Chapter 17 - Victoria

Victoria

H aving an entourage is not as glamorous as it sounds.

“How do you put up with this?” I grumbled, speed-walking with Hannah through Charles de Gaulle airport. We’d just arrived in Paris for Xavier’s game tonight.

“You get used to it.” Her flaxen hair bounced with every purposeful step.

“We’ll see,” I muttered. “I’m still not used to the freaking royal guard posted at work.”

Alex has been hovering since Wednesday night. Not only did he drive me home, he also picked me up for work the next day.

And he drove me to the airport for the team flight to Miami.

Oh, and he was at the dinner for the marketing staff on Thursday night.

And the game on Friday.

And the flight here.

I tried not to let it bother me too much.

Since we’d taken the red-eye, our plan for the day was pretty flexible. We’ll check in at the hotel, freshen up, then find a spot for brunch. I haven’t been to Paris in a hot minute so I was actually looking forward to an authentic French roast coffee. And maybe a croissant or twelve.

“Ladies, the car is this way,” Alex’s gruff voice cut through the hustle and bustle of the airport.

Hannah stopped walking and looked at him funny. “No it’s not. I hired a service to—”

She frowned, seeing the stern expression on Alex’s face. Her subtle eye roll said everything.

“Busted,” I laughed.

“I adore that man but sometimes I wish he wasn’t so—”

“So what?” Bennet sauntered over from God-knows where. Even in the middle of an airport he commanded the space, exuding power and control.

“Hands on,” Hannah finished.

Bennet whispered something in her ear that made her cheeks turn crimson before kissing her.

“Victoria.” He greeted me with a smile.

“God of thunder.”

“That never gets old for you, does it?”

“Nope. And it never will.”

Bennet’s amber eyes danced with amusement. “Alex will see to it that your belongings get to the hotel. You ladies are coming with me.” His statement sounded pretty final but I wasn’t about to be bossed around so soon after deplaning.

“I’d rather go to the room and shower, if that’s okay with the lord of the manor.” I stifled a smile, knowing this nickname ruffled his feathers.

Before Bennet could react, Hannah put her two cents in. “Same for me. There’s nothing worse than sitting on an airplane all night and not freshening up. Especially after being in the Miami humidity before we left.”

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. He’s been on the receiving end of my defiance, or whatever his definition of it is, but probably not Hannah’s. Then again, judging by the look on her face maybe my secretly kinky friend enjoyed pushing her Dom’s buttons.

“Seems I’m outnumbered by the Americans.” He turned to Alex. “I’ll meet you all at the hotel.”

“Sir.” Alex nodded and motioned for us to follow him toward the exit.

Deciding to come to France, at least for me, was driven solely by my desire to see Xavier. Otherwise, I’d be laser focused on the upcoming football season. It starts in less than three weeks. We lost our preseason game in Miami last night. Plus, the rumors and speculation surrounding Noah’s future with the team ramped up again.

Word leaked that no movement has been made yet to extend his contract. It expires at the end of next season, but negotiations have been on-going all summer. I half-wished the fake photos of his house regained traction.

I sank into the comfort of our car and enjoyed the views on the way to the hotel. Hannah took care of booking the room so I had no idea where we were staying. She sat quietly next to me, tapping on her phone.

“Um,” she hesitated. “There’s been a slight change.”

“What do you mean?”

She frowned. “Bennet changed our reservations. We’re each getting a penthouse suite at the Four Seasons.”

“He did what?” My jaw dropped. “No. No way. Tell him that’s not necessary.”

Hannah’s have-you-met-Bennet-Logan look said it all.

Over the course of my life and career I’ve been around all different types of alpha males. CEOs, politicians, international sports stars, celebrities. The list goes on. None of them, and I do mean none, hold a candle to the level of influence Bennet has over any situation. He is quite honestly the most controlling man I’ve ever met and I don’t know how Hannah can spend more than five minutes in his presence without wanting to pull her hair out.

