You've Got Fail(42)

“Don’t be embarrassed about liking the series.” I patted her knee. “You’ll be watching them all with me soon enough.”

She guffawed, but I continued, “He was angry at first. Like shoot-your-laser-gun-into-space-while-screaming-at-the-stars angry. But once he realized Fangia wasn’t that person anymore, he forgave her, and they joined forces to rid the galaxy of the alien and vampire conflict.”

Her nose wrinkled. “So, if they joined forces and ended the conflict, why are there what, three more movies in the series?”

“Five.” I coughed into my hand. “And the series had to continue because…well…Fangia died in the final battle of the second movie.”

She gaped at me, her mouth slightly open. “Did you just tell me a story where the character that is presumably me dies at the end?”

“Yeah, I didn’t really think that one all the way through.” I glanced out at the lights of Park Avenue as we approached the Four Seasons.

A smile flirted with the corner of her lips. “For the record, I didn’t kill your father, and my name’s not Fangia.”

“Also, on a positive note, you’re not dead, either.”

Her amusement faded, draining from her eyes.

I moved closer. “What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“Is it Pauly?”

She shook her head. “I wish you didn’t know about that.”

“Too late. Have you thought about maybe going to the police?”

Her crossed arms tightened, and she turned away from me. “Not an option.”

“Maybe I could—”

“Leave it.” She had shut down, the musical tone of her voice dulled.

I wanted to pull her into my arms and tell her she could trust me, but her body language was clear. Pushing wouldn’t get me where I wanted to go.

“I’m sorry I brought it up again.”

“It’s all right.” She still didn’t look at me.

We pulled up in a line with the same red-carpet treatment as the prior weekend. People crowded the sidewalk under the glass awning of the hotel, and stars and socialites walked down the row waving and smiling.

I couldn’t let it drop. “I just wish you’d let me help you.”

Her tone softened. “You can’t save me, Willis. It doesn’t work that way. So, you might as well stop trying. Let’s just get through tonight, okay? Help me shine for you.”

Fuck. She was more focused on making my career a success than I was.

“You don’t need me for you to shine.”

She smiled but turned to look out the window, hiding it from me. “Well, I do need you to help me with any questions that involve a talking penis.”

“I’ll be all over it.”

Her shoulders shook with quiet laughter, and I re-thought over what I just said.

“I meant that I’m all over the question, not all over the talking penis.”

“Of course.” Her voice cracked with a giggle.

I leaned closer to her and pressed my lips against her ear, her delicious vanilla perfume begging me to take a bite. “Do you recall the spanking we discussed?”

“No.” Her voice turned silky. “Haven’t a clue what you’re referring to.”

“I’ll remind you.” We stopped at the red carpet, and her door opened, but I grabbed her elbow before she could escape me. “Soon.”





16





Scarlet





He’d rattled me in the car, trying to get me to trust him and show him all my ugly inner workings. But it wasn’t going to happen. Not a part of the plan. He kept to my elbow as we smiled our way into the luxurious hotel.

A greeter welcomed us and waved us up the stairs and to the right toward a dining room bedecked with models, Vogue covers, and the New York elite. My eyes instinctually went to all the glorious baubles that I could snag with ease, and the men with models on their arms, gray on their heads, and fat wallets in their pockets.

“You look like a champion eater that just walked into a buffet.” Willis stayed close to me as we melded into the glittering crowd.

“Now that you mention it, I’m pretty hungry.” I passed up what would have been an easy take on a Tiffany’s bracelet. Then a wallet peeked at me from the inside of a portly man’s coat. It was as if all the plunder were mocking me, daring me to break my agreement with Willis.

“Willis!” We both looked up to find Jason coming toward us through the crowd. “Scarlet, I didn’t know you two would be here.”

He hugged me, then pulled Willis into a hyper-masculine back-slapping bear hug. I got a flash of the two of them naked, wrangling for supremacy. Hot.

When Jason finally released Willis, he asked, “Y’all been to the bar yet?”

“I definitely need a drink.” I watched as a bangle bracelet passed by, the gemstones sparkling under the lights high overhead.

We followed Jason to the bar and took our drinks while staring out at the milling groups of beautiful people.

“I’m so over these things, but the chick I’m with wanted to come. Linda says rubbing elbows with these people will get me better parts, too.”

“Better than Aliens Versus Vampires?” Willis scoffed and took a swig from his beer bottle.