Home is not a Place

22• An Invitation

VANESSA

The first thing I do after eating my breakfast is get dressed in my sexy white jumpsuit. Long, fancy white pants cover my legs and are high waisted all the way up to my bellybutton, where a lace top hugs my skinny stomach and small breasts. Over the laced top, I wear a nice white suit.

With it, white high heels match, along with the white watch Felix gave me before we left.

I pull my hair up in a bun today, no strands loose.

When I walk out of the bathroom, Ethan asks me if I want a com in my ear, but I decline. Ethan's going to wear one, which means he can hear his friends if he needs to, but I don't want to hear them in my ear all day long. Especially Drake.

"Okay." He says as he puts one in his ear. "So, what would you like to do today, Mrs. Smith?"

I smile but shrug. "Whatever you want to do."

He nods, his eyes falling to my feet. "Those heels make you almost as tall as I am. Are you going to be able to walk around in those?"

"Please." I say, laughing as if it is the most absurd thing he has said in his life. "I was born in heels."

The ends of his lips curl up when he hears my response. "Okay, okay. My bad, but are you going to be able to walk around in them all day?"

I'm sure curiosity flickers in my eyes as I gaze into Ethan's gray ones. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, we're in the capital of the U.S." He says smoothly, tucking his fake wallet into his back pocket. "We might as well see the sights."

My heart flutters. "Yes! I've always wanted to see the Capitol building."

Ethan nods. "I can make that happen."

He doesn't seem too ecstatic, so I frown. "Wait, have you seen it before?"

He leaves me hanging as he walks out of the hotel room. I hurriedly follow him, letting the door shut behind me. The soft click echos in the hallway as we walk down the fancy corridor. "Have you been to the Capitol building before?"

"I have." He continues walking down the hallway toward Drake's hotel room. His back is to me, even as he stops and knocks on the hotel door.

I stare at his back, wondering why he is acting so strange. Did I snore in my sleep or something?

I'm about to ask him when Drake opens his hotel room door, filling up the doorway with his husky figure. He doesn't even glance at me as he adjusts the watch at his wrist and nods to Ethan. "Good morning. Are you ready for the day, Mr. Smith?"

I can't tell what Ethan's facial expression is from behind, and there's no point to me trying to read Drake's icy eyes, so I glance away, down the hallway.

There's a man walking down the hallway from the building's elevator. He catches my eye because he wears a suit and stares right at us.

A chill rolls down my spine. He charges forward, toward us with a focused look in his brown eyes. He has huge biceps, broad shoulders, and a sharp jawline that could cut through anything.

Drake and Ethan are still talking, so subconsciously I reach forward and graze Ethan's arm with my hand.

He glances back at me, curiosity furrowing his brow. When he sees the fear in my eyes, worry lines etch in his forehead. He follows my gaze, training his eyes on the man.

My heart rams hard against my rib cage.

I watch as the man nods to Ethan, and Ethan casually nods back. The exchange is simple, and the man walks on by. He's not a threat. He's just someone who has a room on this floor.