TRAPPED BY DESIRE

Change Of Scenery

After slipping her last pair of shoes into the suitcase, Alana swept her gaze around the room one final time. Nothing left. She zipped the case shut, set it aside, and slipped out the door.

Her bare feet whispered down the stairs. She headed straight for the sitting room, where her aunt sat in the middle of a meeting with her business partners. Alana’s hand hovered inches from the handle. She froze.

She didn’t want to interrupt. But the clock was already edging toward five, and waiting any longer felt impossible.

After a few more seconds of hesitation, she drew a steadying breath and pushed the door open.

Every pair of eyes in the room swung toward her. She ignored them, stepped inside, and murmured an apology before gently drawing her aunt out into the hallway.

“What is the matter?” Rosalind asked the moment the door clicked shut behind them. Concern tightened the corners of her mouth.

“Uh…” Alana caught her lower lip between her teeth.

She had practiced the story in her head a dozen times that morning, repeating it under her breath until the words felt almost natural.

Still, the lie sat heavy on her tongue. She had never been any good at this. And the truth was completely out of the question. Her aunt would never approve.

Alana squared her shoulders and forced the words out.

“Do you remember the friend I told you about this morning?”

Rosalind nodded. “Of course I remember.” Curiosity sharpened her gaze.

Alana’s fingers drifted into her hair, twisting a strand around and around. “Her parents finalized their divorce yesterday. It’s hit her hard. She’s been struggling for a while now.” She paused, searching her aunt’s face.

Rosalind was listening closely. Alana pressed on.

“She asked me to move in with her for a bit, just until things settle. I said yes.”

Silence stretched between them while Rosalind absorbed the news.

“But you only just moved in here,” Rosalind said at last. “You can’t simply leave like that. You should have spoken to me first.”

“I’m sorry. Everything happened so fast, and I couldn’t say no.” Alana’s voice softened. “Besides… I think it’s what’s best for me right now. I haven’t really felt at home since I got here.”

Rosalind’s eyes widened, but Alana kept going, the words spilling faster now that she’d started.

“I need some space from family. I see the way you look at me... like I’m some fragile, wilting flower that needs constant care. I know you’re only worried, but I can’t stand those looks anymore.”

She caught the flash of hurt that crossed her aunt’s face and almost faltered. Instead she hardened her resolve. “I’ll only be gone a month. You don’t have to worry.”

Rosalind said nothing for several long seconds. The quiet made Alana’s stomach twist.

Finally her aunt spoke, voice quieter than before. “You have my permission to leave. On one condition, you promise to call me whenever you can.”

Relief flooded Alana so strongly she almost laughed. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her aunt in a tight hug.

“Thank you. I promise.”

When they pulled apart, Rosalind asked, “When are you leaving?”

“In less than five minutes.”

A flicker of disappointment passed over Rosalind’s face.

“I was hoping we could have dinner together tonight. But it’s fine.” Her gaze drifted past Alana’s shoulder. “I need to get back to the meeting, dear.”

Alana nodded. Rosalind gave her shoulder a gentle pat and walked away.

Once Rosalind disappeared back into the meeting, Alana allowed herself a small smile.

“That was easier than I expected,” she murmured, then hurried upstairs for her luggage.

A black car pulled into the drive at exactly five o’clock. A man in a tailored black suit stepped out, eyes scanning the compound with quiet precision.

Alana left her bags by the door and walked toward him.

He noticed her approach and spoke first. “Good evening. I’m looking for Alana Gates.”

“I’m Alana.” She tilted her head. “Did Roman send you?”

“Yes, he did.” Surprise flickered across his face for half a second before he smoothed it away.

Alana saw it but chose not to comment. The man loaded her bags into the trunk, opened the rear door for her, then slid behind the wheel and started the engine.

As the car pulled away, Alana twisted in her seat to watch the gates shrink and disappear.

A small ache settled in her chest. She hadn’t managed to speak to Ryan before leaving. She sighed and rested her head against the cool glass, watching the evening light slide across the city.

The ride stayed quiet. Every so often the driver’s eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, lingering a moment too long. The glances made her shoulders tense.

“Where are we going?” she asked when the car turned away from the route she remembered to Roman’s mansion. “This isn’t the way.”

“To Roman’s house, Miss Gates,” the driver answered. “He doesn’t live in the place where you met him. He lives in a penthouse.”

Alana absorbed the information in silence and leaned back against the seat.

Eventually the car stopped in front of an impressive high-rise. She stepped out, eyes tracing the glass and steel of the entrance while the driver collected her luggage. Together they crossed the lavish lobby.

Inside the elevator, her pulse picked up. Uncertainty and nerves tangled in her chest as the numbers climbed.

The doors opened onto a spacious penthouse flooded with late-day light. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the city skyline in glittering detail. Alana stepped out, taking it in.

“This way, Miss Gates.” The driver guided her down a short hall and stopped in front of a closed door. He hesitated a moment, then opened it and carried her bags a few steps inside before setting them down. He scratched the back of his neck, looking suddenly uncertain.

“Roman doesn’t usually share this room with anyone,” he said. “You might want to wait until he gets back before you unpack.”

Alana nodded. He left to fetch the rest of her things.

She sank onto the edge of the couch and glanced at the king-sized bed across the room. Black linens, deep pillows, clearly made for one person who preferred space. She had no intention of sharing it if she could help it.

Still, the sheer size of the mattress was a small, unexpected relief.

The driver returned almost immediately with the remaining bags.

“Do you need anything?” he asked. “I can order food if you’re hungry.”

“I’m fine. Thank you.”

“I’ll be in the kitchen if you change your mind. And I’m Erin, by the way.”

Alana studied him for a second, then gave a small nod. He disappeared down the hall.

******

After finishing the noodles Erin had ordered, Alana took a long, hot shower and changed for bed. It was past eleven.

Before leaving for the night, Erin had told her Roman wouldn’t be returning until morning. There was no reason to wait up.

She slipped between the cool sheets, pulled a pillow close, and let exhaustion pull her under.

She woke the next morning to absolute quiet. For a while she simply lay there, staring at the ceiling, before finally swinging her legs out of bed. Yawning, she ran her fingers through her tangled hair.

The door swung open without warning.

Roman stepped inside, a woman close behind him.

Alana’s eyes widened. The woman’s expression mirrored the same startled recognition.

“Katherine.”