Page 57 of Sex, Lust & Lingerie

Fuck! He knew! He knew who I was! “Yes, I’m sure,” I managed with a nervous smile.

He smiled coyly. “You must be right. It vould be hard to forget an albino freak like me.”

I inwardly shivered. I now wasn’t sure if he was putting me on or believed me.

He thudded around the table and sat down next to me. My eyes fixed on him. He was completely bald now and paunchy, and despite obvious plastic surgery, the bullet hole scars that bracketed his fat chalky lips made him more hideous than he already was.

A waiter came by to take our drink order. Another bourbon for Victor, a Stoli straight up for Boris, and a sparkling water for me. I couldn’t let alcohol cloud my thinking.

“Cheers!” said Victor when the drinks arrived. “To our future together.”

My heart hammered. I wasn’t sure I was going to have a future as I clinked glasses with Victor, who was still manhandling me under the table, and with Boris, who was mentally stabbing me in my gut. He eyed my bandaged finger.

“Vhathappened to your finger, my beauty?” His sinister voice was going down a path.

I twitched another skittish smile. Inside, every nerve ending was on edge. I could barely breathe. “It’s nothing. Just a minor scrape.”

He leaned in close to me, his quartz eyes burning another hole into my chest. “Do you vant to know vhat happened to my face? Most people do. Although I bet you can guess.” He snarled at me. “Scars have the power to remind us that our pasts are real, don’t they, Ms. Long?”

My heart was beating so fast I thought it would ricochet out of my chest. Sweat poured from behind my knees as nausea rose to my chest. Grabbing my bag, I leaped up.

“Excuse me, I’ll be right back. I need to use the restroom.” I was going to throw up any minute.

Boris forcefully grabbed my braid, holding me back.

“Hurry back, Gloria. We have business to discuss.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” I said, jerking myself free of his grip and losing a clump of hair in the process. Keeping an evil eye on me, Boris stood up and let me out of the booth.

Holding my head high, I walked calmly out of the Polo Lounge, and then, the moment I stepped foot into the hotel lobby, I sprinted to the ladies’ room located down a hallway to the left. Yanking open the restroom door, I ran straight into a vacant stall and crouched down on the cold marble floor. Holding my braid back with one hand, I puked my guts out over the toilet. Oh God! How could this be happening? First the stock crash! Then Jaime! And now Boris Borofsky was back in my life! I was in harm’s way. Big time! Terror seized me like a vice grip. What was I going to do?

Only one thing was clear. I had to get out of here as quickly as possible. Away from the man who would, without doubt, seek his revenge. Gloria Long could soon be a goner.

After a quick wash of my hands and rinse of my mouth, I raced to the hotel entrance, calling Tyrone on his cell to meet me there as quickly as possible.

Once outside, I tapped my foot anxiously, waiting for Tyrone to pull up, and stole nervous glances behind me. The hotel, popular with the Hollywood crowd and tourists alike, was bustling, with the valets running back and forth to service guests. My galloping heart jumped into my throat when a red Thunderbird convertible pulled up. Oh my God! Jaime!

He immediately saw me and leaped out of his car, leaving it for the valet. My already cramped stomach balled up into a knot of panic.

“Gloria.” His voice was a breathy blend of surprise and desire.

“What are you doing here?” I gasped.

“Meeting my real estate agent. And you?”

“Leaving.” Oh please, Tyrone, hurry!

“Did you get my flowers?” Facing me, he gripped my shoulders with his strong hands. I trembled beneath his touch.

“Jaime, let go of me!” Come on, Tyrone! My prayer was answered. Ty was heading up the driveway. I would have run downhill to meet him, but I couldn’t break free from Jaime.

His piercing blue eyes were fierce on my face. “I’m not letting you go until you answer my question.”

“Let go of her,” thundered another voice from behind me. Boris! “She’s all mine.” With a painful yank of my braid, he tore me away from Jaime.

“Who the fuck are you?” barked Jaime, his eyes flaring.

Boris growled. “Your worst nightmare.”

No, my worst nightmare!

“Fuck off, asswipe!” Jaime barked back at him.

Boris didn’t know whom he was dealing with. And didn’t see it coming. I ducked just in time as Jaime thrust a clenched fist into Boris’s ugly face and sent him reeling to the ground. Blood poured out of his bulbous nose and trickled over his hideous scars. A split-second later, Tyrone pulled up. Without waiting for a valet to assist me, I jumped into the Rover and slammed the passenger door shut. Thank God, it automatically locked because Jaime was one step behind me.

Frantically, he tried to yank it open. My eyes held his for a long second and then turned away. Desperate and frustrated, he banged at the tinted window with both fists. “Fucking open up, Gloria!”

Battling tears, I kept my head facing straight ahead. “Floor it, Ty.”

“You got it, Ms. Long.” The SUV peeled away from the curb with a screech and a cloud of smoke. I glanced back to see Jaime running after us at hell-bent speed. He had no chance. The car zoomed down Sunset, leaving him in the dust behind.

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