Page 107 (1/2)

“Don’t let me down, Zara”

“I won’t I pro out of his office, I barely kept ainst my head Why the hell had I done that? Under-promise and over-deliver had always beenmy mouth to Bill about how I had this all locked down Screwed, that’s exactly what I was

My day went too quickly after lunch, the hurtling rollercoaster settinginbeside one another—pretending to be together, but never feeling further apart When I’d shut down hts were off in the office The last one to leave once again, only this time it felt way too early

In the lobby, the slurred shout of er, at least until she could’ve been poured into her taxi after the booze had been put on the corill connected to the lobby was quick and easy for business lunches and dinners forFor Valerie, it was a convenient spot to get blitzed Monday through Friday without spending a dime

“Leo Wilder’s your fiancé?”

I tucked ? “It’s late, Valerie, and I’d like to go home”

“You badgeryou a full-ti married to a pro football player” She sipped fro with each step

“He’s retired Can I go now?” I bit the inside of my cheek Couldn’t one of her sloppy friends coet her to buy them another round?

My escape was blocked when she got in front ofon the floor between us, each of my steps matched by a wobbly one of her own

“You think you’re so much better than me”

I kneas Not because she worked for her dad’s company—plenty of people did—but because she lorded it over everyone and coasted on the hard work other people put in Screwing others wasn’t a ga end multiple times—and not the pleasurable kind I bit down so hard I tasted blood in my mouth

“Go back to the bar” I stared straight ahead, which only seemed to infuriate her more People like her alanted to provoke a reaction so they could play the victi down a threat Scientists have also discovered freeze as a natural reaction like a deer in your headlights in the ht But I couldn’t bla a drunk bear with claws out bat ot bored Survival took on a different for my paychecks

“You don’t get to tell s here”

A man with an earpiece walked out of the bar toward us “Ma’am, we need you to step back into the restaurant”

I took the momentary distraction to as Valerie fro escorted back inside with her colass