Unleash Me, Vol. 1 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) (13 page)

Alex had asked Jennifer to move in
with him over New Year
’
s,
but even though she spent practically every night with him, she had declined,
wanting to wait until they were married before they truly shared an
apartment.
 
That
’
s just who she was
—
and
I was grateful for it.
 
Having her
committed to living in the apartment meant several more months of me living
with my best friend.
 
Was that
selfish?
 
Sure.
 
But I couldn
’
t imagine living
without her
—
at
least not now.

I wondered if she was going with Alex
to Singapore?
 
It was entirely
possible, but I had no idea.
 
Tank
had only learned about it yesterday, and I
’
d yet to speak to Jennifer since then.
 
If she wasn
’
t going, we
’
d make these next two
weeks our last hurrah in the city together before she married Alex in
July.
 
If she was going, I
’
d be alone in the
city, with the exception of Blackwell.
 

At least I
’
d have her.

“
This
is it,
”
I
said to Tank as the driver pulled near the entrance.
 
“
By the way, I didn
’
t ask you
—
is
Jennifer going to Singapore with you?
”

“
She
is.
”

“
I
’
m going to be lonely
as hell.
”

“
I
’
m sorry,
”
he
said.

“
Like
you said, we
’
ll
both be busy.
 
I
’
m just being selfish.
”
 
I squeezed his hand.
 
“
OK
—
I
should go.
 
You need to get to work.
”

“
Don
’
t let Boss get into
your head.
”

“
If
he
’
s
fair and can make my novel better, I
’
ll bear the criticism, but not the abuse if he
’
s stupid enough to
dish out any.
 
That
’
s a promise.
 
Now, give me a kiss.
 
You look very handsome in your
suit.
 
Like Jennifer, apparently I
have a suit fetish.
 
And maybe a 501
jeans fetish.
 
Both turn me on.
”
 
I pressed my hand against his
cheek.
 
“
I know it
’
s still newish between
us, but thank you for taking a chance on me.
”

He kissed me on the lips.
 
“
And here, I was thinking you
’
d never take a chance on me.
 
Look, I wanted to bring up something,
but don
’
t
freak out on me, OK?
”

“
OK
…
.
”

“
I
think we should move some of your clothes into my apartment, and maybe some of
mine into yours.
 
I have plenty of
space for toiletries.
 
I know you
need to get ready in the morning, and I feel that this morning you probably
were wanting a fresh change of clothes and everything else you need to get
ready for the day.
 
All I need is a
toothbrush, a razor, some deodorant, and a few clothes.
 
Think we can make that happen?
”

I pulled him into my arms and kissed
him.
 
“
We can make that happen,
”
I said.
 
“
Thank you.
”

“
It
’
s only logical.
”

“
Actually,
it
’
s
really thoughtful.
”

I kissed him again, we smiled at each
other, and then I was out the door, and into the bracing air.
 
I pulled my coat around me as I wended
through the crowds on the sidewalk. I slipped rather happily into my building,
and took the elevator to my apartment.

Once there, I started to mentally
prepare myself for my meeting with Marco Boss.

*
 
*
 
*

At noon and in a full panic, I called
Blackwell.

“
I
don
’
t
know what to wear today,
”
I
said when she answered.

“
What
are you?
 
A child?
 
A bumbling infant?
”

“
No,
it
’
s
just that I
’
m
unsure of what to wear for my first one-on-one meeting with Boss.
”

“
Of
course you are.
 
You
’
re more interested in
what the undead would wear than what
you
should wear.
”

“
Those
are just my characters.
 
They
certainly aren
’
t
me.
”

“
Characters,
Lisa?
 
Really?
 
Characters?
 
Your people eat people.
”

“
They
have no choice.
 
It
’
s a compulsion for
them.
 
Like couture and shopping is
for you.
”

“
Don
’
t you dare use
psychology on me!
”

“
I
’
m not.
 
Well, not really.
 
I just need a hand.
”

“
I
had a mani-pedi yesterday from Gisele.
 
Do you honestly believe I want to offer you these hands?
 
They
’
re polished.
 
Fantastic.
 
You should see
them.
 
Divoon.
”

“
You
’
ve got to help
me.
 
I
’
m totally stuck.
”

“
Why
are you so needy?
”

“
Because
I want to make a good impression.
 
I
want to impress that son of a bitch when I see him today.
 
I want him to know with one glance that
he
’
s
not dealing with some fucking amateur, and thus he can
’
t treat me as one.
”

“
My
dear, he
’
s
still going to do that.
”

“
But
I don
’
t
want to give him a reason to.
”

“
Fine,
”
she
said.
 
“
At the very least, we
can try.
”

“
So
what do I wear today?
 
I meet him at
two.
”

“
I
have no idea what
’
s
in your closet.
”

“
I
have some really great business suits that I bought at Century 21
—”

“
Stop!
”

“
I
know you hate that store because it sells discount designer clothing, but I don
’
t have any money,
Barbara.
 
At least not yet.
 
Obviously, that
’
s where I need to shop
now.
 
And guess what?
 
I found this great Marc Jacobs suit that
I
’
m
thinking about wearing.
 
It
’
s black, and it fits
perfectly.
 
Check your email.
 
I just sent you a link of a picture of
it.
”

“
Fine.
 
Email.
 
Give me a minute.
 
All right, there you are.
 
God, I don
’
t want to click that link.
 
This is going to be a horror show
—
I
can feel it in my bones.
”

“
Just
open the link.
”

“
If
they find me dead on the floor, remember to tell my girls that I love them.
”

“
Oh,
please.
”

“
I
’
m opening the
link.
 
Death is imminent.
”

And then she went silent.

“
You
got this where?
”
she
asked.

“
Century
21.
”

“
That
’
s a
four-thousand-dollar suit.
 
How did
you ever afford it?
”

“
I
got it for three hundred dollars!
”

“
Impossible.
 
It must be riddled with tire tracks.
”

“
It
isn
’
t.
”

“
The
seams must be coming apart.
”

“
They
aren
’
t.
”

“
Certainly
it smells of something foul.
”

“
Not
even close.
”

“
Then
it
’
s a
knock-off.
”

“
It
isn
’
t.
”

“
I
suppose we
’
ll
see, because this?
 
This suit for
three-hundred dollars?
 
I don
’
t believe it.
”

“
I
’
ll turn you into a
believer.
”

“
Nobody
has yet.
 
But if what you say is
true and your suit doesn
’
t
look as if it
’
s
been pulled out of a meat grinder, I have to say that it
’
s not only lovely, but
professional, which is exactly how you need to look when you see Boss
again.
 
He
’
s a snob, Lisa.
 
Not that I need to tell you that.
”

“
Agreed.
”

“
If
you aren
’
t
dressed exactly right, he
’
s
going to think
‘
self-published,
’
which
obviously is a four-letter word to him and everyone else in traditional
publishing.
 
We need to prove to him
that he
’
s
wrong about you.
 
You are
not
some impoverished, unsuccessful author looking for a break.
 
In fact, Wenn is looking at you because
of your prior sales success and is hoping that Boss will lift those sales even
higher through physical books.
 
Traditional publishing is down.
 
Bookstores are closing.
 
Before they all go out of business, he needs you more than you need him.
”