Rosy was mine, and I had to go after her.
Chapter 23
Steele
I staggered out into the bright sunlight and squinted. I was completely drunk and out of it. I fell onto the ground, but wasn’t prepared to give up.
I could see my driver running over to me quickly. I didn’t want his help though. I wanted my Rosy.
“Mr. Steele!” he cried out as he tried to help me up. I swatted his hands away and tried to pull myself up.
“Yo, I want my Rosy!” I bellowed before falling down again, smashing my palms into the concrete. Brief pain flickered in my head but I ignored it. My driver grabbed me underneath my arms and helped me walk to the car.
“I’ll get you some water right away, Mr. Steele.”
“Rosy!”
“Yes, sir.” I knew he didn’t know what I meant. He was new.
I tried to push myself out of his grip, but he was surprisingly strong for such a skinny guy. He finally got me to the car and pushed me inside. He shut the door, trapping me inside the safe leather back seat. I leaned back and tried to steady myself but I felt extremely uneasy.
I was going to be sick.
I pushed out of the door and threw up everything I’d drank right there onto the sidewalk. Even though I felt like shit, I felt accomplished.
“I’m never drinking again,” I growled to myself as I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand.
Rosy would be my only drug. I was going to get her back. But how? I was shitfaced drunk at the moment, at loose ends and violently sick to boot. Not exactly a pretty picture.
My driver brought me back to The Grand, and as soon as the car was parked in front of the hotel, Alicia came running out. Her hair was all over her head and she was drenched in sweat but I knew I couldn’t look good, either. I’d vomited several times in the car, and my skin was clammy and cold. I usually had a high tolerance for alcohol, but Drew had poured far too much for me.
Alicia swung open the door before the driver could even stop the car. “How much has he been throwing up?” she gasped when she saw me. “How could you let him do this?”
The driver jumped out of the car and jogged over to where Alicia was standing. “Ever since we left the bar, miss. He’s had too much.”
Alicia rolled her eyes.
“You let him have drinks? He only drinks champagne and wine!”
The driver was wide-eyed.
“I-I had no idea!”
Alicia literally gnashed her teeth and reached to unfasten my seat belt, before pulling me out of the car. She wrapped my arm around her shoulders and started to walk me back into The Grand, staggering under my heavy weight.
“We’ve got a nice suite set up for you Mr. Steele, so why don’t you get some rest? You’ll feel better in the morning.”
“What time is it?” I mumbled groggily. I could barely stand up, and the world was spinning around me.
“It’s six o'clock, sir.”
I was shocked. Only six o’clock? I had never gotten drunk that early before.
“Shit. That’s too early to be wasted,” I fumed.
“Yes, Mr. Steele, my thoughts exactly. But never mind that. Let’s get you to bed,” she said grimly. I staggered lazily forward, shocked at the effort it took to move. As we got into the elevator, I tried to catch my breath.
“I’ve got to see Rosy tomorrow!” was my grunt..
Alicia sighed and tried to hustle me forwards.
“Yes, I know. You’ve informed us many times. We can schedule a meeting with her.”
“No! I have to go to her! She won’t come here because she hates me!” I explained in a string of slurred words.
Alicia winced at the smell of vomit on my breath.
“Very well. We can arrange for the car to be here bright and early.”
I smiled and hugged Alicia tightly. Her body stiffened uncomfortably but she was unable to escape my embrace.
“Thank you,” I slurred again. “You da best.”
Alicia wiggled free of my embrace and nodded before tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. We finally reached the penthouse floor, which was my usual place of residence when I stayed at The Grand. There was only one suite – the most luxurious in the hotel – and it was mine. Alicia unlocked the suite door and pushed me inside. I noticed a fresh suit on the bed as well as a tray of food.
“I went ahead and got you dinner and clothes. Please shower, eat, and rest up, Mr. Steele.” Alicia turned and quietly closed the door behind her, leaving me unattended in the big, empty room.
I sighed and staggered into the suite. Even though the penthouse was all mine, sometimes I couldn’t believe that I had something so luxurious. Before I had The Grand, I’d lived in a shithole apartment with moldy carpet and water stains on the ceiling. It had been bad.
I had one single rule for the penthouse though: no fucking in my suite. It was my room – my place to decompress – and I’d kept the rule since the day I’d made it.
