The Good Enemy

Chapter Seven

JUST ONCE

Since we left the conservatory, Elina has said nothing to me. Her attention has remained on her iPad, typing and scrolling. 

"Khun Sutthaya," she calls, I turn to her.

"Yes."

"At some point tonight, I am going to kiss you. And I will not stop there."

I stare at her, speechless.

"Ok," I manage to say, and she turns her attention back to her iPad.

We arrive at Veus, an exclusive, upscale hotel in the heart of Bangkok. I have driven past it multiple times, fifty flights of steel and glass. At the entrance, staff members line up, bowing to greet Khun Cheng as she walks into the building.

"Welcome, Khun," a round, stout man greets with a bow. "Everything is in place, and the guests are waiting." He walks alongside Khun Cheng while I walk behind, giving them room to talk. "Will you be needing anything else, Khun?"

"No, thank you, Aat," Khun Cheng replies, still not looking away from her iPad.

The man presses down the elevator button and Khun Cheng walks in. I follow. He and the other staff members bow to her again as the elevator doors shut.

I stand beside her, watching her swipe through endless rows of documents. She signs some and keeps swiping. I can't help but wonder if she is going to kiss me here. I have never been kissed in an elevator, it is a little fantasy of mine. I smile at that thought. She should have never told me she'd kiss me tonight, now all I can think about is when.

The elevator dings and opens, zapping me out of my thoughts. Another set of employees, already bowing to her as we step off. Her eyes stay fixed on her iPad as she walks past them, I follow behind her. Behind me, the rest of the employees. She arrives at the end of the hallway and stands in front of a tall gold-plated door. An employee swipes a key card, and the door opens.

"Wut, don't you and your staff have anything better to do than follow me around?" she says to one of the employees who seems to be a manager.

"Sorry, Khun Cheng. We just wanted to welcome you properly, it's been a while since you visited."

"I'd feel a lot more welcome if you all were out there making our clients feel welcome," she replies, calmly but authoritatively.

"Of course, Khun." He bows and turns to leave with the rest of the staff.

Elina holds the door open for me, and I walk in. My eyes travel across the exquisitely furnished penthouse with an impeccable skyline.

"Your room is this way," she says, turning to the left and leading the way. We walk into a master bedroom, artfully arranged and dimly lit. "Change, eat. I'll have someone come get you in an hour."

She turns and I watch her leave.

It is already past 8pm, where could she possibly be taking me? I thought this would be the part where she'd finally kiss me---or ask me to kiss her. I turn my attention back to my room and find a black suit laid out on the bed. I run my hands over it and lift it up. The tag says Armani.

A quick change later and I'm seated in the dining room, with different meals laid out in front of me and no appetite, just anxiety.

***

A knock comes at the door, and I hurry to open it. I'm met by the smiling face of a female employee.

"Sawatdee Kha, Khun." She bows and I return the bow. "Khun Cheng sent for you."