CHAPTER 016
1337 Words
*RAPUNZEL*
Flora's POV
A blood-curdling scream ripped me out of my deep, exhausted sleep.
“FLOOOOOORAAAAA!”
I shot upright in bed, heart slamming against my ribs, only to find Lucille practically climbing on top of me, phone shoved a few inches from my face, eyes wide with pure chaotic excitement.
“TYLER, THE DEVIL ON ICE, JUST ANNOUNCED HIS LOVER WITH A KISS!” she read dramatically, voice rising like a sports commentator. “Look at this headline— ‘Cold-hearted captain melts in front of thousands with stadium kiss!’ And this one— ‘Who is the mystery girl that made Tyler Sinclair go public? The Ice King has thawed!’ Oh my God, Flo, you’re trending everywhere! #TylerFlora is number one on the charts!”
She kept scrolling rapidly, practically vibrating with energy as she shoved the phone even closer so I could see the photos. There we were—Tyler’s hand on my waist, the way he had pulled me in, the kiss captured it from every possible angle.
“You two looked insane together. The aura when he walked in? Chef’s kiss.” The way he held you in front of everyone? I’m so jealous.” She paused for a moment, her eyes gleaming in excitement. “And Megan’s face? Sean’s face? Oscar-worthy. Pure revenge served piping hot. I wish I could frame their expressions and hang them on my wall!”
I couldn’t help it—a small, tired giggle escaped me despite how sleepy I was feeling. “Lucille, calm down. Don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s not that serious.”
She paused mid-scroll, then grinned mischievously, eyes sparkling. “Not that serious? Girl, you were dangling in his arms like the final scene of a romance movie. I saw the way he kissed you. Don’t even try to lie to me right now.”
The memory hit me—the heat of his mouth, his grip, his voice against my ear. My fingers unconsciously rose to touch my still-tingling lips, a tiny, secret smile tugging at the corner of my mouth.
Lucille’s eyes narrowed like a hawk. “I know right,” she teased, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. “The kiss felt good, didn’t it? Be honest with your best friend. On a scale of 10 to 10 how good was it?”
My face instantly burned bright red. I jumped off the bed, grabbed the nearest pillow, and hurled it at her head. “I wasn’t thinking about the kiss at all! Shut up, Lucille!”
She dodged the pillow easily, laughing loudly. “Oh, we both know you were thinking about it! Look at you blushing like a teenager who just got her first kiss. Admit it, the cold Captain knows exactly how to kiss. That man did not come to play.”
“Lucille!” I groaned dramatically, covering my burning face with both hands. “I’m dying to know why he showed up like that out of nowhere. He said we’d talk today, but… what if he found out about the bet? What if this is all some twisted game he’s playing?”
Before she could respond, loud noise erupted from outside the window. We both rushed over and looked down.
A crowd of reporters and fans had already swarmed the hotel entrance. Cameras ready, signs with our names and printed photos of the kiss waving in the air. “Flora! Tyler! We want the love story!” they chanted excitedly.
Lucille whistled low. “Flora, you’re a full-blown celebrity already. Look at them—they look so obsessed.”
The hotel phone rang sharply, interrupting our conversation. I answered it quickly, still trying to process the chaos outside.
“Miss Morgan, this is the hotel manager,” a polite but firm voice said. “Mr. Sinclair has given strict orders that you are not to leave the suite until the commotion outside is resolved. We’ll provide anything you need in the meantime—room service, anything at all.”
My eyes widened in disbelief. “What? What do you mean he said I shouldn’t go anywhere?”
“I’m sorry, but those are his direct instructions. We’re at your service for anything else.” He hung up politely.
I stared at the phone like it had personally betrayed me, then turned to Lucille, ranting at full volume. “What does he mean I shouldn’t go out? He can’t just order me to stay locked up like some princess in a tower!”
Lucille raised her hands innocently, trying not to laugh. “What? I’m not Tyler, and I’m definitely not the one who said you shouldn’t go out. Why are you giving me that creepy, murderous look? I’m innocent here!”
I groaned loudly and flopped back onto the bed, grabbing my phone with determination. I dialed Tyler.
It rang twice before he picked up.
“Hey, Fl—”
I didn’t let him finish. “Did you give an order that I shouldn’t go anywhere?”
“Oh, that,” Tyler said softly, almost casually, like it was the most normal thing in the world. ““Yes. With reporters everywhere, you’d be pressured into questions you don’t want to answer.”
“Okay then,” I said, trying to sound calm even though I was anything but. “So how do you intend for us to meet today?”
“I’ll come get you. Stay in your room. I’ll handle it.”
I scoffed. “Who do you think you are? My dad?”
“Well, I’m your boyfriend now, so you’ve got to listen.”
Before I could fire back at him, he hung up.
I looked at Lucille again, eyes wide with disbelief. “Who does this guy even think he is?”
“Relax. Your new man said stay—so stay.” Lucille teased, smirking as she flopped down beside me.
“Maybe he’s worried the paparazzi will eat you alive. Or maybe he just likes controlling the narrative. Big Alpha energy. Very Devil on Ice. I’m living for this drama.”
I threw another pillow at her. “You’re impossible.”
Just then, a text came in from an unknown number.
Get dressed. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.
I jumped up without hesitation, showered quickly, and picked out simple black leggings and a cropped sweater. I brushed my hair, added a touch of lip gloss, and tried to look like I hadn’t spent the better part of the last forty eight hours emotionally spiraling.
A firm knock sounded at the door.
I opened it. Tyler stood there in a dark hoodie and joggers, looking unfairly handsome. He seemed momentarily stunned when he saw me, his eyes lingering a second longer than usual.
Lucille peeked from behind me with a grin. “Hi.”
Tyler gave her a small, awkward nod and a half-smile before turning back to me. “Let’s go.”
He took the lead, but instead of heading down toward the main exit, he started climbing the stairs upward.
“Umm… the exit is this way,” I said, pointing down the staircase.
He glanced back at me. “Just follow me.”
We kept climbing higher for a few seconds and I raised the question again. “Why are we going up instead of down?”
Tyler looked over his shoulder, eyebrow raised. “Always this curious, huh?”
“Yeah,” I shot back. “Whenever it feels like I’m being kidnapped.”
He chuckled—a low, rare sound that did unfair things to my stomach. “You’re kidding, right?”
We burst through the door onto the rooftop. The wind whipped around us and my eyes widened as I took in the scene in front of me.
I looked back at Tyler, then back to my front, then back at Tyler again, my face contracting as confusion stretched across it.
“You came to pick me up… with a helicopter?”
- Writer
