Turning to Stone (Heart of Stone: Book 2)

Chapter 1: Interrogation

Chapter 1: Interrogation

Waking up at 5am was not how I liked to start my day, and adding a misplaced bra onto that only pissed me off more. 

If it hadn't been one of my favourites, I might have cut my losses and scampered out of the dark room before I risked getting caught sneaking out. But it was one of my favourites, and it cost me a small fortune even during the sale, so I continued to fumble around in the pitch black while attempting to recall how and where it had left my body last night, as if that might help me narrow down my search.

Had he torn it off and flung it across the room? Had I unclipped it and simply let it drop to the ground? Were we inside his bedroom when clothes began to come off, or had we started in the living room?

For fuck's sake.

A sleepy sigh caused me to pause foraging under the bed. The deep breathing suggested he hadn't woken, but I rose to my feet anyway.

It was fine. As long as he didn't hate me for sneaking out on him, we could be adults about the situation—for the sake of my bra. After all, it wasn't like this was the first time we'd had sex. Even if we had only recently revived our friendship, it didn't have to be awkward.

But I wasn't prepared to take that chance right now by waking him up. So I slipped out into the fresh, autumnal morning and dropped down into the nearest Tube station.

*

By the time I'd Tube-hopped across town, it was past 6am. That still gave me enough time to wash the smell of sex off my skin and change into something more appropriate for work. Zola was a laid-back boss, but turning up in a short, figure-hugging dress—sans bra—might be pushing it.

As I'd hoped, the Tube had been quiet at the crack of dawn, and nobody had batted an eyelid at my lack of clothing. I'd been in good company with a group of girls who dozed a few seats down, wearing the evidence of a fun night out.

But although I'd got away with it on the Tube, I didn't fancy waltzing into the 5-star hotel, smiling at the same concierge I passed every day while clearly doing the walk of shame, and then brushing shoulders with early-rising, smartly-dressed businessmen as I navigated the corridors to my room.

Also, I really didn't want to face any of the Security team. It would be mortifying.

So I bent the rules and exploited my knowledge of the access codes to slip in through the side door and call for the lift. Technically I wasn't supposed to use the secret entrance, but it was unlikely that anyone had noticed me failing to return to my room last night, so I figured I was safe.

Until the lift arrived, and the doors opened.

Ed's tall frame leaned against the far wall, a skin-tight running top stretched around his broad torso and loose joggers hanging low on his hips. Noticing me, his eyes drifted over my body, lingering on my chest before darting back up to my face.

"Sophia," he said, quirking an eyebrow at me.

"Morning." I stepped into the lift and hit the button to hold the doors, jerking my head towards the corridor when he didn't move. "You not getting out?"

"In a rush...?" By his leading tone, he'd obviously gathered I was trying to sneak in unseen.

"Yes," I said, not in the mood for games. "So if you don't mind..."

Lips twitching, his eyes raked over me again with slow intent. I tried not to wither under his intense scrutiny, but all I could think about was that fucking bra and how he'd be able to tell exactly where I'd been and what I'd done.