Cole's POV.

Hours later…

The hotel room felt suffocating, despite the air conditioning running at full blast. The silence between Emily and me was deafening, but that didn't stop the tension from rising. I was sitting in the chair, a stylist working on my hair, while Emily sat across the room, her own stylist carefully applying makeup to her face. I stole a glance at her through the mirror. She was holding her head high, eyes narrowed, looking irritated as the makeup artist tilted her chin up, smoothing her skin with expert hands.

Good. I liked seeing her like this. Irritated. Frustrated. It was the only thing that made this...