ABIGEALWHEN THE car service finally got to Blaine's house, we found everyone assembled outside to greet him. They immediately swarmed when he got out of the car, leaving me and the chauffeur to offload the baggage. I started to carry them inside when I felt something grab my leg and looked downwards to see Eleanora smiling at me with all of her two teeth. “Hiii” she babbled, then giggled like she had just said the funniest thing.“Hi, kid.” I said in response, looking at her expectantly. She just continued to giggle so I tried gently prying her arms off my leg. They wouldn't budge. For baby's arms, they were quite strong.Seeing no other alternative, I started to walk into the house carrying luggage with her still attached to my leg. She squealed loudly and I looked at her again in worry, unable to tell whether it was a sound of pain or joy. When I lifted the leg she was holding a took a step, she squealed again.Oh. Okay.“Nora, get off her.” Dolores reprimanded, coming over to
ABIGEALTHE WOMAN named Heather broke into a wide smile when Blaine said her name. “Oh my God it's been so long! You look gorgeous.” She enthused, wrapping her arms around him and giving him air kisses. He returned the hug, but hesitantly, like he wasn't sure what was going on. “Heather, what are you doing here? You're not one of our partners.” He said. She laughed like he'd said the most hilarious thing. “No, silly, you know I'm not into that kind of thing.”“No, he doesn't.” If what they were saying was correct, they hadn't met since…whenever the last time was, so how could he know?She glanced at me, her smile becoming a little more plastic. “Is this the lucky lady?” She teased, elbowing Blaine like they'd been tight for decades.I wanted to saw off that elbow. Maybe just take the whole arm while I'm at it.I blinked away the violent thoughts as Blaine turned. “Shit. Sorry. Abigeal, this is Heather Green. We went to high school together. Heather, this is Abigeal Starr.”I thou
ABIGEALTHE EVENT wound up a little after midnight with most of the partners stumbling to the door in varying degrees of intoxication. Their dates either held them up with amused looks on their faces or walked past them with irritation or disdain written into their frowns. Melanie was unsteady on her feet and yet kept insisting that she could walk on her own in her skinny heels until Jordan finally lost patience and scooped her up out of the venue, her murmurs of protests trailing in their wake.I stepped out with a very much alive and breathing Blaine and he held the door of the limo open for me. I was about to get in when someone called out his name. We both turned to watch- surprise surprise- Heather make her way to us with that smile of hers already in place.“Where's your date? Don't tell me he left you on your own at this time.” Blaine said with a frown as she reached us, looking around for her date. She laughed. “He wouldn't do that. He's just bringing the car around.”He gl
ABIGEALBLAINE WAS shaking me awake. “Abigeal? Abigeal.” He called softly while I blinked and opened my eyes fully. “Hey.” He said with a smile. I realized two things at that time. The first was that somehow while asleep I'd managed to rest my head on his shoulder.The second was that the…activities that had been taking place had all been a dream.The car had stopped moving. I sat up like a string and shifted away from him. “Sorry about that.” I mumbled.“Nothing to worry about. You must be so tired, with the flight and all.” He said. “Are you ready to get out now?”“Yeah, sure.” I said and Blaine opened the door and stepped back to let me out. I automatically reached out and took his outstretched out. I got out of the car and stood there a moment with him still holding hands.Blaine lifted my hands up to his lips and began to nibble lightly.I jerked my hand out on this and he looked startled. “You okay? Did I do something wrong?” He asked.Except making me think about you so much t
ABIGEALI GOT back to the house barely an hour after I left it, so I didn't expect anybody to be out and about just yet. I walked up to the front door and reached out to touch the handle.“You know, if you're going to be sneaking out before 7am you could at least be quieter about it.” Blaine's voice said from behind me, startling me a little.I turned. “I wasn't sneaking out.”“Oh? Then I'm sure at least one or two other people know you've left the house. Why don't we go in and find out?” He gestured to the building.I sighed. “Fine. I wanted to take care of something before I had to resume work.”“Anything I can help with?” He asked, coming closer to me. I forced myself to stay where I was.“It's fine. I handled it.”“Why do I feel like it has something to do with Annalise being in the military?” He asked after a brief pause. My eyes darted to him. “Excuse me?”“I saw the look on your face when we opened up her I*******m profile. You didn't know.” He responded.There was no use tr
ABIGEALI HAD to admit, zipping down a street in a brand new car beyond the speed limit was thrilling. There wasn't another car in sight, so I could do whatever I wanted without getting written up.What was not so thrilling, however, were the kids in the backseat squealing. With the way they were yelling, you'd think I was kidnapping them to sell into slavery.Another reason why I was grateful for the empty roads.I made a hard right turn and went back the same way we had come, slowing down when I got to where everyone else was standing.Gabriela had her hands on her hips and her lips pursed as the kids climbed out of the car. “That was a little faster than I would have liked.” She commented.I opened my mouth to apologize but Dolores scoffed. “Oh please. They go on joyrides faster than that at the fair. Besides, Abigeal won’t let anything happen to them.” She said.Blaine came out of the house checking his watch. “Alright, play time is over. Abigeal and I have to go.” He said, follow
