Two Can Play (Celeste and Dominic) novel Chapter 181

Chapter 181

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The next day came too quickly. The afternoon sun was harsh, unforgiving, as I watched Pat from across the lab. She was focused on Celeste, who was trying to work on her experiments but kept making mistakes. Celeste looked distracted, troubled. Good. That meant she would not pay attention to me.

I walked over to Pat and said, “I set up a meeting with a company that might invest in Helix. I am going to a hotel to meet with them.”

“A hotel?” Pat asked, frowning. “Why a hotel?”

“The representative is only in town for a few hours. She booked a conference room at the Grand Crest. I will let you know how it goes.”

“Okay,” Pat said, nodding. “Good luck, Kingsley.”

“Thank you.”

I drove to the Grand Crest Hotel and booked room twenty-five. It was on the second floor, quiet, private. I set up the camera in the corner of the room, hidden behind the curtains, angled perfectly to capture the bed. I arranged the room carefully, making sure everything looked natural. Then I waited.

An hour passed. Maybe more. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall, my fingers tapping against my thigh. My heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat.

Then, I took out my phone and called Pat.

“Pat,” I said, my voice deliberately slurred, groggy. “Help me. The client… the client had ulterior motives.”

“What do you mean?” Pat asked, her voice sharp with concern. “What do you mean, Kingsley? Where are you? Are you okay?”

“I am still at the hotel. Room twenty-five. Please, Pat. Help me.’

“Okay. Okay. I am coming over right now. I am coming right away.”

She hung up.

I sat on the bed, waiting. My fingers were trembling. I pressed them against my thighs to steady them. The minutes crawled by. I

counted them. One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

And then I heard the knock.

I opened the door and there she was. Pat. She was panting, her chest heaving, her face flushed. She must have run when she was not in a car. The Grand Crest was at least a fifteen-minute drive from Helix. She had made it in ten.

“Are you okay?” she asked, stepping into the room, her eyes scanning my face, my body. “Kingsley, what happened? You look

I dropped my head. I beat my legs with my fists, once, twice

“I am sorry,” I said. “How could I have asked that of you? I should not have. I should not have asked you to come here and do such a thing. Forget I said anything.”

“No,” Pat said. “It is okay.”

I looked up at her.

“I am willing,” she admitted.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stared at her, at the softness in her eyes, the trust, the care. She was willing to sleep with me because she thought I needed help. Because she thought I was in trouble. Because she was good and kind and decent, and I was none of those things.

“Are you sure?” I asked, hating myself for asking, hating the hope I let creep into my voice.

“I am sure,” she replied.

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