Page 38 of Bounty
Before either woman protested, I strolled away. My appetite still hadn’t appeared, but I needed a breather, needed to get away from my overbearing boss and her infuriating minx of a daughter.
Most of all, I needed a goddamn drink, and for my feelings for Effie Monroe to fucking disappear.
Sometimes, I wondered if my mother’s ditziness was an act for people to underestimate her. Ever since Slice returned from lunch, Mom eyed me suspiciously and cast dirty looks at him, as if she had somehow picked up on what happened between us. Maybe it was tiredness, but she seemed tense and snappy. With fans, she was her usual bubbly self. But themoment her adoring admirers departed, she gave us the cold shoulder. I would ask her about it, but I didn’t want to raise her hackles even more. So, if she didn’t bring it up, neither would I.
Quarter to four, my hunger reared itself. I hadn’t eaten a single thing all day. My cheeks heated at how loudly my stomach growled. Mom went to the breakroom once, and Slice had gone twice, plus he’d taken a bathroom break. For some reason, his frequent departures annoyed me, as did the hungry eyes that followed him. I wasn’t blind or dumb; I knew other women wanted him. But that didn’t stop my irritation, especially whenever he rewarded his admirers with his handsome grin or a cheeky wink.
Fucking asshole.
My one bright spot today had been the almost meeting of Sloane Mason. Even that disintegrated in a cloud of fuckery.
My stomach growled again. Both Mom and Slice looked at me, worsening my embarrassment.
“That’s my sign to eat.” I set my camera aside. “I’ll be quick.”
“Okay.” Mom glanced away.
Slice merely nodded. The chilly responses from them worsened my mood. Tiredness turned me bitchy enough. Combined with my hunger and the unspoken tension, I wanted to scream. Before I said something I regretted. I stormed off.
Halfway to the breakroom, I detoured. There were loads of books I wanted to purchase, but Mom balked every time I tried to excuse myself. I was there as an assistant not a reader.
Now, the crowd swallowed me. I couldn’t see Mom or Slice, so they couldn’t see me.
What was a little hunger if it meant buying a few booksandhaving them autographed? Perhaps, I couldn’t visit twenty authors, but Andi Rhodes and Jessa Aarons? Definitely.
Praying their tables were on this side of the ballroom, I marched along, waving at some authors I knew from previous signings and hoping neither of them had long lines. The signing ended at five, so I didn’t have much time left to make my own haul.
Andi’s banner met my happy gaze, and I grinned, hurrying to her table and grateful a fan brushed by.
“Hi, Effie,” she greeted.
My head snapped up. “You know my name?” I squeaked.
She grinned and nodded. “You’re Daria’s girl. Besides, it’s on your name tag.”
Heat rose in my cheeks, and I glanced down, swallowing. “Right,” I mumbled.
“No biggie,” she assured me with a bright smile, easing my nerves at once.
Until my stomach growled, and I cringed. “I’m starving, but I have devoured every Soulless Kings book you’ve released. Marble Falls. Washington—”
“Well—”
“Confidentially,” I babbled, never handling anxiety well, “from a huge fan to a favorite author, you should really write a series about Black Savages MC, although old dude inFenderwas such a creeper. By the way, loved the name Fender and Charlie was so badass.” I snapped my fingers and glanced at her table. Nearly all her books were sold. I spotted a display copy ofFender. Theonlycopy I saw. “I will sell my sister for that copy ofFender. Never mind. She’ll probably want Chad to be a part of the deal and his ass would definitely devalue her worth.”
“Are you through, hun?” she asked around laughter.
“Totes,” I pushed out.
“Another series that I’m a part of is set in Washington, Effie, not Soulless Kings,” she explained. “Those books are setin Oregon and Texas—Marble Falls. I love your enthusiasm and I’m happy to tell you I wrote Donovan’s book.Forever Savage.”
“I missed a Black Savages release? How?” I cried, totally bummed. I prided myself on staying up to date with the releases of my favorite authors. My stomach growled again. That bastard would not behave. I gritted my teeth.
“Why don’t you grab a bite to eat, Effie? I’ll—”
“Nope,” I interrupted. “I’m not leaving without Fender. The book, I mean.Lookat him.” I nodded to the model on the cover. “Complete man candy.”
“I agree.” Andi reached over and grabbed the book. “No need to sell your sister.” She beamed at me and grabbed a Sharpie. “Tell me how to spell your name?”
