Bad Behavior by Cristina Grenier Page A

there was some sort of moral dilemma attached to asking the police to search for her. She’d been attacked after all, so he wouldn’t necessarily have to admit that she’d run off after he’d called her a money grubbing whore.
    But maybe he should give her some time to cool down. If he left her alone for a day or two maybe she’d be more inclined to talk to him. To see him. If not, then he’d call in the police and make her talk to him. Hopefully she’d forgive him, but knowing his luck he’d probably have to do a bit of groveling first.
    Not that he didn’t deserve it.
    In the meantime, he’d need to talk to Bethany. Tell her the wedding was off. He didn’t know what could happen between him and Rei, but he owed it to them both to at least give them a chance to find out.
     
     
     
    ♀♂
     
     
    She wasn’t sure why she’d come here. Rei had gotten the voicemail a few hours ago and at first she hadn’t paid it any attention. But the knowledge was there, nagging at her, waiting in the back of her mind as she drove through the city until finally, she found herself maneuvering her car along a winding driveway. Rei pulled up outside the front door, staring at the house through her passenger side window and wondering what was wrong with her.
    Why would she willingly come to see Bethany after everything that had happened?
    The message hadn’t been very informative. Bethany had just asked that she come by her house tonight if she got the chance. Rei hadn’t expected to leave her own apartment again after she’d gotten there, but she’d been too restless, too upset, to stay indoors. Now she was here, at the last place she expected to be. Her hands clenched around the steering wheel and she thought about driving away, but in the end, simply decided not to.
    Getting out of the car, she went up to the front door and rang the bell. She expected a maid or butler to answer. The house was certainly big enough to warrant one. But to Rei’s surprise it was Bethany who greeted her.
    “You made it.” She said, smiling.
    “I did.”
    “Come in.” Bethany stepped aside ad Rei entered the house, eyes roving over the high ceilings and spiraling staircase. The foyer of Bethany’s home could hold Rei’s entire apartment, and she wondered if it were too late to go back out to her car and escape in a squeal of tires.
    “I'm so glad you made it.” Bethany was saying as she led Rei deeper into the house. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come, and I needed to see you.”
    “Is this about your wedding dress?” Rei asked dully, still examining the expensive artwork and antiques that seemed to be a prevalent theme in every room. In response Bethany laughed, looking over her shoulder to wrinkle her nose at Rei in surprise.
    “Of course not. I wouldn’t call you all the way over here because of a dress.” The smile dropped from her face almost as quickly as it had appeared. “Especially since I won’t be needing one anymore.”
    “What do you mean?” Rei queried, coming to a standstill in the middle of the hallway. There was light shining from a large open room at the end of the hall, but for now she and Bethany were both cast in shadow. All that Rei could see of the other woman was the bottom half of her face in the dim light of the hall and she took a step back as she watched Bethany’s mouth twist with rage.
    “Justin called off the wedding.” Her words were low, evenly spaced as if she feared that they would escape from her if she allowed them free reign. Rei was momentarily distracted by a jolt of joy, of surprise; the emotion brought a smile to her face before she could smother it completely.
    “Why would he do that?” she asked, hoping to project sympathy rather than glee. Bethany simply shook her head, taking a step closer to Rei in the process. All of a sudden, the hallway that had seemed spacious enough a few moments before now felt stifling.
    “I think you know why.”
    “Sorry but I don’t.”
    “I