They all seemed delighted to see her. It was like being a celebrity. No, it was like being a long-lost relative, returning to the arms of a loving family. The warm atmosphere embraced her, and she suddenly realised how much these people meant to her.
“We saw you on the news,” George said. “Your car caught fire. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, we’re fine.” She reached out and held Dylan’s hand. He shot her a grin.
“But we could both do with a lie down,” Dylan said. He threw Judy his best smile. “You got a vacant room?”
Judy blushed. “How about the honeymoon suite?”
“Sounds like the perfect place to hide out,” Dylan said, pulling Sarah close.
The honeymoon suite was exquisite. Sarah especially loved the engraved window-seat that overlooked the lush grounds. It consisted of a lavish bedroom, a separate living area, and an opulent marble bathroom – which Sarah insisted was always stocked with complimentary bath robes, massage oil, and a heart-shaped double bath.
They made themselves comfortable on the massive four-poster bed and ordered room service. “You okay, sweetheart?” Dylan asked.
She swallowed a mouthful of pizza. “Yeah… So do you think it was a bomb?”
“Not sure. If it was, why wasn’t there any evidence? Surely even the British police wouldn’t miss something like that?”
“I know. Unless Orlov’s bribed them.”
He rubbed her knee. “Nah, the British police are incorruptible. I do think someone tampered with the car. But I guess we’ll never know.”
“Well, whether or not it was done on purpose, we’re both lucky to be living and breathing. Nearly getting blown up certainly gives you a new perspective on life, doesn’t it?”
He chuckled kindly. “Sure does.”
Sarah kissed him on the lips. “I think I might take a shower. I wouldn’t mind a moment alone. Is that okay?”
“Sure, babe.” He raised a playful eyebrow. “You taking your vibrating lipstick in with you?”
Sarah burst into laughter. “Why would I do that when I’ve got you out here waiting for me?”
“Good point.” He kissed her, then pulled out his phone. “I’ll be right here.”
Sarah was relieved that he understood she wanted some time alone. Perhaps he also needed some time to reflect. It had been a really weird day. A really weird week.
She stood in silence in the luxury bathroom for a moment, relishing the extravagance around her. Even though everything was made of white marble, the ambience was warm and welcoming. The red-heart motif carved on the sink and bathtub had always struck Sarah as slightly cheesy, but the guests seemed to love it, so what could she do? The customer was always right.
She was tempted to light a few scented candles, create a romantic atmosphere, and invite Dylan to join her. But she’d come in for a few minutes alone, and she wanted to enjoy them.
She stripped off her dress, climbed into the huge tub, and stood under the glorious warm jet of water, allowing her tingling body to be soothed. She exhaled and relaxed completely; the only things in existence were Sarah, the warm water, and this moment in time. Her emotions unravelled and she felt strangely content. She breathed. Ah… this was nice…
The tears came upon her with such unexpected force that she feared she’d be ripped in two. She gasped as the pent-up emotion from the last few crazy days cracked and she sobbed suddenly under the shower, allowing the purge to take on its own momentum. Her throat shuddered as her mind whirled like the steam that was now filling up the room. What a week it’d been. Dylan was back in her life; he loved her. Someone was trying to kill her. Ivan was dead, then he was alive. He’d invented a device which could liberate humanity, and – last night – she’d helped Dylan to destroy the very last piece of it, because humanity couldn’t be trusted not to do bad things.
And today someone had tried to blow her up. But she was still alive. And she regretted none of it. A
steely strength spiralled through her as she realised that as long as she had good people around – as long as she was good – then the evils of this world couldn’t defeat her. Not even if she died. Her sobs slowly turned to sniffles and the tears were washed down the shiny plughole. She watched the water swirl away, and she laughed, ready to face the world again.
She switched off the shower with a jaunty flourish, then wrapped herself up in a snuggly bathrobe and padded back out to the bedroom. Dylan was lying on the huge bed, with his head propped up on a couple of pillows, reading emails on his phone.
She grabbed his foot. “Hello.”
He sat up and grinned, chucking his phone to the vanity table. “Come here, beautiful.”
She crawled over the springy bed to join him and they kissed.
“Ready for that massage I promised you, sweetheart?”