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“I think you should call your supervisor and the police,” she said through the tears.

“Do you think you’ve been robbed?” the manager asked.

Turning on the man, she walked right up to him where they were toe to toe. “I don’t know, but I want you to call your supervisor and the police. Now!”

Hemlock stood in the doorway and stared at the mess spread across the hotel suite. “What in the hell happened to your room, Charlie?”

Charlie closed her eyes. She did not need this shit. She did not need a man that she kissed once and almost killed to watch her fall apart. She’d already had enough humiliation with him forone night. Wasn’t it bad enough he’d seen her beat and dealt with the word vomit she threw at him earlier?

“The hotel gave someone a key to my room. The person in question said she was my sister. But I don’t have a sister, and I didn’t give anyone permission to have access to my room.”

“Don’t touch anything. I’m calling the cops.” Hemlock looked at the hotel manager. “Get your supervisor on the phone or have them meet us up here,” he ordered the middle-aged man.

As he dialed the police, Hemlock made his way across the room and onto the patio. Nothing had been touched outside. Waving Charlie to him, he had her sit down on a patio chair while he went in search of a blanket or a robe. Something she could wrap up in.

Turned out the hotel didn’t have working surveillance cameras, so the cops could not see who had come in or out of her suite. The only thing they knew for sure was which employee had given a stranger access to Charlie’s room.

After numerous questions making her feel like a suspect instead of a victim, the cops had asked her if anything was missing.

How the hell did she know? She’d been sitting outside waiting for them to let her look around. Picking through her belongings, she found a few items of clothing, and her one piece of nice jewelry was gone.

“Do you know of anyone that might have done this?”

“Yes. The same person who fractured my face. Ashley Case.” She watched the cop jot down Ashley’s name. When he handed her his card, Charlie rolled her eyes as she took it.

When the door closed, she looked at Hemlock, who was shaking his head. “What?”

“You don’t know how to play nice with others. Do you?” he asked with a questioning stare.

Charlie did not need his sarcastic commentary when all she wanted to do was stick her face into a pillow and scream. “You can leave,” she said while pointing a finger at the door.

Hemlock folded his arms across his chest and continued staring at her. If she thought he’d leave her there, Charlie was crazy. “I’m not leaving until we pack you a bag.”

“Why? I can’t afford to stay anywhere else.”

“Charlie, you aren’t staying here tonight. Not without knowing who came in here and why.”

“I have work tomorrow. At two different places.”

“No, you don’t.” She couldn’t work with her face fractured. By tomorrow, it would be even more painful than it was now.

“Hemlock, if I don’t work, I can’t afford to stay here and pay for that stupid apartment.”

Even knowing it would bite him in the ass, at some point, Hemlock offered for her to stay with him. His place had an extra bedroom and bathroom. Plus, he primarily stayed at the clubhouse.“Someone helped me once. I’m paying it forward.”

“How many times have you paid it forward?”

“Too many. I’m hoping eventually I’ll pay it forward to the right person.”

Was she actually thinking of accepting his help? She didn’t know him. Other than he was allergic to cinnamon. This was crazy. She was crazy even considering it.Screw it. “I’m taking you up on the offer only because I don’t think I feel safe here.”

“No strings attached. Just a place for you to stay for a while.”

“I can pay you something for helping me.”

“Let’s cross that bridge later.” Hemlock started picking up overturned furniture and clothes. Whoever had come in there had wanted to unsettle Charlie. Some items he picked up had been cut and ripped. This was an intentional attack on her.When he looked up, he saw she held a backpack to her chest.

“I’m ready.”