Page 80 of All The Way Under
“Because I didn’t know you yet. It takes me some time,” I chide.
Mark is in conversation with Bitsy now. Catherine and Nolan are at the buffet table, people watching. I can tell they’re entertained, so I don’t worry about them for long. Saylor is staring at someone by the bar. He’s laughing, loud, meant to be noticed.
She visibly pales.
“I might have left one, tiny detail about Bitsy out,” she says, voice shaking.
I narrow my eyes at the man. He sees Saylor and brushes down the front of his tailored suit, not even sparing a glance at me.
“Go on,” I say, intuition telling me before she says it.
“My awful ex, Archie. Well, Bitsy is his mother. She convinced me to date him in the first place.”
Saylor takes a sip of her drink. Then another, looking anywhere but at him or me.
“He’s by the bar, staring at me like I owe him money.”
“Ah,” I say. “He knows we’re a thing,” I say, motioning between our bodies.
Her blue gaze flicks with an emotion I hate. Sadness.
“You don’t get it, Brody. It doesn’t matter.” Shaking her head, she whispers, “My family is tactful for the most part. Some of these people just take what they want. They’re relentless. I was going to marry him because they were so convincing, and I’m honestly almost positive he hated me.”
She holds up a hand when I go to argue.
“It’s messed up, I know. I had no idea he was going to be here. He’s predictable, though. He’ll drink too many Negronis, then move on to expensive tequila, and he’ll black out outside in a pool chair. He’s harmless.”
Anger rises, and I eye Mark. He seems to be enjoying himself with Bitsy. Jesus effing Christ. Of course he is. But he’s looking around, and I can tell he’s looking for someone.
“It’s fine.”
“Don’t say it’s fine when I know it’s not.” Saylor finishes her drink, puts it on a tray, and engages in small talk with a woman who approaches her.
I don’t even comprehend what they’re talking about because all I see is red. Archie is staring at Saylor like she belongs to him. There’s no respect for the man on her arm.
I can overlook a lot of things, but disrespect and a low moral compass when it comes to basic human decency? Fuck that. I have to remind myself not to cause a scene. It would accomplish the opposite of what we need.
“Excuse me for a minute, Saylor,” I say. “I need to ask Mark something.”
She glances at me warily, but nods, returning to her conversation.
I’m almost to Mark and Bitsy when something tells me to check on Saylor. I look over my shoulder to see Archie crossing the ballroom, people separating to make way. Her smile drops, and the corners of her eyes turn down when he stops in front of her. She doesn’t breathe. She tips her chin up, and it trembles.
“Hi,” she says.
Archie takes a microphone from a man next to the woman Saylor is talking to.
“Here is the woman of the night. Saylor Wyndham, everyone.” His voice is even worse when he speaks instead of laughing. “I’m proud to be one of her most trusted friends, Archie.”
He is rattling on about memories when Bronwyn runs up to me.
“We tried calling her, and I had Nolan and Mark try calling you, trying to tell you this was about to happen. Where were you two?” Bronwyn says, tone whispered but words rough.
No sense in lying now. “The elevator,” I say. “Tell me what?”
“Good god,” Bronwyn hisses. “There’s no service in that damn elevator. Archie and Bitsy had this insane plan all along, and we found out about it by happenstance when Archie was talking to one of his friends. No one could find you two.”
“Saylor Wyndham, will you marry me?” Archie’s voice booms through the room, loud and pompous.
