Page 25 of Double Apex

She sniffles, and a tear slips down her cheek. “You won’t report me?”

I stretch across the bed to get a tissue, then hand it to her. “No. But you must make a promise: don’t try this sort of thing with anyone else, should you wish to meet a guest of the hotel. You could be hurt, gambling on the mercy of a stranger behind closed doors.”

She peeks at my bare leg where the towel has parted. I stand and go to the closet to choose an outfit, then step around the corner into the bathroom to put on my trousers, leaving the door open. “What is your name?” I call to her.

“Mei.”

“Do you have tickets to the race, Mei?”

There’s a long pause. “I… cannot afford to go.”

I lean out to look at her as I button my shirt. “Not a problem. I’ll get you a pass. Hold on one moment.”

She stands nervously in the doorway alcove while I gather things and put them in my twill messenger bag. I tap my notes on my phone and open the door for her to precede me. “Now, your full name, please.”

“Zhang Mei,” she tells me, stepping into the hallway.

There’s no cleaning cart visible outside, and I gently tease her, “You could not have given me a new towel anyway, could you?”

She shakes her head with an embarrassed smile.

I follow her out and close the door, staring at the screen as I type with my thumb. “There. We’re all set now—your pass will be at the front desk.”

Standing on tiptoe, she quickly kisses my cheek. “Thank you! It was a pleasure to meet you.” The words come out in a rush. She ducks her head, hustling down the hallway toward the elevator.

Behind me, a door clicks shut and I hear a harsh chuckle. I turn to see Phaedra, dressed for a workout, draping headphones around her neck. Her hair is twisted on top of her head with small tendrils hanging, and I want to hold her face and kiss the bitterness off her naked lips.

But then, maybe this is a good thing—as long as she dislikes me again, there’s no danger the spark of our feelings could grow.

I adjust the strap of my bag and saunter over. “Why the sour look, draga?”

“Very classy, Formula Fuckboy,” she deadpans, eyeing the lipstick on my face. “You had to ask her nameafterwards? Nice of you to give the cleaning staff a complimentary dicking down. Personally, I just leave twenty bucks on the dresser.”

“There’s enough of me to go around.”

She flips her hand at me. “Whatever—you’re not my problem until you’re in the car. Have a swell day.” She starts toward the elevators, then pauses. “I’m sure you think I’m jealous, but that’s not what’s bothering me.”

“No?”

“Nope. It’s the fact that I sawshameon that woman’s face. It doesn’t speak well of you. Implies you used your playboy patter and ‘seduced’ her. You’ve heard of consent, right?”

I lift my hands, conceding. “You will choose to believe what you wish. But maybe you’re also alittlejealous. Because of Santorini.”

There’s a flash of wounded anger before she replies. “The kiss meant nothing. Not to me, because you’re not my type. And not toyou, because that shit is just your nature—might as well ask a dog not to piss on a fire hydrant.”

She walks away, but before she reaches the elevator, I call out.

“You’re forgetting something, draga.”

She turns but continues walking backward, arms folded.

I grin. “You kissed me first.”

9

CHINA

PHAEDRA

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