“Why do I get the feeling he’s going to intrude on our brunch and eat all my croissants?” I pouted.

“He knows not to interfere in our plans. He just wanted to pamper us.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell her changing our hotel reservations was interfering in our plans but she looked so glowy and happy and smitten.

Shaking my head in amusement, I settled into the seat and relaxed. Once we arrived at the hotel, we were ushered inside like royalty.

Alex escorted us to our respective suites. Hannah’s door was at the end of the hallway in one corner, mine on the opposite end. We were basically neighbors for the night.

First thing I did when I got inside was text Xavier.

Me: Bonjour

Mildly Hot: You’re here?

Me: Yep. At the hotel.

Mildly Hot: Get some rest. I plan to keep you up all night

Me: Promise?

Mildly Hot: Is that a challenge?

Me: Maybe

Mildly Hot: Careful what you wish for

I hopped in the shower to wash off the remnants of Miami and the long flight.

Since we were going to a soccer game, I thought it would be fun to wear Xavier’s jersey. He really enjoyed seeing me in his Royal City one. And I really enjoyed wearing it for him.

It was way too big though. I pulled out the England jersey I bought last week, running my hand over the name Maddox .

A smile played on my lips. He’s going to love this .

Intense quiet filled every corner of the suite’s luxurious bedroom. I wish he was here with me now, enjoying the beautiful panoramic view of Paris with the Eiffel Tower standing in all its iron elegance.

I’d just walked back into the living room area when a knock sounded at the door. A hotel employee stood holding a small, elegantly wrapped box.

“This arrived for you.”

He handed me the box and left. I watched him disappear into the elevator. I also noticed there was no sign of Alex lurking in the hallway. That struck me as odd but then again maybe the poor guy was scarfing down some food in peace.

I eyed the pretty box with a healthy dose of curiosity. Xavier wouldn’t send a present. He’s not a surprise romantic gift type of guy.

Wait. He didn’t know where I was staying.

A tiny wave of anxiety pushed through me. There wasn’t a card or anything with it.

I did the only rational thing I could think of. I shook it. Silly? Yes.

“Might as well,” I muttered, opening the box.

There was so much tissue paper I thought maybe it was empty. Then I noticed the slim, black flash drive wrapped in a small slip of paper.

I unfolded it.

THIS IS THE KEY: 08010401

What the hell?

My curiosity evaporated, replaced with an eerie crawling sensation up the back of my neck. I went to the door again and opened it. The hallway remained empty. The eerie sensation intensified.

“Get it together,” I mumbled to myself, shutting the door.

It’s the jet lag. The flash drive was probably meant for someone else. Bennet did just make these reservations, and knowing him, he probably had the original guest booted so fast they weren’t able to tell anyone.

I relaxed a bit but wasn’t able to shake the weird sensation. I put the flash drive back in the box and left it on the table. I’ll talk to the concierge after brunch.

Half an hour later, Hannah and I sipped on mimosas at an adorable little café near the hotel. Of course, Alex hovered nearby.

I snapped some photos of the Eiffel Tower, our drinks, and us. Likes and comments flooded my notifications seconds after I posted them.

Enjoy Paris!

Lucky girl.

Queen.

Belle femme.

My following on social media had grown dramatically the last couple of months. I went from twelve hundred followers to fifty thousand. To say Xavier’s fans were ravenous was an understatement.

“You’re officially a WAG now,” Hannah teased. “How does it feel?”

“I’m not that interesting. They’ll get bored really fast.”

“They’re curious about you. Xavier was usually spotted with models or actresses or party girls. You’re different.”

“Is that your way of saying I’m a nobody?” I laughed.

“Stop it. You know what I mean. The way you two met was so…organic. People eat that shit up.”

My phone chimed.

Killian: If you don’t bring me something Parisian I’ll cry

Me: Grab the tissues

Killian: Love you, mean it

“Was that Xavier?” Hannah giggled. “His ears must have been burning.”

