“Around three weeks ago. The renovations had been completed prior to that, so we would have moved you in, but Mr. Steele insisted on changing the interior design for the bedroom.”
I nodded and went back to signing the papers. He spent so much time and effort putting me in an apartment. I felt so grateful, and his actions sparked hope in my chest. Had Steele done all of this on purpose so that we coud still be together?
Gabriel came through the doors with the luggage and set it down at my feet.
“This is most of it, I have to retrieve the rest from the storage closet,” he said to the receptionist.
She nodded and motioned him away.
“There’s more luggage? I only brought one bag with me,” I said quietly.
“Yes. Mr. Steele included a new wardrobe for you. His assistant helped pick them out, but I’m sure you’ll find some pieces to your liking.”
I flushed. “Oh,” I said. “Thank you.”
I finished signing the papers and handed them back over to the receptionist. She looked up and smiled professionally.
“Alright then. I’ll put these on your file. Let me show you to your apartment.”
“Wait,” I whispered. The receptionist stopped and looked at me with confusion.
“Is this apartment permanent?”
Maybe Steele had something else up his sleeve. This had just seemed too good to be true.
“Yes of course! I’ve got the keys to your room right here. Please, follow me. I’ll show you to your room.”
My heart felt numb. How was all of this happening so quickly?
I nodded and staggered behind the receptionist. We walked to an elevator with large gold doors. When it opened, I saw a large white silk couch set against damask wallpaper.
Sweat started to trickle down my back. The place was beyond gorgeous, I couldn’t imagine what it was costing Steele.
The receptionist pressed a button, and the doors closed. There was a silence that fell between us, and I could feel the receptionist eyeing me.
I wondered if she knew how Steele and I knew one another.
“Do you...know Mr. Steele?” I asked quietly.
The receptionist looked over at me with the same professional smile. I noticed how perfectly straight and white her teeth were.
“Yes. He and my father are business partners.”
I nodded. She turned her face away, flipping her blonde ponytail behind her.
After what felt like a lifetime, the doors pinged open to reveal the fifth floor of the building. The receptionist and I walked out of the elevator, and I followed her as she headed down the hallway.
She stopped suddenly in front of a door and turned to me.
“Here’s your keys! I hope you like your room! Mr. Steele had it designed to your taste. If you have any questions, please feel free to ring me at the front desk, I’m Rebecca by the way.”
I smiled and squeezed the keys in my hands as Rebecca turned and walked away.
I exhaled again and stepped inside the apartment, shutting the door behind me.
A rush a emotions fell over me. It was hard to believe that I was finally alone after such a confusing morning.
I felt so weak and limp that I could hardly stand. As I lowered myself to a chair near the doorway, I gasped at the beauty of my new home.
Even though I was only in the foyer, I was shocked by the beauty.
There was a small staircase that led down to the rest of the apartment. I cautiously walked down it, shaking like a leaf. I was still tired from traveling, but curiosity was starting to win out and I got to my feet and began to explore.
The apartment was beautiful: a two-bedroom with cream wallpaper and golden trimmings. The floors had plush white carpet, and as I walked further inside, I noticed that the living room was fully furnished with light blue couches.
There was a flat screen TV in the living room, and several expensive paintings on the walls. The windows were tall and had extravagant cream curtains that looked like clouds.
I staggered into the kitchen and ran my hands on the granite countertops.
The refrigerator gleamed a dull chrome, and my heart skipped a beat at the sight of a small post-it note stuck to the handle.
Swallowing hard, I picked it up and read it.
“Enjoy cooking, baby girl.” Tears pricked my eyes.
I ran my fingers over Steele’s neat handwriting. Taking a deep breath, I stuck it back on the refrigerator.
Sticking my hand out, I opened the door. It was completely stocked, and I bit my lip in gratitude as I stared at the massive amount of food.
