Page 71 of His Fury

I suddenly felt silly. I looked around the hotel again. It was busy, normal. Guests moved with purpose as they headed back to their rooms or made their way to enjoy the hotel’s amenities.

Nothing unusual. Nothing threatening. Except for the feeling in my gut that wouldn’t go away. After last week, I wasn’t going to ignore that instinct. I didn’t care if I was being paranoid.

“Thanks, Jayden, I appreciate it.” I walked away, heading to the ballroom, and slowly pulled out my phone. I hesitated over Zayn’s name, my thumb hovering above it.

What was I going to say?Hey I think I’m being watched, but Jayden doesn’t. No, I didn’t see anything, neither did he. No, there’s no proof, but my skin’s crawling, and I know I’m not imagining it.

Would Zayn believe me? Absolutely.

Would he overreact? Also absolutely.

I locked the phone instead, tucking it back into my pants pocket.

Not yet. If I ran to Zayn every time I got nervous, I would never feel like I was in control again. I’d finish my working day and then tell him tonight. That was the smart,bravething to do.

It didn’t stop me from looking over my shoulder as I walked. Or checking the corridor as I walked down it to the ballroom. I sure as hell didn’t want to be caught off guard again, but I also knew I wasn’t ready if something was coming.

I might need to fix that.

Russ was leaning against the wall, watching the lighting guys as they did their tests. The lighting system for the ballroom was able to be lowered rather than erecting equipment to go up. Everything was electronically controlled, and the guys were busy talking among themselves as they tried to figure out how to add extra spotlights.

With a smile painted on my face and a thousand thoughts churning beneath it, I took control again, and the day went by smoothly—or as smoothly as my days could go. The lighting crew ended up being fifteen minutes behind; the new spots were so bright that whoever was on the front stage would look more like they were being interrogated than a spokesperson. They needed to make adjustments, and it had to be possible for their added lights not to detract from my event on Wednesday.

The sound guy had a tendency to overshare about his recent breakup, and the catering team for Wednesday’s event brought the wrong dessert menu.

But I handled it. I always did.

Jayden moved around the hotel a lot, and it was only later that I realized he must have already had words with either Russ or another hotel staff member to leave him alone. I really hoped he hadn’t mentioned me, but if he had, well, I would address it with Gerard.

My day was normal. It was the quiet beneath the chaos that unsettled me—the way I could feel something was there but just out of sight.

Like the moment before a storm breaks, but I didn’t run. I didn’t panic. I did my job.

By the time the final checklists were signed off for Saturday’s event and it was prepped to within an inch of its life, it was nearly six.

Outside, the sky had turned a moody gray—the type that blurred the edges of everything. I gathered what I would need from my office and then made my way to the meeting Gerard had requested regarding the yurts.

Russ was on his way to the conservatory too, and I knew Gerard had called in the head groundskeeper as well. I looked around, but Jayden wasn’t clearly visible, and I wondered if he had clocked off for the day. Would he tell me? Did hehaveto tell me? I’d never had a bodyguard before; this was weird.

I smiled and greeted Pete as I took my seat at the designated meeting table. Gerard didn’t mind that the meeting took place while the guests were in the conservatory enjoying the views of the gardens and sipping their signature pre-dinner cocktails.

“Hi, Pete,” I said, getting comfortable. “You came back?” I teased. Our relationship was forged from blood, sweat, and tears, and I felt confident it was unbreakable. Both of us bore mental scars from our last project together at the hotel.

It really should make me question my sanity that I had chosen to leave my job at the agency and take up a permanent position here.

“He’s like a snake charmer,” Pete told me as he jerked his head in the direction of Gerard, who had just entered the conservatory. “Doesn’t matter if I say no. I somehow find myself back at this damn table.”

Russ and I laughed. Yeah, we definitely all could relate.

“Isla, darling,” Gerard murmured as he dipped his headand kissed me on the cheek. “I have so many ideas. You’re going to love it.”

And with that threat, my boss sat down as I prepared myself for the inevitable battle of his propositions against my practicality.

The meeting lasted longer than expected. I collected my belongings, closed my office door, informed the front desk staff I would see them tomorrow, and exited through the front doors, inhaling the warm summer air as I stepped outside.

I wasn’t sure where Jayden was, and I didn’t go look for him. I did glance over my shoulder more times than I liked as I headed to my car. I parked the car around the side of the hotel and promised myself I would park closer to the front door tomorrow.

I glanced back again, making sure I wasn’t being followed. I felt stupid for it but not stupid enough to ignore the instinct.

---