Hotel Indigo Read Online Free PDF

high — authoritative but smaller, clipped and sharp.  
    “I guess if I keep this door open, your guests might hear things they shouldn’t, right?”  
    “Marco—”  
    “Shut my mouth, right? Shut my mouth, take off my shirt, pump my shit up, and get back to servicing the bitches for you. Is that about right, boss?” The last word is thick with black sarcasm. It’s the way you’d say boss if you no longer wanted the title to apply — if you were on your last straw, ready to run across a bridge and burn it behind you.  
    The other man, in a low hiss: “Goddammit, Marco. I said maybe .”  
    “Oh. I’m sorry. Maybe you’ll steal half of what I’ve earned.”  
    “Close the door.”  
    “Maybe, even though those are my tips that I’ve done the worst sorts of shit to get, you’ll spread half of it across the busboys and chambermaids and the fucking elevator operators. Just maybe . Even though none of those people have to work from sunrise to sunset most days with those goddamned sad, pathetic fucking women who are only here because they need to—”
    “Marco!”
    The sheer force of the manager’s voice stops Marco. I’m on edge in the stillness that follows, somehow sure the big man will turn around. He’ll see me if he does. Then he’ll turn his ire about those pathetic fucking women my way.
    Instead, there’s mumbling and the door closes again. It’s heavy wood, but parts of the wall are glass. The manager isn’t short, but he seems tiny next to the other man. I’m strangely afraid for Thomas Booth. The animal in his office — Marco, apparently — has the darkest bearing I’ve ever seen. His skin has an almost Mediterranean complexion, but his wild, middle-length hair and half-beard are jet black. From where I’m sitting, his eyes look like pits — maybe because he’s half-squinting, obviously furious. He’s wearing a white T-shirt that makes his tan skin look even darker, and he seems ready to Hulk right out of it. The fabric is stretched tight over an enormous pair of muscular shoulders. When he turns to face away from me, I see that his back is titanic; he’s as thick as he is wide.  
    I’ve never seen such an intimidating beast, lean and large, a freak of beautiful nature. His angry gaze could boil water. He could crush me in one hand, pick me up and carry me away. I couldn’t stop it if I wanted to.  
    I’m staring at the exchange. My heart has moved into my throat. I can barely swallow.  
    “Miss White?”
    I jump at the sound of Kendall's voice. I’ve ducked down, as if fearing Marco’s gaze would turn in my direction, She’s five feet away and I didn’t notice. I jerk my head away from Mr. Booth’s office to look at her, feeling something like guilt.  
    “I’m sorry. Did I startle you?”  
    “No.” I take a breath, making an effort to get myself under control. “No, I’m sorry. I was thinking of something else.” I blink up at Kendall and find a cardboard smile. I want to get out of here, put a door between me and the world, and wait until this strange feeling passes.  
    “I’ve resolved the little glitch that was giving me some problems. Computers.” She gives a little moan so I can see how frustrating computers are. “Anyway, your room is ready. You’ll be staying in the Emperor Suite, of course.”
    Now I understand the “glitch” that’s been giving Kendall problems. Toward the beginning, she ran in and out of Booth’s office twice before his angry visitor made himself known, as if checking something with the manager. It took time to resolve, but was apparently all a big mistake to begin with.  
    “I didn’t reserve any Emperor Suite.”
    “Of course not, Miss White.” Kendall motions nervously for the bellboy to return and grab my bags. “Orders from the house.”  

CHAPTER SIX
    L UCY

    K ENDALL HEMS AND HAWS WHEN I ask her what “orders from the house” actually means, but despite two long hallways and an elevator ride’s worth