Chapter 52

Marissa swiped her key card, then spun to the hotel staff, irritation simmering. “Why aren’t Dominick and I on the same floor?”

Dominick and Grayson were ensconced in the presidential suite; she was relegated to an executive suite floors below, with Julian and the other guests.

The staff member offered an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Ms. Prescott. We only have three presidential suites. One’s occupied, another reserved for Mr. Vanderbilt.”

“And the third?” Marissa pressed.

“That’s for a very important guest, per Mr. Beaumont’s instructions,” the staff member explained patiently.

Marissa’s jaw clenched. Who was more important than her? She’d planned to cultivate an image of intimacy with Dominick—to convince everyone she was the future Mrs. Vanderbilt. Now, she couldn’t even share a floor with him.

Alexis grinned. “Oh, come on, Marissa and Dominick are practically family. Share a room!”

The suggestion hung in the air. Marissa considered it. They were practically engaged. Sharing a room shouldn’t be a problem.

Under everyone’s gaze, Marissa turned to Dominick, hoping he'd agree. The suite was huge; it had more than one bedroom. But Dominick shook his head.

“It’s not appropriate for Marissa to share a room with me,” he said. He saw her as a younger sister, but that didn’t negate boundaries. He wouldn’t even share a room with Kayla.

The smile froze on Marissa’s face. Even Alexis fell silent.

“Uh… Dom’s right,” Marissa said stiffly. “It wouldn’t be appropriate.” Forcing a smile, she turned to Alexis. “Hey, we haven’t caught up! Let’s have a sleepover—talk all night.”

The tension eased. Alexis readily agreed.

Dominick nodded. “Alright then. Grayson and I will head up.”

Marissa watched the elevator doors close, her smile gone.

“I wonder who that VIP is,” Alexis murmured, joining the gossip. “Nathaniel reserved the suite for them.”

“I heard he’s into horseback riding,” another chimed in. “His assistant said he even invested in last year’s international equestrian competition. For the gala, he invited last year’s three-day eventing champion.”