“It was Killian begging for a souvenir.”

I finished my drink and excused myself to use the restroom. The café was bustling now. Tourists and regulars filled the sidewalk tables. I waited patiently for an elderly couple to pass by before squeezing through the door.

Someone bumped into me from behind, apologizing profusely. I whacked a pretty large, and from the looks of it, expensive camera lens when I turned around. Horrified, I told him in French how sorry I was and hoped I didn’t damage the camera. He smiled and shook his head, waving off the notion. Then he told me to have a lovely day in English.

After I returned to Hannah, she leaned in and spoke low. “There’s a reporter following you.”

“How do you know?” I pulled out my phone and started scrolling.

“I saw him. Besides, the camera was a dead giveaway.”

I stopped mid-scroll and glanced up. “Big lens?” I relayed my encounter with the stranger.

“This will probably happen more often now.” Hannah straightened her posture. “Will it bother you?”

“I honestly don’t know. I’ve had cameras shoved in my face by default when I’m escorting Noah or Jax around.” I shrugged. “How different can this be?”

We spent the next hour or so shopping. I did grab something Parisian for Killian but it was more of gag gift than anything. He’s afraid of mimes. When I saw a small ceramic mime holding a flower, I bought it immediately.

Before leaving the shop, I noticed a print of Baroque architecture, featuring Palais du Luxembourg and the Louvre.

The Louvre?

I read the information sheet near the print. Apparently the Baroque style was added in the seventeenth century during an expansion project.

Fascinating.

I bought it for Xavier on a whim, knowing how much he appreciates the inner workings of a structure.

Hannah and I returned to the hotel, agreeing to meet in the lobby around four to head over to the stadium. I put my stuff down, noticing the little box.

I should bring it down to the concierge so they can deliver it to its rightful owner.

My cell phone started ringing. Of course it was buried at the bottom of my bag. I rummaged through, feeling my way around.

Lip gloss, sunglasses, passport…

The ringing stopped when my hand brushed an envelope. Must be a piece of mail I shoved in there before leaving for Miami. I pulled it out.

Plain, white, no address.

Oh. It’s probably the itinerary from Miami.

I tossed it in the trash and continued looking for my phone.

One missed call from an unknown number. The eerie sensation I’d had earlier returned. Never really thought Paris would bring out the creepy, horror movie vibes.

“I’m being fucking ridiculous,” I grumbled, grabbing the box and heading to the lobby. I exchanged a pleasant smile with one of the room attendants on my way to the elevator.

The concierge was as polite as can be, apologizing for the mistake. She checked the computer several times, glancing at me nervously.

“ Mademoiselle, je suis désolé , this is for you. Hannah Pruitt, non ?”

Confused, I answered, “No. That’s my friend, She’s in the room down the hall from me.”

“Apologies, mademoiselle, ” she said, placing her hand on the box. “They must have misread the room number. I can have someone deliver it to her.”

“That’s not necessary.” I reached for the small package. “I can give it to her. Do you have a record of who delivered it?”

“A local courier. They come and go all day.”

“Thanks for your help. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

“Not a problem. ?a m’a fait plaisir .”

Tapping my nails on the box, I waited by the elevator. Why would Hannah need a flash drive? More importantly, why would she be working on a girls’ weekend? When I reached my floor, I continued down the hall and knocked on Hannah’s door.

Alex answered because of course he would. Steely gray eyes skirted over my face before he greeted me with a monotone, “Can I help you with something?”

“Always a pleasure, Alex.” I stifled an eye roll and held up the box. “This was delivered to my room by accident. It’s for Hannah.”

He plucked the box from my fingers. “I’ll see that she gets it. Thank you.”

The door closed in my face before I could say anything.

“Rude,” I muttered, pulling my vibrating phone out of my pocket.

Unknown: Never know who’s watching

A photo of Hannah and I having brunch accompanied the text.