Tears sparked in my eyes, this time spilling down my cheeks. He knew how much I loved to cook, so he made sure to fill the refrigerator. His personal assistant may have been responsible for making sure the apartment would be suited to me, but Steele had swooped in to leave at least one personal touch.
I wondered if he would miss eating warm, homemade meals.
I tried to push the thought out of my head and continued exploring the rest of the apartment.
The deeper I went through the hallway, I realized just how intricate every detail was, which meant Steele put a great deal of time and effort into the apartment.
There were several pictures throughout the apartment of different cities and artwork. I noticed there was even a framed picture of a Steele when he was younger. It almost broke my heart to see the teenage Steele sitting on a tractor.
My thoughts went back to when he had told me he volunteered on a farm when he was sixteen.
He’d had his first real sexual experience there. Was that why he’d left the photo? To remind me that at one point in time, he had been just as innocent as I?
I could barely pull myself away from the photo. He looked young but he had the same thick, black hair and gorgeous blue eyes. It was no wonder women had always fallen at his feet.
Tearing myself away from the picture, I ran quickly to the bedroom. I threw open the door and gasped. The room was a huge. The walls were a delicate baby pink and a sparkling chandelier hung from the ceiling.
The carpet was white, and there were at least three pink rugs. There was a window seat with pink pillows, and then the bed was huge with tons of decorative pillows.
My room at my father’s house was barely bigger than a closet. I didn’t even have a bed. Just a single mattress and one pillow.
Why had Steele done this?
I fell to the floor shaking. I had always wanted my own place. My own home that I could come to and be free inside, and Steele had given that to me.
How could I not love him?
“Ms. Rosy?” I jumped, startled at the sound of Gabriel’s voice. He was standing in the doorway with my luggage.
Sweat was trickling down his face and his eyes looked tired.
I wiped my eyes and stood up quickly.
“Oh, sorry. You can put it all right there,” I said pointing to the corner.
Gabriel nodded and carried my luggage inside, placing it down gently.
“Well, that’s all of it. Is there anything else I can assist with?” Gabriel asked.
I looked all around me and then back at Gabriel.
There was a question burning inside me, but I was almost too afraid to ask. Still, I was positive Gabriel could sense what I was about to say.
I took a deep breath and forced myself to look into his eyes.
“Did Mr. Steele say where he went?”
Gabriel cleared his throat and forced a smile on his old face.
“Mr. Steele has taken the rest of summer to travel with his business associates, but he sends his greetings.”
I nodded and tried to smile, but it was no use. The apartment was perfect and much needed, but I would have given it up in a heartbeat if that meant a chance to return to the cabin with Steele.
Gabriel waved goodbye and heading out of the door. I listened for the front door to shut close before I sank to the floor.
The carpet felt soft and warm un
derneath me. I laid down on it and stared at the ceiling.
What would I do next?
The bathroom was right behind me, and I sighed and lifted myself up.
Peeking inside, I noticed it was just as beautiful as the rest of the apartment. There was a golden sink and shower.
I sighed and turned on the sink, then splashed my face. The cool water felt good on my hot skin.
I couldn’t even bring myself to look at my own reflection.
I felt dirty and grimy and ugly. Even though it had only been hours, I was desperately craving Steele’s touch.
With a loud sigh, I turned on the shower in hopes that the warm water would cleanse me.
I quickly undressed, letting my clothes fall to the floor.
As I got in the shower, I relaxed as the steaming hot water washed over me.
I grabbed the soap that was on the side of shower and rubbed it all over my body.
The water felt heavenly, but I missed taking showers with Steele. His hands would hold me by the hips and pull me close to him.
His heartbeat would pound against me, making me feel safe and wanted.
The first time we fucked in the shower had been amazing. Steele’s cock was so huge and it had stretched my pussy perfectly.
But it wasn’t just the fucking that I missed.
The sex had been incredible, but it was Steele I wanted more.
I wanted to lay on his strong, muscular chest and listen to his heartbeat.
