Page 33 of The Game

“So, you and Adam, eh? He’s been typically tight-lipped about it.”

Really? Janus has talked to him? Does Adam play his cards close to his chest, even with good friends? I mean he’s self-contained, almost stoic. Maybe especially with guys who might rib him about things.

“What did he say?”

“He told Fabian and me to mind our own business.”

I chuckle. “Adam and I are just friends. I don’t think either of us has the space for a relationship right now.”

There’s a long silence on the other end of the line. “I think it’s about time Adam made space for a relationship.”

Oh, interesting.“Really? He mentioned something about a woman at college …”

But Janus is too smart to fall for a leading question and barrels on. “I worry about Adam’s business. Hardware is difficult, especially consumer stuff, and all this stuff in the press … Do you know whether he’s got a PR person?”

“I think he’s got a marketing lady, Susie, but no agency.”

“He needs somebody to handle stuff like this or it could all blow up in his face.”

“Yeah, he does.”

“I’ll talk to him.”

I roll my lips together. Is Adam’s business the reason he’s not been having any fun? Or is it his past? “This woman he went out with in college … can you tell me any more about her?”

There’s a long silence. “It’s not really my story to tell.” He pauses. “Why are you asking?”

That’s the fifty-million-dollar question, isn’t it? “Adam’s a nice person. I like him. He’s never tried or suggested anything with me. I guess I’m curious.” Is thatallI am? Ugh. “I’m trying to be his friend.”

“He’s a great guy. Be careful with him, Anna. It’s not my place to tell you about his relationship in college, because it’s his story to tell. But he was deeply bruised by it. On the surface he’s fine, but underneath … I don’t know. I can understand why he hasn’t had another relationship. He thought she was the one, and she turned on him in the worst possible way.”

What?Now I’m all kinds of curious.

13

ADAM

It’s funny how surreal the first awards event I attended with Anna felt and how this one feels almost normal, like I’ve acclimatized to this whole thing. Several women are standing farther up the red carpet in long dresses, talking to journalists, and Anna’s silver dress glitters in front of me as she steps out of the car and smiles at me over her shoulder as we move up toward the entrance, back straight and strong, brown curls piled on her head. When I reach her side she leans into me, red lips curling up as she whispers, “My mother isn’t speaking to me,” as we approach a waiting line of journalists.

“What? Why not?”

“She thinks splitting up with Arty Maroz was the biggest mistake I ever made.”

Before I can answer, the man in front of us moves on, we step forward, and the waiting journalist sticks a microphone in Anna’s face. Before either the journalist or she can speak, however, a voice comes from behind me:

“That bitch stole my dog!”

I turn as if in slow motion, cameras flashing and calls of “Over here!” echoing from my right. I step forward instinctively, putting myself betweenthe voice and Anna, as a man with short dark hair and broad shoulders barrels toward us.Arty Maroz. Before I can even jerk back, his arm is up and I stagger sideways as a blow blooms hot and sharp across my cheek.

Shit.Anna.My response to an attack is instinctive now. It’s what I used to do with Fabian when he was on a bender.Take them down. Immobilize.I jump on Arty, and he goes down on his knees.Not a trained fighter, then. In seconds I have him pinned on his back. The frantic clicking of cameras and shouts wash in and out as his arms flail at me, catching me on the face again, so I wrestle, trying to pin his wrists down.Definitely strong.

Suddenly, three huge guys in SWAT vests loom over me. One of them grabs my shoulders and hauls me off Arty like I weigh nothing, and I let myself be pulled up. As I take in the three security guards, one of them draws me away and guides me down the red carpet toward the street and a waiting line of photographer lenses behind a barrier. When I glance back to the entrance, Anna has disappeared.

“I need to find Anna Talanova and …”

“We have to move away from the building, Sir.” The guy taps his ear.

“Where did Anna go?”

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