BLAINEI KEPT one eye on Abigeal's rigid figure as I spoke. “What's the update?” I asked. The team of tech guys we'd assembled within the hour were working furiously to trace the call from Abigeal's phone. “We're trying our best, sir, but it's not as easy as it would have been if it were a live signal. You'll have to be more patient.”“Patient? She's running out of time. She could be dead by now for all we know.” Abigeal said from where she stood. Apart from the small frown on her face, there was no indication she'd just heard her roommate get shot at.I didn't know who was colder, her or Jordan.“Hurry up.” I snapped.“Sir, like we said already, the signal is dead so it's a lot harder to trace”“I don't care if it's six feet under. Get it done.” I replied. “Yelling at them isn't going to get it done any faster, you know.” Jordan drawled. I shot him a look and he held up his hands. “All I'm saying is, you don't even know this person. Look at the person who knows her, see how calm
ABIGEALI HEARD the crunch of leaves behind me seconds before I heard the scream. I ducked to avoid the dagger thrown at my head and whipped around with one leg out. My attacker was quick enough to leap over my leg and step back. I regained my feet, thinking quickly. I was almost sure it was Anna I'd heard screaming, and that meant she was still alive but in immediate danger. If I didn't get to her soon I might not be able to help her.I drew two of my daggers and tilted my head at the masked person heading straight for me. “Let's make this quick, shall we?” I said before slashing out. They dodged my attacks skillfully and even managed to get in a hit of their own. I stumbled back with narrowed eyes. “Wait a damn minute,” I said.This person's style of fighting seemed familiar but foreign also, like they had worked on and improved it.“I know you," I continued. To confirm, I started to circle and they followed. I watched their feet as she started to walk, then straightened with an a
ABIGEALI TIGHTENED my grip on my fork for the umpteenth time and let myself relish the thought of stabbing Heather Green to death with it. As her high laugh floated to my ears again, I imagined her blood splashed across my face and the look of shock that would be evident in her eyes just before they film over in death.Why such violent thoughts, you may ask?“Oh my God, do you remember.” Giggle. “Do you remember that time in seventh grade when Andrew” Giggle. “Andrew with the surname that's had to pronounce? That Andrew? When he put that whoopee cushion on Mr. Davies’ seat and he sat on it and got so embarrassed that he actually peed himself?”Blaine's aunts seemed to have done a good job of raising their kids, as the children exchanged horrified glances when she said that. “That's horrible. Why would he do that to a teacher?” Juan asked?Under Gabriela's disapproving stare, Heather immediately sobered up. “The question you should be asking is why would anyone do that to anyone,
ABIGEALAT THE end of the workday, Blaine and I stood facing each other with our eyes narrowed. The silence was all-encompassing and tension hung thick in the air. “Ready?” He asked.I scoffed. “I was born ready.”“Let's go, then.”We raised our right fists at the same time, then smacked them onto our open left palms three times. “Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.” Blaine presented a rock. I looked at my scissors and sighed.“I win.” He smirked.I wasn't going to concede defeat that easily. “Best of three?”“Just let me enjoy my win, girl.” He shook his head with a smile.“Alright. Wonder what would happen when people find out you were afraid of losing to a woman.” I said casually, folding my arms.He laughed. “I'm not afraid of losing to a woman if she beat me fair and square, but fine, we'll do it your way.”We played two more times and I held back a groan while he smirked triumphantly, holding out his hand. “It appears I win again.”“I'm just having an off day.” I replied as I droppe
ABIGEAL“WON’T YOU come give your old mother a kiss?” The woman said. Jordan merely looked at her. “You didn’t have to come here. I could have booked you a hotel room.” He said. She laughed like the idea was absurd. “Book me a hotel room? When my son has a big ass house in the city?”Her eyes left Jordan and landed on Jasmine who had stopped grinning. “I don’t appreciate being dragged all the way here because of you, young lady. The next time you decide to evade the bodyguards and bribe your way through an airport, I won’t be there to do damage control.” She reprimanded coolly.Jasmine lifted her chin. “I asked if we could come see Jordan, you said no. I asked if I could come see Jordan, you said no. What else did you want me to do?’Jordan turned cool eyes to his mother. “She asked to see me and you declined? What were the terms of our agreement?” She rolled hers. “Yes, believe everything she says, because mummy is the only one capable of telling lies because she’s so bad.”“Um.”
