be alone. Neil may not be perfect, but he’s good enough, isn’t he?
God, I wish Maggie were here. Where is she anyway? I stop the man who’s been talking a mile a minute since Cecily walked me over. I waited and waited for him to come up for air and hush for a second so I could excuse myself.
I finally put my hand on his forearm and smile up at his wrinkled, round face. “Thank you so much, and I’d love to discuss this with you more at length, but I need to go see to something.” Cecily looks mortified, but I walk away. More people take my picture as I shoulder my way through the crowd looking for Maggie. She has to be here. Neil wouldn’t throw an engagement party without my best friend, but I don’t see her.
Neil is standing with a group of his co-workers and as I approach, I can hear him saying, “It’s all part of the psyche that lies dormant. Hallie is rational as they come. It was ingenious of her to consider the ramifications of leading such a feral lifestyle in her novel. I think that’s why people are drawn to it, the book has that train wreck morbidity that renders people unable to look away—it’s human nature.”
He’s smiling and all his friends are nodding along with hi m. What a bunch of pretentious, arrogant, tight-asses. Meanwhile, I’m sure there isn’t one of them that wouldn’t like to take a woman’s ass or fuck her face. They’re just too chicken to do it, or admit it. Neil makes me sound like a monster because my character enjoys such things, because I enjoy those acts of passion.
“Neil?” I sound like a little dormouse. My voice is barely a squeak. My throat tightens when he turns to look at me.
“Ah, my little creative genius.” His false flattery hurts my ears, but I continue to smile. Neil pulls me next to him. “I was just telling these men that you’re docile as they come.” He winks at me.
I’m too embarrassed to look over at them. Even with everything I did with Bryan, I never felt shame, but the way Neil says our sex life is tame makes me squirm. I don’t like him telling them anything. Appraising eyes move over my body and I know they’ve read my book. They’re wondering if I’d do those things and are picturing me on my knees, naked.
“Neil, where is Maggie?”
“What? She’s not back yet?” His tone is off, but he glances around.
My smile falls. “Neil, where is she?”
He smirks. “Well, I know how rambunctious she can be, so I arranged for her to get here after the press leaves.”
A bad feelings stirs within me. “Where is she?”
“I told her that you left your purse at her apartment. She went home to grab it.”
CHAPTER 3
My heart pounds hard once, and then stops. I can’t breathe. I stagger and nearly fall. Neil reaches out for me, grabbing hold of my arm by the elbow. “Hallie, are you all right?”
Suddenly there are people trying to swarm me. They all repeat Neil’s words until it sounds like I’m in an empty hallway and there are nothing but echoing voices. I don’t blink. Before they can smother me, I shoulder my way past them and race through the house , grabbing my jacket and pulling on my gloves on the way out. It’s not winter, but I want them. Part of me knows what’s coming, the dark part that says this can’t be happening but I’ll do anything I need to do to save her.
Neil hurries behind , calling my name, but I’m in the little red car and out of sight before he can stop me.
I floor it and head toward Maggie’s , trying to remember exactly where that hellhole of an apartment is located. I’m so mad at Neil that I can’t stand it. He shoved the ring on my finger without waiting for an answer. He always does stuff like that, but this is unforgivable.
He didn’t know , a voice reminds me. You never told him how bad Maggie had it.
At the moment, I don’t care. Maggie is in way over her head and I can’t let her—
The thought cuts off. I don’t want to even consider the rest of the
God, I wish Maggie were here. Where is she anyway? I stop the man who’s been talking a mile a minute since Cecily walked me over. I waited and waited for him to come up for air and hush for a second so I could excuse myself.
I finally put my hand on his forearm and smile up at his wrinkled, round face. “Thank you so much, and I’d love to discuss this with you more at length, but I need to go see to something.” Cecily looks mortified, but I walk away. More people take my picture as I shoulder my way through the crowd looking for Maggie. She has to be here. Neil wouldn’t throw an engagement party without my best friend, but I don’t see her.
Neil is standing with a group of his co-workers and as I approach, I can hear him saying, “It’s all part of the psyche that lies dormant. Hallie is rational as they come. It was ingenious of her to consider the ramifications of leading such a feral lifestyle in her novel. I think that’s why people are drawn to it, the book has that train wreck morbidity that renders people unable to look away—it’s human nature.”
He’s smiling and all his friends are nodding along with hi m. What a bunch of pretentious, arrogant, tight-asses. Meanwhile, I’m sure there isn’t one of them that wouldn’t like to take a woman’s ass or fuck her face. They’re just too chicken to do it, or admit it. Neil makes me sound like a monster because my character enjoys such things, because I enjoy those acts of passion.
“Neil?” I sound like a little dormouse. My voice is barely a squeak. My throat tightens when he turns to look at me.
“Ah, my little creative genius.” His false flattery hurts my ears, but I continue to smile. Neil pulls me next to him. “I was just telling these men that you’re docile as they come.” He winks at me.
I’m too embarrassed to look over at them. Even with everything I did with Bryan, I never felt shame, but the way Neil says our sex life is tame makes me squirm. I don’t like him telling them anything. Appraising eyes move over my body and I know they’ve read my book. They’re wondering if I’d do those things and are picturing me on my knees, naked.
“Neil, where is Maggie?”
“What? She’s not back yet?” His tone is off, but he glances around.
My smile falls. “Neil, where is she?”
He smirks. “Well, I know how rambunctious she can be, so I arranged for her to get here after the press leaves.”
A bad feelings stirs within me. “Where is she?”
“I told her that you left your purse at her apartment. She went home to grab it.”
CHAPTER 3
My heart pounds hard once, and then stops. I can’t breathe. I stagger and nearly fall. Neil reaches out for me, grabbing hold of my arm by the elbow. “Hallie, are you all right?”
Suddenly there are people trying to swarm me. They all repeat Neil’s words until it sounds like I’m in an empty hallway and there are nothing but echoing voices. I don’t blink. Before they can smother me, I shoulder my way past them and race through the house , grabbing my jacket and pulling on my gloves on the way out. It’s not winter, but I want them. Part of me knows what’s coming, the dark part that says this can’t be happening but I’ll do anything I need to do to save her.
Neil hurries behind , calling my name, but I’m in the little red car and out of sight before he can stop me.
I floor it and head toward Maggie’s , trying to remember exactly where that hellhole of an apartment is located. I’m so mad at Neil that I can’t stand it. He shoved the ring on my finger without waiting for an answer. He always does stuff like that, but this is unforgivable.
He didn’t know , a voice reminds me. You never told him how bad Maggie had it.
At the moment, I don’t care. Maggie is in way over her head and I can’t let her—
The thought cuts off. I don’t want to even consider the rest of the
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