But now, all that was moot. I stumbled into the bathroom and showered quickly, then collapsed onto the bed. I didn’t want to sleep, but I needed to be ready for tomorrow. I soon drifted off with Rosy on my mind.
The next morning, I woke up at an early hour. It was still dark outside and I could hear the faraway wail of a fire truck. It was the perfect time to leave the hotel without being noticed. I quickly got dressed and threw on the clothes that Alicia had left for me. I took one last look around the room and left. I felt like a bandit escaping jail as I tip-toed through the hallways and main lobby.
I knew Alicia would want to call my driver, but I wanted to arrive at Rosy’s apartment alone. If I came in my car I might attract too much attention.
I quietly called for a taxi on my cell phone, and stood outside to wait for it. When it finally arrived, I hopped inside and slammed the door shut. The taxi driver was an old man in his seventies, and he didn’t say one word to me.
Much to my pleasure. I didn’t need to talk. I had to get my thoughts together.
The ride from The Grand to Rosy’s apartment was a good forty minutes, and when I was finally in front of the apartment building, my chest felt heavy.
I’d either leave with Rosy as mine forever, or I’d leave broken. I quickly paid the taxi driver and walked inside, marching up to the front desk.
Rebecca was dozing off, but perked up when she saw me standing in front of her.
“Well, well, Mr. Steele. You’re here early.”
I kept a casual smile on my face. “I’m here to see Rosy,” I replied.
Rebecca tossed her head.
“I need to get upstairs,” I added sharply. “Now.”
“Why? What’s up there?”
Rebecca was leaning forward, revealing her cleavage. Her nipples were slipping through the folds of her shirt, and her eyes were locked on mine. She was hungry for me as usual, but it was the last thing I needed.
I sighed and pulled out my wallet.
“How much do I have to pay you to let me see Rosy?”
Rebecca’s face fell. Her kitten smile turned into a nasty scowl.
“Rosy? What is it about that college brat that men like?” she spat. My nostrils flared and I slammed my hands on the front desk, causing her to jump.
“Do not insult her,” I growled. “If it wasn’t for me, you’d be stripping to make a living! I could ruin your father in a single moment,” I added sharply. “And don’t you forget that.”
Rebecca’s mouth fell open and she looked away, her cheeks turning a deep scarlet color.
“What is it that you need me to do?”
I exhaled.
“I need you to let me upstairs so I can speak with Rosy. It’s very urgent.”
Rebecca nodded and opened a drawer and pulled out keys.
“Follow me then, Mr. Steele.”
I anxiously followed Rebecca to the elevator. She pressed the floor number, and looked straight ahead as the elevator ascended. The silence between us had grown awkward.
“I don’t think you’re a bad person, Rebecca,” I said. “There’s nothing between us. It was just sex.”
“How is she different?” Rebecca asked.
I paused, trying to think of an answer that wasn’t too harsh. Rosy had substance and a heart of gold. Rebecca was nowhere near her level. But how could I say words so harsh? My prolonged silence seemed to answer her question on its own. She exhaled heavily, refusing to look my way.
As the doors opened, she handed me the keys. “I hope she makes you happy.” The bitterness in Rebecca’s voice was obvious.
“She does,” I said. “She really does.”
Rebecca nodded and walked back along the hallway, her shoulders rigid. I heaved another sigh as the doors slid shut. This was not a promising start to the morning.
Finally, I reached Rosy’s floor and exited, looking around. It was time. I lifted my hand and knocked heavily on the door. At first there was nothing, but when I knocked again, my girl’s sweet voice rang out.
“Coming!” she called from behind the door.
I inhaled and exhaled, trying my best to release all my nerves. Rosy swung open the door with a smile, but it quickly faded when she saw it was me. She grew immediately defensive.
“Why are you here, Steele? So you can fuck me then leave me and never call? No thanks.” She started to close the door but I caught it with my hand.
“I’m here to talk, Rosy please. Let me in.”
Her brown eyes grew hard. After another moment, she sighed and opened the door wider. “You have ten minutes, then it’s time for you to leave.”
