Chapter 5 The Hallway

Merritt POV

The doors of the dining room clicked shut behind me, cutting off the suffocating tension of the table.

I leaned against wall of the hallway and closed my eyes, trying to force air into my lungs. My heart was beating so hard and my hands were shaking.

Stellan Mercer.

What were the chances that I would meet the guy from the bar, the guy whose hotel room I had snuck out of at dawn, the guy whose hands had been all over me less than twenty-four hours ago.

"Can you believe that guy?"

I snapped my eyes open. Hayes was pacing a few feet away, aggressively loosening

his tie. He didn't look at me; he was too busy glaring at his phone screen.

"He shows up out of nowhere, acts like he owns the place, and Conrad just eats it up," Hayes muttered, swiping angrily at his screen. "And that crap about buying a penthouse? He’s just doing it to flex. He doesn't even live in this city."

"Hayes," I started, my voice sounding thin and breathless so I cleared my throat. "Hayes, I…"

His phone started ringing, cutting me off. He looked at the caller ID and groaned. "It’s Coach. He’s probably pissed I missed the afternoon film session. Look, go wait by the car. I need to take this, and then I’ll drive you home."

He didn't wait for my answer. He turned and walked down pressing the phone to his ear and already launching into an excuse.

I stood alone in the dimly lit hallway.

I should have followed him. I should have walked out the front doors, gotten into his car, and pretended none of this was happening. But a knot of dread anchored me to the floor.

If he told Hayes about last night, my friendship was over. Hayes was possessive

and fiercely loyal to his own twisted rules. He might not want me as a girlfriend, but he would view me sleeping with his worst enemy as the ultimate betrayal.

And if Stellan decided to make a game out of this and called Valerie? My boss would fire me just to avoid the drama, or worse, use it to humiliate me.

I couldn't leave. I had to fix this.

I turned around and stared at the dining room doors. Before I could lose my nerve, the handle turned.

And Stellan stepped out into the hallway.

He had taken his suit jacket off, carrying it hooked over one finger, slung casually over his shoulder. Without the jacket, the broad, athletic build of his chest and shoulders was impossible to ignore.

He stopped when he saw me standing there. But he didn't look surprised. If anything,

the dark look in his eyes told me he had been waiting for this.

"Lose your ride?" he asked, his voice a low, smooth drawl that sent a violent shiver straight down my spine.

"We need to talk," I said. I tried to make my voice sound firm, but it trembled on the last word.

Stellan tilted his head as he took a slow step toward me. Then another.

The hallway was wide, but suddenly it felt like the walls were closing in. I held my ground, refusing to back up, even as he closed the distance between us. He stopped when his shoes were inches from mine.

"Talk," he murmured, looking down at me.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his eyes. "You can't tell him."

"Tell who?" he asked, playing dumb. The corner of his mouth twitched with amusement. "Conrad? I don't think he cares who I sleep with, as long as it doesn't make the papers."

"Don't do that," I snapped, a flash of genuine anger cutting through my panic. "You know exactly who I mean. You cannot tell Hayes about last night."

Stellan’s amusement vanished. His jaw tightened, the sharp lines of his face

hardening into something dangerous. "Why? Because it would break his heart? He didn't seem too heartbroken when he ignored you for the last two hours."

"Because he's my best friend," I said fiercely, keeping my voice to a harsh whisper so the estate staff wouldn't hear. "Because he's the only consistent person I have in my life, and if he finds out I slept with you, he will hate me."

"He's a fool," he added.

"That doesn't matter. It was a mistake. Last night was a massive, stupid mistake, and it can never happen again."

Before I could react, he reached out and planted his hand against the wall right beside my head. He leaned in, completely trapping me between his body and the wood.

I stopped breathing.

"A mistake," he repeated. His voice dropped to a rough, quiet hum that vibrated right through my chest. "Is that what you told yourself when you snuck out of my bed like a thief?"

"I didn't want…"

"You were screaming my name, Merritt."

My face burned so hot I thought I might catch fire. I looked around terrified someone was going to walk down the hall, but it was completely empty.

"Stop," I whispered, pressing my hands against his chest to push him away.

It was like pushing against a brick wall. He didn't budge. Beneath his thin cotton shirt, I could feel the thud of his heartbeat.

"You want me to keep my mouth shut?" he asked, leaning down until his lips were an inch from my ear. "Fine. I won't tell my brother. I don't care enough about his feelings to ruin his day."

Relief washed over me, sharp and dizzying. "Thank you."

"I'm not finished."

He turned his head, his nose brushing lightly against my jaw. I squeezed my eyes

shut, my fingers curling into his shirt.

"I won't tell Hayes," he said softly, his breath warm against my skin. "But don't think for a second that I'm going to pretend it didn't happen. You can play the good, quiet girl for him all you want. But I know exactly who you are in the dark. And I'm not going to let you forget it."

He pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes before his gaze dropped to my mouth, lingering there for a long, agonizing second.

Then, he dropped his hand from the wall and stepped back.

"Have a safe drive home, Merritt," he said, his tone completely casual.

He turned and walked down the opposite end of the hallway, disappearing around

the corner without looking back.

I stood frozen against the wall, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. My legs felt weak.

He wasn't going to tell Hayes. My secret was safe.

But as I listened to the faint sound of his footsteps fading away, I realized with a sickening drop in my stomach that my problems weren't over

"Mer!"

I jumped, startled by the sound of Hayes’s voice echoing from the front.

"Let's go!" Hayes yelled, jingling his car keys. "I want to get out of this

place."

I pushed myself off the wall, smoothing down the front of my black dress with

trembling hands.

I had survived the dinner. Now, I just had to survive the rest of my life.