He always held me so tight and firm in his arms. I’d always felt so safe, like nothing could ever get to me.
I shut the shower off and stood there, dripping water on the new marble tile.
The gold trimmings in the shower reflected off my skin, showering me in yellow light.
“Steele,” I whispered as tears started to stream down my face.
I opened the shower door and stepped out. I didn’t even bother to dry myself off. My heart felt too heavy, and my tears made my vision blurry.
Walking out of my bedroom, I stood in the middle of the living room. There was large windows on both sides of the walls, and it overlooked the city.
I stepped closer to the window, completely naked and wet from my shower, and pressed my body against the glass.
The glass was cold and unwelcoming, but I tried to imagine that Steele was holding me instead.
It was no use, though. After only a minute, chills ran down my body…the kind of lonely chills I’d never felt with Steele.
Right as I was about to head back into the bedroom, something out of the corner of my eye made me turn.
There was a large blue envelope on one of the small granite tables.
Had Gabriel left it?
I walked over to it cautiously. It bore a golden seal, and my name printed in fine print.
Swallowing hard, I opened it.
Was it a letter from Steele? Maybe he’d explain everything to me.
As soon as I opened it, a teal ribbon fell at my feet. I picked it up and saw that it said “Congratulations!”
Confused, I dug in the envelope and pulled out a neatly folded paper.
I took a deep breath and read it.
The first line of the letter caught me completely off guard:
“Dear Rosy Butler,
Congratulations on your acceptance to Hudson University. We look forward to having you study on our campus. Please find enclosed your enrollment paperwork.”
I slid down on the floor with the letter in my shaking hands.
I knew it had to be Steele. I remember telling him I wanted to go to college, but I didn’t think I’d be able to.
College was so expensive, yet Steele got me into one of the most prestigious universities.
As I read on, I realized that Steele also selected my major. Biology.
Biology had been one of my favorite subjects in school.
I couldn’t stop my tears from flooding down my cheeks. I curled into a tiny ball and sobbed on the soft, white carpeted floors.
My heart felt broken yet so grateful at the same time. All in one day I had my own place and an acceptance letter to Hudson University.
These were amazing things. And a normal girl would have been thrilled to have them.
But they could never measure up to Steele.
Why did he have to leave like this? Why couldn’t he have just talked to me?
All the moments we shared, and he was unhappy with me?
Sitting up, I tried to wipe my face, but it was no use. Everything reminded me of him.
The blue couches reminded me of his eyes. The gold bathroom reminded me of his favorite color.
And then the pink bedroom was a reflection that he listened to me. I had told him my favorite color was pink.
I picked up the acceptance letter and held it against my chest. College had been my dream ever since I started high school.
My future depended on it, and just when I thought I’d be stuck in my never-ending cycle of sadness with my father, Steele swept in.
It was as if he saw something in me that I could never have noticed on my own.
All my years of loneliness and being invisible, and he finally saw me. But in the end, he left just like everyone else.
How could he do that? I loved him.
I grabbed onto the wall and pulled myself up. Taking a look around the apartment, I forced myself to smile.
How many girls my age could say they lived in a gorgeous apartment and had been accepted to Hudson University?
None.
So I should be thankful, right?
I wiped my eyes with back of my hand and walked back into the bedroom.
Flinging open my luggage, I grabbed a shirt and jeans and pulled them on. I sniffed my sleeve long and hard. The material smelled just like him, and I felt my throat close tightly as fresh tears came to my eyes.
My love for Steele would never die, that I knew for a fact. He was my first everything, and I was so grateful for him, even if he had disappeared without saying goodbye.
I took the Hudson acceptance letter and set it on my dresser, then laid down on my bed.
Memories of Steele kept running through my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about him, even with the news of Hudson.
The material things were great, but they’d never compare to Steele. I was happy, but the consuming sense of love I’d felt before just wasn’t there.
The Dirty Hotel King: A Billionaire Bad Boy Romance Page 18
