Page 23 of Amber's Fall

During coffee, someone made a speech. Of course, it was all about Andrew, and he loved it. His smile was broad as he listened to all his amazing attributes, and at the end, the female stood to applaud him. Slowly, others got to their feet.

Andrew held his hand over his heart in a fake gesture of thanks. I expected ashucks, you guy’sto leave his lips at any moment. Thankfully, it didn’t.

With the plates removed, a band started to play.

“Would you do me the honour?” Daniel said. He’d stood and held out his hand.

I looked at Andrew. “Does she need your permission?” Daniel asked.

The tension was rising. “No, feel free to dance, Amber. Perhaps Petra and I will dance too.”

So that was her name. Of course, it had to be something unusual. The four of us headed to the dancefloor. Whereas I kept a respectable distance between myself, and Daniel, Petra and Andrew were chest to chest, crotch to crotch. I ignored them.

“Does that bother you?” Daniel asked, nodding towards them.

“Andrew dancing with someone?” I asked, knowing full well what he meant. “No, of course not.”

Thankfully, for the second dance, we switched partners. “He likes you,” Andrew said, not looking at me.

“I doubt it, but he likes you. I think he’s also worried about you. You’re more than capable of doing his job and he knows it.”

“Did he say that?”

“In so many words.”

Andrew then smiled and I came down to Defcon level two.

For the first time ever, after we danced, Andrew walked off to chat to some people. I was left sitting at the table on my own. Of course, Petra was hanging off his arm.

“May I?”

I looked up and smiled. Bollocks to Andrew and Petra. “Absolutely, I was getting lonely sitting here.”

Daniel sat and offered me another glass of wine. “I’m sticking with water for now, but thank you.”

I never drank when Andrew did, I had to keep my wits about me.

And I certainly needed those from the minute we left.

CHAPTERELEVEN

Andrew disappeared,as did Petra. I scanned the room, all the while trying to hold a conversation with Daniel. When he finally reappeared, he had white power around his nose. He also had his zipper undone. Petra’s hair wasn’t as perfect as it had been.

“Andy, might want to adjust your zipper,” Daniel said. “Oh, and wipe that shit from your nose.”

Andrew immediately zipped up his trousers, and with the back of his hand, wiped across his nose. I’d suspected before he’d done cocaine at other parties. There was a certain look in his eyes, a maniacal attitude that he got. I closed mine in despair.

“Call me, Amber, if you need me,” Daniel whispered, and slipped a business card in my hand. “Remember, Bill and I are childhood friends.”

I assumed Daniel knew that Andrew had hit me on occasions.

I knew trouble was brewing from the minute we stepped out from the Country Club and into the waiting car. Andrew had held onto my arm so hard; his fingers had left bruises.

“Please don’t hold me so hard,” I said, rubbing my arm.

He glared at me, and then at the driver; his jaw clamped shut.

“It was a lovely evening, wasn’t it? They all seem to enjoy your company,” I added, trying to bring the conversation back to him and therefore diffuse any pending trouble.

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