The guy walked up the marble stairs to the hotel’s second floor, opened the door to his room, and went in. I wedged my foot in to keep the door from closing. Leo turned around in surprise:
— Everything okay?
— I also decided not to disturb, — I hissed.
— Or you have something to discuss with me, or you just decided to get rid of me, — Leo exhaled loudly, which made me even angrier. I stepped closer to him with a serious expression:
— Why are you here?
— Seems that should have been my question, — I raised an eyebrow. — Maybe because this is my room?
— You know that’s not what I mean, — I was annoyed by how he spoke in such a situation and how calmly he treated everything.
— Because I wanted to see you. Adele, why have you been ignoring me? Is it all because of that kiss? — now he stepped closer, putting on a casual expression, and I recoiled and began shaking my head as if that would change anything.
— No, it’s all wrong. You can’t...
— I can, Delli. I’ve already told you — you matter to me.
— No! — I suddenly screamed, not even understanding why I got so worked up. I didn’t even notice that he called me “Delli,” I just felt sick. — No, I know guys like you, — I jabbed at Leo and paced back and forth, then suddenly stopped. — You break hearts and leave, and then we have to live with it!
— Delli, I would never…
— Shut up! Don’t say that. You can’t… you can’t know that for sure!
— Delli…
— Don’t call me that! — I finally snapped and felt my hands shaking, so I clenched them into fists. — You don’t know anything, and you don’t understand... You can’t be here. Go home.
But he just tilted his head slightly and looked at me with mockery and curiosity in his eyes, which irritated me even more.
And then I saw the suitcase in the corner of the room. I instantly opened it and the wardrobe and started tossing Leo’s clothes in. He did nothing, just stood there with his arms crossed, continuing to watch.
— If you can’t pack your things, I’ll do it for you, — a shirt, a jacket, another shirt. — Here! That’s it! — with one swift motion, I closed the suitcase even though some items were still sticking out. — Get out of here! — I yelled. — Get out, now! — I shouted at him like a madwoman, and he just continued to calmly watch me, probably curious about what my next move would be.
And then I did something unexpected even for myself: I grabbed his large black suitcase and threw it out the open window. A loud “thud.” The alarm went off. I peeked out the window. A black Jeep with tinted windows stood below, and on it lay the suitcase I had just thrown out. My eyes widened as I tried to comprehend the scale of the damage. Leo approached me slowly.
— Damn, — I mentally noted that a car shouldn’t have been there since it was not a parking spot; Leo smiled, confirming my thoughts, and placed his palm on my shoulder:
— I was annoyed by that car anyway.
I slowly stepped back from the window, trying to understand how I had come to this. Although, to my shame, I felt no remorse at all. Leo just stood there and watched me. I wondered if he would want to go retrieve his things, but the guy seemed to be waiting for something.
*Elizabeth*
— I didn’t mean to offend you, — Nick assured, — but I couldn’t know for sure about your feelings, that’s why I said that.
— Why couldn’t you? — I asked.
— Because… — Dam didn’t let Matthieu finish.
— If you’d noticed the way she looks at you instead of worrying about secrecy, you would have seen everything she’s not saying, — I lowered my eyes, rubbing my bridge, and Damiano turned away.
— Lilibet, please, — it was more than a plea, — I love you.
I looked up at him and saw no signs of excitement that would be evident if he were lying.
— I no longer believe in that kind of love, — I waved him off.
— Then give me a chance… I beg you.
I don’t know how long I was silent, but eventually, I had to respond.
— Let’s start over. As friends, — Nicolas smiled and nodded. — And for now, let those two have a sense of calm, — I nodded in the direction where Leo and Adeline had gone, — otherwise they will tear each other apart.
*Adèle*
No more than five minutes had passed when there was a knock at the door. De Vill opened it with an expression of absolute innocence. I thought that even if he had committed murder and was now standing before a jury, he’d be acquitted. In the doorway stood an angry young man. He evidently had both Eastern and European roots. The guy had unusually light skin for a local but with dark thick hair, matching eyebrows, bright brown eyes, and a large, hooked nose.
— Pourquoi ta valise est sur ma voiture? — to my surprise, he spoke in French.
