Page 63 of Becoming Cinderella

“Sure you do.” The second guard takes my other arm.

They’re much stronger than I am. I try to wiggle free as I’m held firmly in place while the guards push the elevator button.

I’m so close! This can’t be it. It can’t!

“Liam!” I call out again as the elevator dings its arrival. Oh sure, now it arrives in a timely manner.

I’m about to call out one last time when two doors down swings open.

Chapter Eighteen

“Alex!” I say with relief, even though I have no idea how he’s going to react to seeing me. I’ve only met Liam’s manager once when I visited set the first time, so I have no idea if he will even remember me. “Hi, it’s Carter.”

I might have just run up eight flights of stairs while being chased by security, but I’m fairly certain the way my heart is racing isn’t because of that. I’m so close to Liam, to telling him what’s real and what isn’t in those articles. And hopefully to tell him about how I feel about him and how I no longer want Jared. That I haven’t for a while.

Alex’s gaze sweeps over me, his mouth in a firm line. He gives me a small nod, confirming he recognizes me. The guard lets go of me, but both men stay close as the elevator doors close without us in it.

“How can I help you today, Carter?” He seems even less friendly than he did on the set.

My racing heart plummets into my toes, feeling the hope I had of being so close, disappearing. Based on Alex’s cold demeanor, I’m not sure he’s going to let me see Liam.

I can hear a muffled noise that sounds like a TV coming from the room next to the one Alex just came from marked as 826. Maybe that’s Liam’s room, and if possible, my heart sinks even lower. This means Liam is ignoring me. He’s not busy filming on set, and is here, not wanting to talk to me. I can’t leave without him hearing what I have to say though. Without him knowing my side.

“I need to talk to Liam.” I glance at hopefully his door, like he’ll appear when I say his name.

“He’s busy.” Alex’s tone dismisses me as he tries to step around me so he can get in presumably Liam’s door.

It’s easy to translate he’s busy to he doesn’t want to see you which officially confirms my worst fears.

“It’s important,” I plead.

Not that I think saying it’s important will change Alex’s mind, but it’s this or getting on my knees and begging.

“Five minutes. Please.” I turn to face his door incase he’s watching through the peephole. “Just five minutes.”

The thought crosses my mind I may be pleading to a door that isn’t his, but I know I’m close.

“That’s not my call, that’s Liam’s. And like I said, he’s busy.” This time Alex is able to successfully maneuver around me, pushing me away from the door that I’ve slowly gravitated towards.

“Have a good day, Carter.” He holds out a room key, lifting it to slide into the slot when I reach my hand out like I can use some magic force to stop him.

“Wait!”

My panic is escalated as my window of opportunity is closing. He has so many people to hide behind if he doesn’t want to talk to me. Fortunately, Alex stops.

“Will you give him a message for me?”

Alex keeps his back to me, and even though he doesn’t turn to look at me, he doesn’t insert the key either, so I start to talk.

“I know the way things look, okay, I get it. But those articles are lying.” I let out a frustrated sigh. This would be so much easier if I wasn’t talking to Alex. I’m not even sure he’ll actually give Liam my message. I have to try though. “Will you please just tell him-”

The door swings open and my heart lurches at the sudden movement. Liam leans against the opened door, crossing his arms over his chest. I stare at him, trying not to focus on the curve of his bicep in his light blue shirt or the stormy expression in his eyes. He’s clearly mad, so yeah, he’s definitely been ignoring me today.

Come on Carter, act fast before he closes the door!

“Go on, I’m listening.” He sounds bored. He fixes his eyes on me, looking like he’s daring me to lie to his face.

I pull off my wig and sunglasses as my eyes flick to Alex who thankfully enters Liam’s room instead of staying in the hallway with us. Alex motions for the two security guards to follow him in the room. I look back to Liam, wanting to close the distance between us, but his icy stare keeps me rooted to my spot in the hall.

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