I nodded and walked inside the apartment. It was nicer than I remembered. I forgot how detailed I had been when decorating it for her, trying to anticipate her every need, her every whim. I wanted to make sure it was to her taste, but also classy and livable. I noticed there were notebooks sprawled across the living room floor along with textbooks stacked on each other.
“Studying?” I asked.
Rosy nodded.
“I was just taking a break.” Rosy flushed. “I have to study, my classes are hard.”
I walked over to the living room and sat on the couch. Rosy followed and sat on the floor with her books.
“Well,” I started slowly. “I guess the reason I’m here is to admit how fucking stupid I’ve been. I’ve hurt you. I’ve neglected you.”
Rosy kept her eyes on the floor.
“Okay, and?” she said shortly. I swallowed hard and tried to go on. Man, this was tough.
“Rosy, I’ve lived the past twenty years in pain. I did everything I could to avoid feeling that way, and I’ve treated a lot of women very badly as a result.”
Rosy looked away, blinking hard.
“That doesn’t justify what you did,” she says woodenly.
“I know—“
Rosy stood up and cut me off.
“No you don’t, Steele! I didn't plan on falling for you! But I did, okay? And I know you felt the same but you were too scared to be with me. So you left me, and I had to try and pick up the pieces you left.”
My throat felt dry. I had to fight back my emotions, I needed to stay as cool as possible.
“I know that Rosy. I never wanted to hurt you. But I want to try again.”
“Try what again? I’m not some experiment for you, okay? I have feelings and I have needs, so that is not cool.”
I stood up and grabbed Rosy’s hands. They were soft and trembling. There was a wild and desperate look in her eyes that I hadn’t seen since that glorious month at the cabin.
I cupped her face in my hands, gazing deep into those caramel pools.
“I know that. You’re the most precious thing to me. Why do you think I went through so much to get you everything you have now? I just didn’t want you to get attached to a man like me, Rosy. You deserve so much more.”
“A man like you?” she repeated with disbelief. “What does that even mean?”
I took a deep breath. “A man who has hurt women and used them unapologetically.”
Rosy tore away from me, anger shooting through her eyes.
“So? That was the old you, Steele! This is now! If you want me, then just be with me. If not, then please just go and let me live my life. Please,” she said, her voice breaking.
I sank back down into the couch.
“Rosy, I want you. I want only you. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid. I’ve been a serial cheater. I’ve been an asshole and a prick. If you don’t want me, I understand.”
Rosy rolled her eyes and snorted.
“You’re not listening. I never wanted anyone but you. I never wanted Cris, and if it makes you feel better, I never had sex with him or any other guy. I never cheated on you, if you can even call what we had a “relationship.” I only went out with Cris to try and get over you. He was the perfect distraction.” Rosy took a deep breath. “But he’s gone now. I got a restraining order against him. He was stalking me.”
Rage filled my heart and I growled loudly. “That motherfucking piece of shit,” I uttered through clenched teeth. “What the fuck? I’m gonna kill him.”
“No, that’s not necessary,” Rosy said with a shaking of her head. “The police are handling it.”
“Your safety is my main concern Rosy.”
Rosy walked towards the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “Do you want anything?” she asked, her shoulders slumping a little.
I stared at her and blinked. How could she ask such a mundane question? We were in the middle of the most intense moment of my life.
“Water,” I growled. Rosy poured two glasses of water and carried them to the couch. She handed one to me and I drained the entire thing. I hadn’t had any liquids since the night before, and the water was a blessed relief.
“I know you care about my safety, Steele. But it’s hard for me to believe what you’re saying. How do I know this isn’t one of your twisted scenarios?” Rosy trailed off. “How do I know that you’re telling the truth? How do I know you won’t change your mind and leave me?”
“I thought I was being smart by letting you go, but I realized that was biggest mistake I could have ever made. Rosy, I love you. I can’t live without you.”
Rosie looked away, her cheeks deepening in color.
“You hurt me to the core. But I want you to trust in yourself this time,” she said softly. “That’s what needs to happen, Steele. I’ve never doubted you, you’ve been doubting yourself.”
I got down on my knees and took her hand, cradling it between mine.
“I want to try, Rosy. Just give me a chance.”
Rosy stood up again, pulling her hand from my fists, and walked to the window, turning her back to me. I had a thought to follow her, but I knew I should probably keep my distance.
The Dirty Hotel King Page 25