Just as I was about to respond, Leo did it for me:
— And why is your car parked in a prohibited area? — the guy switched to English, probably because of me.
— You shouldn’t concern yourself with that, — I didn’t like the anger with which they were glaring at each other, so I decided to intervene.
— I’m sorry, it was me, I didn’t mean to, — the owner of the car turned to me, and his expression softened.
He paused for a moment, then straightened up and said:
— You don’t look like someone who could throw such a heavy suitcase out of a window.
— A typical mistake people make when they see me for the first time, — the guy frowned slightly. Well, who was pulling my tongue? I should have stayed silent. But in a second, our “guest” laughed, breaking the tension in the room.
— You are witty, — I tried to smile and shifted my gaze to Leo. He had a look of some incomprehensible emotion on his face.
— Really, I apologize for the car.
— No need to apologize. It brought me to you, — was he flirting with me after I had just damaged his car? — My name is Cassandra, — he kissed the back of my hand and bowed slightly.
— Are you French? — I looked at Leo in surprise, whose face had turned even tenser, and then I turned my gaze back to Cassandra.
— Oui, madame, — I smiled.
— Enough, — the blonde suddenly spoke up.
— What’s it to you? — Cassandra replied somewhat roughly.
— C'est ma petite amie — Leo cut in. It stole my breath away.
The guy still didn’t know that I spoke French, and I enjoyed that, but now I was more glad than ever that I understood what they were discussing.
— Delli, please, go down to the others; I will handle this, — he said it quietly enough that only I could hear. And to my surprise, I complied and pushed through the door to run downstairs back to the restaurant. Nick, Ella, and Dam were chatting pleasantly when I seated myself. “They made up,” I thought, seeing that Elizabeth was calmly talking to Matthieu.
— What’s wrong with you? — Damiano asked.
— I threw a suitcase out the window. — I confessed. All three stared at me, and Nicolas coughed, stifling a laugh.
— How? — he was astonished.
While I was recounting my exciting adventure, Leo came down to us. I didn’t mention his “declaration.”
— Shall we eat somewhere? — as if nothing had happened, he suggested.
— Not here? — Ella asked.
— No, I know a wonderful restaurant, — he then turned to Nicolas. — You’ll call a taxi; I borrowed my car till tomorrow, — I felt myself blush and tried to cover my face with my hair.
While we waited for the transport, our conversation took a very interesting turn.
— How do you plan to celebrate Christmas? — Nicolas seemed to address everyone, but his gaze was directed only at Ella. So she satisfied him with her answer:
— My mom is flying to us for Christmas, — she smiled peculiarly.
I, shocked, turned to Ella. In an instant, my shock turned to joy because I saw how Ella’s eyes sparkled, radiating happiness that even lightened my mood. But I immediately fixed a serious look at Nick.
— I would be very glad to meet her, — the brunette replied, and I sighed with relief.
— Oh, come on, I’m about to be sick from your sweet murmurs. Where’s that taxi already? — Damiano crossed his arms over his chest, dissatisfied. — One of the reasons I’m here is that I knew I’d get a delicious meal, not your sweet talk.
Everyone barely managed to stifle their laughter.
— Oh, our transport has arrived, — Nick pointed to a white car.
— We’ll sit in the back with Adèle and Leo, and Dam can settle in next to the driver, — Ella nodded.
— Maybe I should sit up front...? — Leo rolled his eyes. Instead of answering, he lifted me by my waist and pulled me into the car. The blonde plopped down in the seat next to me. Now I rolled my eyes, but I didn’t argue.
— Is everything okay, Cinderella? — something in his voice suggested fun. I immediately felt the urge to crush his joy, but I overcame that feeling and simply grimaced:
— Don’t call me that, blondie jerk! — I frowned, turning to him, and he nodded back, satisfied, even though I was sure he didn’t plan to obey me.
The restaurant was almost on the other side of town, so the journey felt quite long. My left arm ached from being pressed hard against my side to avoid any further contact with Leo. I managed to hold on for another ten minutes until I slowly pulled my arm away just a little space between us. He slowly placed his hand on his knee.