Free Unleash Me, Vol. 1 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) by Christina Ross

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