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

Yes, she’s very pretty.   This
won’t be a lot of work, but time is running out, and I need you now.   Oh.   I see.   Well, could you
cancel her appointment, love?   For
me?   You know how well I tip.   Yes, I’m sure it will inconvenience her,
but Bernie, you have no idea how much I need you now.   You can hear it in my voice, which is
thick.   I’m on the edge.   Desperate.   Pleading.   Don’t make me despondent.   Perfect.   You’re a lifesaver.   What was that?   She has dark hair, newly dyed by the
looks of it.   No, we’re not dealing
with a kitchen-sink dye job with this one.   It was done well—I’ll give her that.   Right.   My office.   Thirty minutes.   Love, love, love.”
    She
clicked off the cell and leaned against the leather seat.   “Kent, you’re killing me.”   She held up her hand before I could
speak.   “Don’t apologize.   Or even argue.   You were thrown into a tsunami.   I get it.   I’m just pulling you out of it.   I think Alex will be pleased, don’t
you?”
    “I
can’t wait to see how it all looks together.”
    “It’ll
work.   You’ll see.   I have an eye.   Don’t worry.   And thank God we got Bernie.   He’s a magician.   You won’t recognize yourself when he’s
finished with you.   He’ll make
certain that all other women will pale next to you when you’re standing next to
Alex.   And that’s the point, isn’t
it.   How did Alex put it to me?   Oh, yes.   Keeping the wolves at bay.   That’s what you’ll do.   I have no doubt.   Tonight, I see you working a smoky eye
and a pouty lip, just like I used to wear when I was a kid at recess.   Only that wasn’t done with cosmetics.   It generally was done with kicks and fists.   Now, read your script.”
    I
did, but I longed to call Lisa.   When we returned to Wenn, I’d excuse myself to use the restroom and call
her from one of the stalls.   At this
point, she likely was worried about me.   I needed to reach out to her before the melee launched into full swing.

 
 
    *   *   *

 
 
    “I
can’t believe this,” Lisa said.
    I
was in a restroom on the fifty-first floor.   I went to the very last stall, and was
relieved to find that, at least for the moment, the restroom was empty.  
    “Believe
it.”
    “It’s
too much.”
    “Try
being me.”
    “I want to be you!”
    I
spoke quietly.   “I’ve only given you
the abbreviated version because the Kraken is waiting for me.   I don’t know when I’ll be home tonight.   Don’t wait up.”
    “I’m
so waiting up.   Are you sure you’ll
be safe?”
    “I’ve
told you where I’m going, whom I’ll be with, et cetera.   If anything happens to me, which I
doubt, you’ve got the deets.   Look,
I better go.   I’ve been gone too
long.   She’s going to freak out on
me.   I’ll see you tonight.”
    “Good
luck!”
    I
clicked off the phone, actually used the restroom, washed my hands, and quickly
went back to Blackwell’s office.  
    “That
took awhile,” she said.
    “We’ve
been gone for hours.   You can call
me Niagara Falls if you’d like.”
    “That’s
unnecessary.   Bernie will be here in
seconds.   I’ve secured one of the
conference rooms for us.   The
lighting is better there, and we’ll have privacy.   No windows.   I’ve asked maintenance to bring up
mirrors.”
    “Thank
you.”
    “It’s
my job, Maine.”   Her face softened
for a moment.   “But you’re
welcome.   You’ve been nothing but
professional today.   I appreciate
that.”
    A
compliment from Blackwell?   Obviously, after four long months of trying to make it in this town, I
was on my way in ways that I hoped that I was prepared for.   But I probably wasn’t.

 
 
 
 
    CHAPTER FOURTEEN

 
    Just
before eight p.m., I stood in front of a mirror, and couldn’t believe the
person I’d become.   From the dress
to the diamonds to the upswept hair and makeup, I looked like the