Page 47 of Sinister Games

Opening the box, she exclaimed as she carefully lifted the high jewelry pin from where it was nestled in black silk.

It really was a masterpiece. I knew from being an avid Vogue and Bazaar reader since I was a teenager that Van Cleef & Arpels were known for a unique jewelry style called the Mystery set, where they set countless emeralds, sapphires and rubies without any visible prongs. I watched as Jane admired the piece, twisting it in the light. It was the size of my palm. A gorgeous cobalt blue and purple bird with a diamond-encrusted plume.

“Holy shit, Lizzie.”

“I know!”

“Holy shit, Lizzie!”

“I know!”

“He gave this to you?”

I shook my head as I wrapped the blanket more securely over my shoulders. “I found it in my messenger bag. He must have slipped it in there.”

That wasn’t the only thing he slipped in.

The shock still hadn’t worn off. Had I really come after having someone shove a finger up my ass? This was all too much. At first it was fun thinking of myself as this femme fatale on par with the international coquettes he probably dated. I embraced his games and allowed myself to drift way way way out of my comfort zone with his sexual exploits, but now I couldn’t help feeling as though I was in way way way over my head.

He was too much. Too intense. Too controlling. Too toxic.

Reaching for the wine, I took another gulp. It was stale with a harsh aftertaste but I didn’t care. I needed to numb myself. Needed to bring things back to zero after so many overwhelming emotions with Richard.

The man made me feel like the most beautiful, treasured woman in the world one minute and like a whore the next. He was driving me crazy. I didn’t know my own mind… but worse, I no longer knew my own body.

“I need to break it off with him,” I blurted out.

“Are you insane? You don’t break it off with a man who gives you bespoke jewelry!”

“You don’t understand. He’s starting to scare me a bit.”

“In what way?”

“I don’t know. He’s like really into me. He’s becoming very possessive and overprotective.”

Jane threw a hand to her forehead and fell back dramatically. “Oh, cruel world! Please save me from this super rich man who is obsessed with me! Oh, cruel fate!”

Reaching for a blue throw pillow, I tossed it at her as I couldn’t help but laugh. “Stop it. It’s not like that.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a little judge-y? You’ve only been on a couple dates, and besides, you probably misunderstood what he said about school. He probably wanted you to drop Handleson’s class, not out of school.”

Biting my lip, I stared at the brooch on the table. Had I overreacted?

“Besides, it’s not exactly a stretch to think a guy wouldn’t want his girlfriend stuck in a class with a professor who likes to play grab ass.”

I had to admit she made a good point. Still, Richard wasn’t one to mince words. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind he actually expected me to drop out of school.

Jane rose and headed back into the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, she dipped down and inspected the contents. “We have an unopened bottle of margarita mix or two pints of Guinness.”

Jumping up, I met her in the kitchen and pulled a bottle of tequila out from under the sink. “Margaritas, definitely.”

Since we didn’t have a blender, we had to make do with dumping out some of the mix and filling the bottle back up to the top with tequila and giving it a good shake. Pouring two fresh mugs full, we returned to the sofa.

“Don’t let me get too drunk. I have a shift at the pub later and then I’m staying over at Greg’s.”

Picking up the brooch, I held it up to the light. As I did, I could hear Coco and Dior chirping from inside my bedroom. It was funny how he seemed to know I liked birds. I couldn’t remember ever telling him. Probably not. It probably had more to do with his nickname for me, his little bird.

The citrus sour of the margarita caused my mouth to pucker as I took another sip. “Let’s change the subject.”

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