Elliot's POV
I gently closed the door as I tried to forget the way how her tear-filled eyes looked at me a second ago.
I'm such an asshole.
But I can't do what we both want.
It's not right.
Olivia married me even though she knew I wouldn't love her.
I have to respect her. I have to respect our marriage because she respects it too.
I have to honour the vows I made to her, even if we are not romantically involved.
And Blake.
What kind of best friend would I be if I did something with the woman he has a thing for?
This is just lust. Pure lust.
I just need to ignore it until it passes.
I need to draw that line again between us.
The bedroom door opened and she wiped her eyes.
She was now dressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants.
"I have to go."
I shook my head. "No, it's late in the night. If you're uncomfortable I will go."
Her eyes filled with tears again and she held them back.
A strong one she is.
"No, it's not that," I struggled to say. "I just got a call from the hospital. It's my father."
My eyes widened. "I'll start to pack."
She shook her head. "No, stay. You still have a meeting tomorrow. I'll go to the airport and see if I can catch the next flight to Chicago."
"I'm not letting you go alone," I told her. "I don't care about the meeting."
She looked down. "Elliot, it's fine. I can go alone."
I ignored her.
"Pack your things," I told her as I picked up my phone. "I'm calling the pilot."
She continued to look down.
"Now, Sereia," I ordered.
I was tired of her trying to be humble.
She really thinks I would just let her catch a commercial flight when her father is in the hospital?
"Okay," she muttered before disappearing into the room.
I called the driver and pilot before I returned to the room to pack my things.
The air between us was tense as we silently packed our things.
I mean we were about to do something sexually related only a couple of minutes ago.
Not the best time to have small, useless conversations.
I hate her for how she's tempting me.
It's not her fault that I am extremely attracted to her, but I still hate her.
I'm sure she's no fan of mine after I left her high and dry.
Guilt consumed me as I kept quiet.
I didn't want to hurt her, but I also didn't want to hurt Olivia and Blake.
No matter how I handled the situation, someone would get hurt and I would still feel like shit.
I zipped up my suitcase before standing up. "Ready?"
"All set," she replied, a coldness in her tone as she tried to avoid eye contact with me.
"I'm really sorry about earlier," I apologized.
It hurt me so much to do it.
I felt even worse when I imagined the way how she felt.
I left her on the bed, practically naked.
I was the one who removed her towel.
I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have left her like that.
"Sereia, I feel terrible," I tried to express my guilt to her.
"Can we not talk about this?" she asked. "It's over."
I sighed as I began to feel even more guilty. "Okay."
...
Michael turned to the premises of the hospital.
We were in an area I'd never been before and never even heard about.
From the outside, the building looked so dilapidated. I couldn't imagine what the inside would look like.
I turned to her and she was staring out of the window while nervously playing with her fingers.
She had been doing that since we got off the plane.
Ah, the plane ride. That felt like the longest two hours of my life.
She didn't say a word to me and she ended up sitting on the opposite side of the plane.
She didn't move an inch.
She sat on that plane for two hours without moving.
It irritated me so much that she was treating me and herself like this.
What does she expect me to do?
Ruin my marriage over something that just might be lust?
Olivia gives me stability and a partnership with her family.
I can't just ruin that because my body is acting like a teenaged boy.
I need to view this situation from a practical standpoint.
Wealth matters more than lust.
Michael stopped in front of the entrance.
"Thanks for everything," she said as she got out of the car.
I also got out of the car.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm following you in."
She shook her head. "You don't need to."
That's right, but my dumbass would regret it if I didn't.
"I know, but I want to."
She silently watched me for a second before turning around and making her way in.
I closely trailed behind her as I watched people lying on the ground, some not moving.
She seemed to know where she was going as she walked confidently to the front desk.
"I'm here to see Silus Sinclair."
The woman lazily handed us two visiting passes. "Room 409."
She nodded before she started walking again.
"Have you been here before?" I asked as I watched the flickering lights above us.
"Too many times," she sighed.
I stayed quiet as I followed behind her.
We finally reached room 409 and she stared at the door intensely.
"I'm right here with you," I comforted her even though I was probably the last person she wanted to hear from.
She nodded before slowly opening the door.
On the bed, was a blond man who was probably in his late fifties or early sixties. He was hooked on to all sorts of machines.
Her shoulders dropped as she saw the state her father was in.
A woman suddenly appeared in the frame.
Her face was exactly like Sereia's only with wrinkles. She was extremely thin and had brown hair.
"Sereia," she smiled.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Sereia asked bitterly as an angry glare appeared on her face.
"The hospital called me," she answered. "Said I was his emergency contact."
"Well, I'm here now so you can leave," she hissed at the woman.
"The thing is I was wondering if you have any extra heroin or coke you aren't using," she smiled. "I know you're probably going to need them, but please just this once. Seeing your father like this hurts Mommy."
Sereia instantly looked at me and I cleared my throat.
"I'll give you two some privacy," I said before quickly rushing away from their personal chat.
Extra heroin or coke?
As I walked away, I could hear Sereia begin to yell, but I couldn't make out what she was saying.
I think I've heard enough.
I sighed as I sat down on one of the seats.
"Hi handsome," a woman with a cigarette in her hand said as she sat down next to me.
I pretended not to hear her as I stared at the large hole in the wall.
Did someone punch that in?
She repeated herself before placing her hand on my lap. "You seem like you have money. How much are you willing to pay?"
My eyes grew wide before I removed her hand from me. "I'm fine. Thanks for the offer."
She took a strong pull before blowing it in my face.
Soon enough three more women and one man walked up to me.
"What's your name, handsome?" one of the women asked and my heart raced.
"Come on I'll suck you right here," the woman next to me offered as she returned her hand to me.
I grabbed her hand and glared at her. "I said no."
Seriously, what the hell is wrong with these people?