ABIGEALI STARED straight ahead as Blaine drove in the direction of the headquarters, arms folded and staying silent. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught him throwing me glances until he finally sighed. “Abigeal, I can hear your angst from all the way over there. Spit it out.”I turned towards the window and debated staying stubbornly silent or speaking. “Nothing.” I said eventually. “No, nope. We're not doing this.” He replied instantly. “There's clearly something on your mind. I want to know what it is.”I cast my eyes to the roof of the car. I was reluctant to speak because I'd be tempted to murder him if I told him and he laughed at me. “Okay. You fired me last night for saying things how they were- and you can't say I was wrong- yet this morning, Anna sweet talked you through it and now you're taking me back to work without an apology or a reinstatement or anything. Looks like an abuse of power from where I'm standing.” I said on one long breath.“Abigeal.” Blaine said my na
ABIGEALTHE FIRST thing I noticed was the pounding headache. The next thing I noticed was the presence of something or someone else in my bed. I rolled out of the sheets, slipping a hand under my pillow to grab the dagger I always kept there, but my hand came up empty.“Looking for this?” I whipped my head up at the familiar voice, feeling my eyes widen in shock when Blaine Daniels dangled my dagger in the air with his eyes still closed. “Yeah, I thought you might. I didn't particularly feel like getting stabbed, so I took it.” He threw it in my direction and I caught it by the hilt. “You can have it back now.” He turned on his side and fell silent.But I wasn't done with him yet. “What are you doing here? And why the fuck are you in my bed?”He let out a long sigh. “It appears that I have just won a bet against myself. Or lost one, depending on your point of view.”“Answer the question before I do something we won't be able to come back from.” I threatened, keeping my grip on the
ABIGEALI SNUGGLED closer to the warmth near me wrapping my arms around it. It was solid but somehow felt like it was made for me, and I let out a contented sigh. This was the stuff dreams were supposed to be made of.Dreams.Was I dreaming?The warm cottony feeling I was wrapped in certainly felt like a dream, but the constant motion did not. I frowned as the back and forth rocking pulled me further and further out of my dream state until I blinked and opened my eyes.I slowly came to realize I was going up a flight of stairs, but my legs weren't the ones moving. My legs were suspended in the air with the rest of my body. I blinked in confusion and slowly turned to look up at the person carrying me.I should be alarmed, but because of the warm fuzzy feeling, all I could conjure was a mild concern. “Oh no, am I getting kidnapped?” I yawned.My…kidnapper?...snorted. “There's not much I could do with you.” His voice sounded oddly familiar.I frowned. “I take offence to that. There's a l
ABIGEALI WALKED out of the bathroom and back to the bar. Michael and Anna were watching me warily as I went straight for my unfinished drink and gulped it down. “Next bar. Now.” I said. Anna didn't argue this time. We collected our things and left the bar. The cool night air hit my face as we walked outside. I turned to my right as we made our way back to Michael's car and locked eyes with Blaine who was about to get into his own car. I stopped walking as I stared at him. He still looked angry and after a final shake of his head, got into his car and drove away.I got into Michael's car and slammed the door. Michael met my eyes in the mirror. “Um. I can take you home if you're not feeling up to a night out anymore.” He said tentatively. “No. Tonight isn't about me. Where's the next bar?” I answered, the last part directed at Anna? She pulled out her phone and gave Michael the address.This bar was not that different from the first. The only big addition were the two poles in the
ABIGEALI'VE SEEN Blaine angry before. I've heard him yell, watched those eyes darken till they were almost black. But nothing could have prepared me for the way he looked at me now. Like the only thing keeping him from strangling the life out of me was the distance between us.I wanted to walk up to him. I wanted to explain that it wasn't what it seemed. But Jordan's terms kept ringing in my head. Going near him would violate the terms and the deal would be off.So instead, I forced myself to look away and finish the rest of my drink. “Where's the next bar?” I asked Anna. “What? We just got here.” She protested. “And you're not drunk yet.”“I don't have to get drunk at the very first bar, Annalise.” I responded. “Can we just stay a little longer? The music's fire.” She pouted. In response, I just sighed and ordered a cocktail.“Don't you think you're going too fast? Maybe slow down on the alcohol a bit.” Michael said, laying his fingers on my hand. “Make that a virgin mojito, plea
ABIGEALMY NAME was called and I turned, hoping nothing of what I was feeling showed on my face. “Pasta. I'll have the pasta.” I said without looking at the menu, even though my appetite was gone. The server smiled patiently. “You need to pick a kind of pasta, ma'am, unless you want them all.”I glanced at the menu again but my eyes saw nothing. I vaguely remembered Anna saying something about “Fettucine chicken alfredo.” I said it and the server noted it down and went away.I found both Michael and Anna giving me concerned looks. “That's the second time you've spaced out. Are you okay? Do we need to leave and reschedule?” He asked, worried eyes moving over my face.“I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude. I feel fine, maybe a little distracted.” I tried to smile, then decided against it.“Are you sure?” Anna asked. I looked over at her. “Yeah, I am. Let's enjoy the rest of our evening, shall we?”Anna smiled at me and picked up where she left off on a topic. Apparently Michael had ask