Damn it!
How many turns had we made? Could I evenfind my way out of that labyrinth of hell without her?
I took an involuntary step back to test thewaters and the next thing I knew she was standing right next to me, asking if Iwas okay, her hand surprisingly strong at my back.
I made an awful, awful mewling sound in mythroat and then started coughing. When I was done with all that nonsense, herface had softened up.
“Sorry,” I murmured.
“You are nervous about the meeting?”
“It can’t be that obvious,” I said, tryingto chuckle.
“You have nothing to be nervous about. Iloved your book,” she stated, shocking the hell out of me.
My eyes widened. “What? You did? You readmy book? You actually know who I am? Did you say you liked the book?” I asked,holding my breath. Well, she obviously had good taste; it was a damn good bookafter all.
“Yes, I did, and of course I know who youare. And right after this meeting, if you accept their offer, a lot more peoplewill know about your story. You hit it big.”
I didn’t want to hit it big or get bigger.I didn’t want to get anything. At that moment, all I wanted was to get in mybed and hide under my covers.
“But you have to go in now.” I could seeshe was waiting for me to move already. “Mr. Thomas has a packed schedule andhe is already behind.” She checked her dainty little watch then looked back atme. “Go on now, there isn’t much time until his next appointment.”
I wasn’t budging.
Before I knew what was happening, she had openedthe door and was ushering me inside.
Catching myself before I fell down on myface, I came to a halt and heard the distinct sound of a door closing. I lookedover my shoulder.
She was gone.
The traitor!
I turned around and found myself face toface with three suit-wearing men.
For a second I didn’t know what to do, butthen I mentally shook myself off and walked toward them.
I was already in for it, might as well looklike someone who knew what they were doing.
The bald one—I was assuming he was BobbyThomas—came forward and met me halfway, quickly offering me his hand.
“Hello, Miss Taylor, I’m Bobby.” He greetedme with an easy smile on his face. If his eyes hadn’t been fixated on mybreasts, I would have said he looked friendly.
Annoyed, I angled my face and caught hisattention. “Nice to meet you Mr. Thomas,” I said pointedly.
“We’ll have none of that. Call me Bobby. Bythe end of all this we’ll get to know each other much better.”
I forced a smile on my face and gently pulledmy hand out of his grasp.
The other two didn’t get up from theirseat, but had their eyes on me again, assessing me.
Walking by my side, Bobby led me to thelong table in front of the floor to ceiling windows.
Managing to look around, I noticed that wewere in some kind of conference room, which did nothing to calm my nerves down.I was beyond out of my depth here.
“Olive, this is—can I call you Olive?”
“Sure,” I mumbled, distracted by his hand restingon the small of my back.