When Frankie holds the now-lit cigarette out to me, filter first, he exhales a long breath of smoke. I take the cigarette delicately in my hands and raise it to my lips, looking at the end. Where Frankie’s lips were just pressed. “It’s not going to bite you, Bambi,” he murmurs, his voice soft, but
I wait anxiously on a bar stool as the evening shift begins at Lupa, my eyes on the door, my back ramrod straight. It was a fight, of course, last night, when we walked in the door and Frankie cheerfully announced to Christian and Nico that I was a dumbass who set another date with Edward for toni
I almost immediately discover that…I do not like Edward’s world. Now that he’s got me here, completely under his control? Edward drops any veneer of being nice. In the car on the way to dinner, he barely pays attention to me, instead spending his time making a variety of phone calls I don’t unders
Edward’s preparing himself for a big party tonight, fueled by alcohol and cocaine. And me? I’m just desert. He leers at me increasingly as dinner passes, even as he talks almost non-stop about…well, whatever the hell is on his mind, I guess. I don’t know, I’m barely listening, instead anxiously mu
It’s raining when we step to the front of the restaurant, and Edward snaps his fingers at the valet and then shoves his ticket at his chest, still pinning me close to his side. The valet sighs a little, clenching his jaw but seeming to resign himself to this kind of treatment. Edward doesn’t notice,
“Did you ask the valet for a fucking cab!?” he snaps, not looking at me, his hands tight on the wheel. “No!” I breathe, knowing that my only choice now is to lie. “You’re mine now, Bambi,” he growls, turning his dangerous gaze on me. I shrink back in my seat, my eyes wide at the violent possessi
I’m still screaming as I look backwards, upwards into the dark sky and see Christian standing there, panting, rain streaming through his hair and down his face. My breath leaves me as I figure out who it is – who was driving the blue car – But I don’t have a chance to say anything as Christian g
I murmur Christian’s name again, shaking my head, looking back over at where Edward is laying. “What did you…do…” “Hit him,” Christian murmurs, his eyes moving in the same direction as mine even as his arm tightens around my waist. “With a tire iron.” “Shit,” I whisper, going tense and staring a