Toxic by Alice Lingard Page B

it all of the time. It turned my stomach.”
    “Serves Raw right.” He laughed.
     
    “What happens when we go back?” Suzy said.
    “What do you mean?”
    “We can't stay here forever. What happens when we go back to the real world?”
    “This is real.” He pinched Suzy's bare arm.
    “Ouch! You pig!”
    “See, I told you. This isn't a dream.”
    “What will happen though?”
    Todd shook his head. “Why don't we just stay here forever?”
    “I'm not sure the owner would like that. I'm scared that it'll all go back to how it was. You'll go back to the old you, and I'll go back to the old me.”
    “No you won't, babes.” He laughed.
    Suzy kicked him under the covers. “And you'll call everyone 'honey' or 'sweet pie'.”
    “Do you realise I haven't had a drink for over a month?” Todd said.
    “I almost haven't.”
    “And I haven't gambled,” he said.
    “Liar.”
    Todd stared at her. “I haven't. How can I have?”
    “You just tossed to see who'd make coffee.”
    “And I lost. Bloody typical.”
    “Seriously though. What are we going to do?” she said.
    “I don't want to think about it. Not yet anyway. We'll stay here for a few more weeks—then we can make a decision.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 18
     
     
     
    “What time are they coming?” Lacey asked. She and Raw were in the penthouse of the Commodore.
    Raw checked his watch. “They should have been here by now. Carol said ten o' clock.”
    “It's only five minutes past.”
    Raw took out his phone. “I'll give her a call.”
    “Let's give them another five minutes.”
    Raw sighed .
    “What are you so worked up about?” Lacey asked.
    “I'm not.”
    “It's Jason, isn't it?”
    “How am I meant to trust him? We don't know anything about him.”
    “Carol trusts him.”
    “Is that meant to make me feel better? She has always been a terrible judge of people.”
    “You're over reacting.”
    “Am I? Every man she's ever been with has been a total loser.”
    “Says who?”
    “It's true. They seem to be attracted to her, and she's too naive to see them for what they are.”
    “Jason is trying to help.”
    “So he says. We only have his word on that. How do we know he isn't playing Carol?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “He was quick to volunteer as the middle-man. How do we know he won't take the money and run?”
    “I trust him.”
    “You're meant to. That's all part of the plan.”
    “What other options are there?”
    Before he could answer, the lights above the lift illuminated.
    “They're here,” Lacey said. “Give him a chance.”
    Raw huffed.
     
    “Sorry we're late,” Carol said. “Traffic was a nightmare.”
    “You should have rung,” Raw said.
    Lacey glared at him, but he didn't notice.
    “What happened to you?” Raw was staring at the bruising on one side of Jason's face.
    “It's nothing,” Jason shrugged it off.
    “It doesn't look like nothing.” Raw took a step closer. “If this has anything to do with Todd, we need to know.”
    “It was an accident. I fell.” Jason waved it away.
     “I don't believe you.” Raw was in Jason's face now.
    “Raw, leave it!” Carol said. “It has nothing to do with Todd.”
    “Says who? Him?” Raw's gaze was fixed on Jason “You'll believe anything he tells you. I want the truth.”
    “Raw!” Lacey grabbed his arm, and pulled him away. “This isn't helping Todd.”
    Raw turned his gaze on Lacey —his eyes were still burning with anger.
    “Let's all sit down,” Lacey said.
    Raw took one last glance at Jason before walking over to the boardroom table.
     
    “Are you sure Suzy didn't tell you where they were when she rang?” Carol asked.
    “I would have said.” Lacey tried not to let her indignation show.
    “Sorry. I'm just worried. But she definitely said Todd was with her and that he was okay?”
    “Yeah. She said they were both all right.”
    “What did she tell you about the men who came after them at the hotel?” Jason