Chapter 11

Hailey’s eyes fluttered open, the morning light gently nudging her awake. She glanced at the bedside clock—it was nine in the morning, an oddity for her.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as the reality of her location sank in. They were in the Maldives. A giggle of excitement bubbled up from her.

“What’s got you so giddy?” Valerian’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

She let out a startled yelp, tumbling off the bed.

“Why are you here?” she demanded, her voice echoing in the room.

“Just enjoying our bed,” he replied, amusement lacing his words.

She rose slowly, rubbing her sore backside. “What I meant was, why aren’t you in your own bed? Or better yet, why aren’t we in separate rooms, you jerk?” She shot him a glare.

“I figured it’d be best to keep you close, keep an eye on you,” he answered nonchalantly.

“Couldn’t we have just gotten adjoining rooms?” she retorted.

“We could’ve, but I decided against it,” he replied, his tone final.

“But why? Can’t I still get my own room?” she pleaded, desperation creeping into her voice.

“Enough, Hailey. I’m tired of your nonsense,” he snapped, rising from the bed. She couldn’t help but notice his bare chest.

“I’m going to shower. Care to join?” he asked, his gaze serious.

“No, Valerian, I don’t want to shower with you,” she spat out, her teeth clenched.

“Your loss.” His voice dripped with sarcasm as he disappeared into the bathroom, the door closing behind him.

Did he really expect her to shower with him just because they were sharing a room?

Once Valerian was done in the bathroom, she took her turn, letting the warm water wash over her. It was refreshing. She got dressed and they headed downstairs for breakfast.

They sat across from each other at the breakfast table.

Valerian ordered oats, fruit, and coffee. His phone rang, and he excused himself to take the call.

Hailey ordered her food, and by the time Valerian returned, his coffee and her juice had arrived.

She cleared her throat. “Everything okay, sir?” she asked.

He simply nodded in response.

Their breakfast was served, and they began to eat.

Hailey noticed Valerian eyeing her plate with a scowl. “You sure you didn’t order the entire menu?” he quipped.

Hailey was at a loss for words, glancing down at her plate.

She’d ordered scrambled eggs, a croissant, a bagel, ham, bacon, and a glass of strawberry juice. Her plate was overflowing. She shrugged and began to eat, washing down the food with her juice.

The server came by to check on them. Valerian assured him they were fine.

“Wait,” Hailey called out, her mouth full. “Could I get some more bacon, eggs, and another croissant, please?”

“Right away,” the server replied.

Valerian stared at Hailey, a bewildered expression on his face.

The server returned with her additional food. She thanked him and continued eating. Once she’d finished, she felt satisfied.

“You might want to slow down when you eat. I thought you were going to choke there for a second.” He was smiling as he spoke.

“Don’t worry about me, sir. I’m used to eating like this, it’s no problem,” she replied cheerfully.

“Who said I was worried?” he chuckled.

“Whatever.” She scowled at him.

“I have a business meeting to attend. You can go swim at the beach. I’ll join you later,” Valerian informed her.

“Really?” she asked, surprised.

“Go before I change my mind,” he replied.

She rushed back to their suite to change into her swimsuit, then headed to the beach. After about an hour of sunbathing, she felt a shadow looming over her.

She lifted her sun hat from her face, ready to give someone a piece of her mind, when she saw a guy with bleach blond hair and sea green eyes.

“I saw you lying here and thought you might want to play some volleyball?” he asked.

“Sure,” Hailey replied, getting up.

He took her hand and they headed off to play volleyball. She hadn’t had this much fun in ages.

There were plenty of attractive guys, all of them charming. They’d wink at her and give her friendly hugs, which she didn’t mind at all.

His name was Alex, a guy with a charming aura. They spent the entire day together, surfing and playing volleyball, with Hailey picking up the basics of both.

As Hailey glanced at the time, she realized she needed to leave. She hugged Alex goodbye and hurried off.

Back at the suite, Valerian was engrossed in his computer. He glanced up, instructing her to get ready for dinner.

A black dress had been laid out for her. She pulled her hair back and slipped into black heels.

Stepping out of the room, Valerian looked up from his laptop. His gaze lingered on her. “You look decent,” he said softly.

“Um, thank you,” she replied, unsure of how to interpret his comment—was it a compliment?

Closing his laptop, Valerian revealed his tuxedo. He looked handsome, but she wasn’t about to admit that to him.

They descended to dinner, where a fire-breathing performance was taking place.

A five-course meal was served. Hailey savored each dish, contentedly watching the performance.

Numerous girls approached Valerian, showering him with compliments. Hailey was taken aback. Couldn’t they see he was a player? Or that he was already involved with Charlize?

A girl named Lindsay joined them, sitting next to Valerian. They engaged in a lengthy conversation.

Valerian seemed to know Lindsay quite well. The ease with which she touched him suggested they were more than just friends.

Hailey sat quietly, feeling overlooked, until a hand rested on her shoulder.

“Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?” a familiar voice asked.

Looking up, she saw Alex. He was dressed in a tuxedo, sans tie. Recognizing a friendly face, she rose, hugging him as he spun her around.

“Of course I would love to,” Hailey replied, allowing him to guide her to the dance floor.

His arms encircled her tightly. She could feel his warm breath on her neck, a comforting sensation.

The music was soothing, lulling her into a trance.

They danced to several songs. When she grew tired, he escorted her back to their table, pulling out her chair. She thanked him, and Alex took the seat next to her.

She thought she might be imagining things, but it seemed like Valerian was glaring at her and Alex. He was still engaged in conversation with Lindsay.

Deep in conversation with Alex about their shared interests, Hailey was interrupted by Valerian’s abrupt command.

“Let’s go,” he said tersely.

Turning to Alex, she said, “Goodnight. I had a lovely evening.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied, hugging her tightly.

Valerian and Hailey rode the elevator up to their penthouse suite.

In the bathroom, Hailey began to remove her makeup. Suddenly, she felt hands encircle her waist, causing her to jump.

“What are you doing?” she asked, turning to face him.

“Claiming what’s mine.”