer. "Spill. How was he?"
Elena's lashes fluttered and she bit down on a finger. "Mind-blowing? He was... arghh, just everything. I'm pretty sure I saw stars last night. Still does, actually."
Their eyes met and they burst into laughter.
"Where is he?" Anna asked. "An accolade is needed for a job well-done."
Elena's smile dropped.
"What's wrong?"
She sighed. "He was on the phone with Jason when I left our suite."
