I push away from my desk and make my way out of the university and to the parking lot. I thought maybe she lived somewhere on campus, but her small scholarship didn’t cover the expense. The address on file isn’t familiar, so when the GPS takes me away from town, I wonder if I wrote it down right.
Not too long later, the navigation tells me to turn right into a parking lot. I look up at the sign and do as it says, seeing that this is a motel that rents extended stay rooms. The place isn’t terrible, but it’s certainly not great. There’s a couple of guys standing in one of the breezeways, and when they see me they stare. I feel all kinds of eyes on me as I go into the front office and look around. There’s no one behind the counter, and when I knock on the glass, I hear someone call from the back.
“What?”
I blink and look around, expecting someone to come out, and when they don’t I guess I’m supposed to shout back.
“I’m looking for Heidi Miller. I might have the wrong place but—”
“Two D,” the voice says, and that’s it.
What the fuck kind of place just gives out information on their guests? I thought for sure I’d have to bribe someone, but there’s not even someone here at the damn desk. I hear the sound of a television in the distance, and I guess the person couldn’t be bothered to get up from their show long enough to help me.
With a frustrated growl, I walk out and then go in search of Heidi. It’s late afternoon, but there are several people walking around or just sitting outside their rooms watching me. The longer I’m here, the less and less I like this place. Heidi can’t stay here; it’s not safe.
Finally finding her room, I knock softly on the door. When there’s no answer, I knock again, but still nothing. I call out her name and knock once more, and when I do, the door creaks open.
“Heidi?” I look down and see the lock on the door is broken. Using my finger to push it open the rest of the way, I see that the entire room has been ransacked. “Heidi?” I call out again and rush inside to see if she’s here.
I check the bathroom, and she’s not there. Other than that, there’s no place for her to hide. The room is tiny with just a single bed, but clearly it’s been broken into. Without a way of calling Heidi, all I can do is wait for her to come back.
At least I hope she comes back. “Fuck.”
Chapter Nine
Heidi
“Really?” I let out a long breath as relief fills me. Finally one thing goes my way today.
“Yeah, we got a call a few minutes before you got here.” Sadie smiles at me. “You know you weren’t in trouble, right? I only wanted to go over everything with you before we had a meeting with our lawyers.”
Sadie and all the girls here have been so much nicer to me than I expected. I think my mom has made me leery of beautiful sexy women because she warned me over and over they are only out for themselves.
“I wasn't sure. I’m still in my probationary period.” Which I was told lasted for the first two weeks.
“It’s all good. In fact, we let go of a bouncer that should have been outside your door to begin with.” She shakes her head. “The man who bought your dance paid him to leave his spot for extra privacy.” She rolls her eyes. “Then they try to say we did something wrong.”
“He what?” I gasp.
“I’m really sorry, Heidi. I take the security of the girls here very seriously. I’m just glad you weren't hurt.”
“Thanks.” My mind races. “And the security video?” Had Reese paid for that small problem too? I remember them trying to play it back that night, and I was so relieved when they couldn’t get it to work. I’m not sure if I should be thanking Reese for that one.
He never crossed any lines that I hadn’t wanted him to, and I’m thankful no one got to see us in that position. In a way it protected me, but if not for his cousin bursting into our room, I’m not sure how far things would have gone. Maybe I should be thanking his cousin now too.
“Honestly I thought maybe you unplugged it, but you were so nervous about giving a dance.” She lifts her brow.
“It wasn’t me.” I hold my hands up.
“Did he cross any lines with you?”
“Umm.” I drop my head as heat rushes to my face.
“Honey, when I say ‘crossing the line,’ I mean him doing something you told him not to.”
“Oh, no.” I shake my head adamantly.