Page 78 of Mark my Words

The woman had cornered Evan outside the building, gesturing wildly as he backed away from her, shaking his head. Who the fuck was she?

“Wait!” I yelled as I pulled open the outside door, watching helplessly as Evan closed the door of a cab at the curb, slumping against the seat with his head in his hands.

Shit.

KRISTINE

BOSTON

Goddammit. This was not how I planned on spending my evening. I just wanted to enjoy the open bar and talk to interesting people. I didn’t want to deal with this whole soap opera bullshit.

None of us had expected Evan’s old girlfriend, Simone, to show up tonight. Adrian filled us in on their fucked up prior relationship and how she was why he now lived in seclusion. Chase seemed to know more of the story, but she was close-lipped as she stood with an ice pack on her knuckles.

She’d punched the bitch in the face when Simone cornered Chase and her friend earlier. I felt something wasn’t right when I saw Chase’s body language while they were talking, but Sam and I were too late to stop the explosion. Evan had seen them talking and taken off, leaving us to deal with the aftermath.

“Chase? Are you okay?” She was staring off toward the doors to the ballroom, waiting for Evan to reappear magically. I hated to break it to her, but the dude had fled like a felon on the run from the police, which was why I’d sent Sam after him earlier—clearly to no avail.

“What?” Chase flexed her hand as she looked at me, but her eyes didn’t quite focus. Her knuckles had started to swell a little, but I was proud of the punch she’d landed on that little twat waffle.

“Honey, maybe you need to sit down.” I took her arm and steered her toward an open table, helping her sit in an empty chair.

“I’m okay. I’m just worried.” She continued to stare at the doorway to the ballroom, but we both knew Evan wasn’t walking back through those doors any time soon.

“Hey, slugger, I managed to get that shrew barred from the premises,” Isobel said to Chase in a soft voice as she took the seat beside her.

“We also convinced her it was in her best interest not to file charges or write anything inflammatory because her boss might have to find out that she stole their pass to this event,” Diana spoke up from behind me in her usual no-nonsense tone.

“Ugh. What a piece of trash,” I sighed. That woman was just a nasty, entitled wannabe. I could smell the jealousy from a mile away.

“An expensive piece of trash,” Sam added as he stepped in behind me, his chest heaving from his wild dash through the lobby moments earlier. He’d tried to chase Evan, but when he took off in a cab...

“What?” Was she a prostitute or something?

“Didn’t you notice the designer labels she was wearing?”

I looked at him like he’d grown another head. “Okay, dude, I know we let my brother think you were gay, but you’re a straight guy. What exactly do you know about labels?”

“I have older sisters, and she had those high heels that women like with the red soles.” Wow, maybe his observational skills were more up to par than I’d given him credit. A man who could identify Louboutins was kinda hot. It was still weird as fuck, though. “Pretty sure she had a Birkin handbag too.”

“I don’t know who you are...” I stared back at him with wide eyes.

“Oh, come on. My sister told her husband she wanted a Birkin bag for her next birthday, and he told her when hell freezes over. I may have googled it because I wanted to see what the hype was about.”

“You’re seriously such a goober,” I laughed as I saw his cheeks turn pink in embarrassment.

“So, what is that bitch doing with twenty thousand in accessories?” Isobel asked as she pulled out her phone. I had a feeling Simone Woods was about to get hardcore internet-stalked. “Not exactly something her income could justify. You probably get advances larger than her annual salary.”

“I think you can rule out a sugar daddy because it sure as hell isn’t anything freaky in bed.” Chase’s quiet voice was full of venom, making me laugh a little.

“Damn...she did seem like there was a stick shoved up her ass, probably in between her cheek implants,” I agreed.

Chase’s friend, Talia, approached the table with a wide smile. She and her male companion, Emory, had missed all the commotion. “Did someone say freaky in bed?”

Talia settled behind Chase and began to massage her shoulders. I loved Tal. She was always fun to interact with. I’d met her at Chase’s book release a few years ago, and she was my sex toy guru. She’d hooked me up with a few things I knew I’d never want to live without again, including the rabbit Sam had performed magic tricks with.

“Has he come back yet?” The new guy looked distraught. I hadn’t met him before, but I knew he was a part of the scene.

“Not yet,” Sam shook his head. “Want to come with me to check their room?”

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