The Beast Within (The Elite Series) - By Jonathan Yanez Page 0,21
owns this hotel and restaurant and I would charge the owner’s daughter?”
Connor raised his eyebrows until they were almost touching his hairline. He knew Laren’s family was well off, but he had no idea they were this well off. To own a hotel and restaurant of this caliber, they had to be millionaires.
“Cyril, if you don’t give me the check, I’m just going to guess how much it is and have the hotel manager put it into the restaurant bank account. And I’m an extremely high guesser when it comes to these things. What will my father think?”
Cyril’s face went white and then a thin smile spread across his mouth and perfectly groomed goatee. “Oh, Miss Abelardus, you are your father’s daughter. Give me just one moment.” Cyril turned and was out of sight in seconds.
“You didn’t tell me your family owned this place.”
“Does it matter? Don’t forget who won the race.”
Soon Cyril was back with the check. Laren paid with a black credit card she pulled from her wallet and the two walked out with well wishes from Cyril.
“Thank you for dinner.” Connor turned to her as they stood in the vacant hotel lobby.
“A bet’s a bet,” she casually responded. “I do need to ask a favor from you, though.”
“No, I can’t go up to your room. It’s way too soon. I’m just not that type of guy.”
“You are ridiculous, Connor Moore.” She shook her head, clearing the possibility from her mind. “I was going to ask for your number. You have mine. We really haven’t had to use it yet, but just in case.”
He smiled at her as she reached her hand into her purse and produced a slender phone. After punching in his digits, she looked up at him.
“I want to show you something,” she said suddenly, as if she had just decided something. “Come on.” She grabbed his hand and half ran, half walked to the nearest elevator. Pressing the button a few times just to make sure it would come, she turned once again to her date.
“Okay, where are we going? I told you I’m not that kind of guy; four dates. Four dates minimum,” Connor teased.
“Oh, is that all? I didn’t realize I was going out with such a floozy.”
“Floozy? Does anyone even use that word anymore?”
The elevator doors dinged open and she rushed inside, pulling him behind her. Connor had never seen her so excited. She pushed the button to the 52nd floor. The doors slowly closed, and then the elevator began to ascend.
“I’ve been staying at this hotel for a long time, ever since my family bought it. Throughout the years, when I’ve needed somewhere to think or a place to just get away, I come here.”
Connor took stock of his surroundings: it was a normal elevator, glass walls mostly composed the square box; there was an emergency phone placed next to the doors, and of course all the buttons to different floors and options for various elevator functions.
“Laren, if you need a place to go to think, I can probably find you somewhere with more room.”
“Not here. Where it’s taking us. Please,” she said.
They were lucky the elevator didn’t make a stop and soon the doors dinged open and welcomed them to the top floor.
Laren didn’t miss a beat and was out as soon as she could fit though the opening. Connor followed her down the hall and to the stairwell door.
The hall was ornate with bright lights. His feet sank into the richly carpeted floor.
None of this phased Laren, she was on a mission. Pushing the stairwell door open, she entered the cement staircase and climbed the remaining steps to the roof. With no hesitation, she placed her hands on the emergency access door that led to the roof, the same door that had numerous warning signs of alarm if it were to be opened.
“Laren, wait—” but he was too late. Laren pushed the door open and walked onto the roof. To Connor’s surprise, the door was not only unlocked, but no alarm went off.
The roof was a desert of pipes and conditioners, air vents and other odd-shaped cooling agents. Laren was there, high heel straps in her hand, leaning against the questionable-looking railing.
Connor walked over next to her. They stood quiet, staring down below on the city. They were far enough up that Connor could see the street his mother’s shop was on, but too far up to be able to see the shop itself.