Page 111 of Stronger Than Fate

“Hidden?”

“He had told us about you, but whenever we said we wanted to meet you, he always made some excuse.”

I didn’t understand why he was telling me this. It didn’t make me feel good to have confirmation that Henry didn’t even want me to meet his friends, but what he said next left me perplexed.

“You’re very beautiful. Henry probably didn’t trust us.”

“I don’t think that was it. He simply didn’t want me to meet you, just like he didn’t want me to meet his family,” I stated,remembering how he had hesitated to take me to his cousin’s wedding.

“I don’t think he’s that foolish. I’m inclined to believe he was jealous,” he said.

I didn’t say anything more. I wasn’t going to argue about this topic with a man I barely knew.

“My friend has feelings for you,” he stated without warning.

“Would you mind if we stop talking about Henry?”

“I apologize if I made you uncomfortable.”

“It’s fine, but I don’t want to talk about him anymore.”

“I didn’t know you were the owner of the HAY hotel.”

“I am, along with my brothers.”

“It’s a beautiful hotel.”

“Thank you.”

A few minutes later, we were arriving.

“Thank you for bringing me.”

“It was my pleasure. I hope we’ll see each other again.”

I didn’t say anything and got out of the car.

When I reached the suite, I collapsed onto the sofa. I was distressed after seeing him in that state.

Why are you doing this to yourself, Henry?I wondered.

When I had seen him in that condition, I had wanted to take care of him, protect him, slap him so he would stop drinking, but I didn’t have that right.

I went to bed and collapsed onto it. My mind returned to the moment when he hugged me and I ended up on top of his naked body. I would have given anything to stay there, taking care of him while he slept. I closed my eyes and begged for sleep to win the battle so I could rest. At some point, it did.

Chapter 16

“Then you realize, it’s not who sweeps you off your feet, but who grounds you. It’s not who steals your heart, but who makes you feel like you have it back”

—Pablo Neruda

Iwoke up around nine in the morning to the sound of my phone. Opening my eyes required great effort; the night before I had gone to bed after three in the morning and had no idea what time I’d finally fallen asleep. I reached for my phone, feeling around the nightstand. It was a message from Niky.

“He’s awake.

Don’t worry, he doesn’t remember anything.

He has the hangover from hell