Unleash Me, Vol. 2 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) by Christina Ross Page A

  I almost lost it
when you said it.   It was perfect! ”
    “ Is this a joke? ” I said.
    “ Of course it is, ” Blackwell said.   “ Iris is one of the few people who loves bitchy word play as
much as I do.   We ’ ve
been doing this routine for years, only in private.   Tonight was a show just for you, my
dear.   A fine way to energize the
party.   Because of us, you won ’ t
soon forget this evening — and that is the point.   Now, Jennifer, close your mouth and stop
looking like a goddamned guppy.   Alex, you sly fox — you already knew what we were doing,
so bravo to you for keeping mum.   Lisa, stop looking so horrified or mystified or whatever the hell it is
I ’ m
seeing on your face.   Be more like
Tank here — I think he rather enjoyed the show, but I also think he was
on to us.   Were you, Tank? ”
    “ I might have had an idea. ”
    “ I thought so — you can ’ t get much past a
former SEAL. ”   She raised a hand to catch our waiter ’ s
attention.   When he came over,
Blackwell said to the table, “ Showtime ’ s
over.   Let ’ s
order drinks so we can toast our guest of honor — Lisa
Ward. ”

 
 
    *   *   *

 
 
    When dinner was over and the plates had been cleared, I
felt happy and spent.   What an
evening it had been with my closest friends — and
with my new friend Iris Masterson — not to mention with my fantastic
boyfriend, who had held my hand beneath the table during those moments when we
weren ’ t
eating.  
    Marco Boss and Kevin were never mentioned, so the mood was
kept high and light, especially after Blackwell and Iris ’ unexpected
hijinks.   I was finally able to
catch up with Jennifer — we talked of her time in Singapore,
the movie deal, what it was like to work with Iris, how she couldn ’ t
wait to read the newly edited book, and how much she and Alex were looking
forward to joining us at the Wenn Publishing party.
    “ We ’ ll all go together, ” she said.
    “ Done, ” I said.   “ And
potentially fun. ”
    “ I ’ ll be staying with Alex again tonight.   Send me the manuscript tonight via
email.   I ’ ll read
it straight away. ”
    “ You ’ re practically living together at
this point. ”
    “ I thought you needed to be alone so you could finish your
book.   You didn ’ t
need me lurking around to distract you.   After tonight, if you want, I plan on spending the rest of the week at
the apartment with you. ”   Her
eyes met mine.   “ After
all, we do have a lot to catch up on … . ”
    That was code for “ We totally need to talk about Alex
and me, you and Tank, and everything in between. ”
    “ Agreed, ” I said.   “ I ’ ve
missed you. ”
    “ So, tonight, I ’ ll be with Alex.   And, you know, you might be with someone
else. ”
    “ I think we ’ re being set up, Tank, ” Alex said.
    “ I can deal with being set up like that, ” he said.
    Alex nodded at him.   “ Same here. ”   He
turned to Jennifer and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek just as our waiter
approached the table with a martini on a round tray.
    “ Final cocktail for the lady? ” he said to me.
    I hadn ’ t ordered it, but I wouldn ’ t
have put it past Jennifer to order one for me.   I looked around the table.   “ Are one of you trying to get me
drunk? ” I
said.   “ I ’ m
only drinking it if the rest of you have another one with me.   Otherwise, no way. ”
    The waiter smiled at me.   “ It ’ s actually from an
admirer, Ms. Ward.   He purchased the
martini and asked me to bring it and this envelope to you at the end of the
evening. ”
    Blackwell rubbed her hands together.   “ My plan is working.   People are starting to recognize her. ”  
    “ Where is he? ” I asked.
    The waiter placed the martini down in front of me and
handed me the envelope, which wasn ’ t sealed.   Inside was a piece of paper.   “ Actually, he left some time ago. ”
    Tank held out his hand for the envelope.   I