Chapter 55
664words
Nicholas had dated striking before—I knew that. Once, I had received a frantic call in the dead of night when he was in Vegas, on the brink of eloping with a porn star.
But striking wasn't his usual preference.
Nicholas had a taste for finer things. Nicholas liked beauty.
Together, we drove into the city, scheduled to rendezvous with Nicholas at his preferred venue. On the way, she texted him, suggesting a change in plans.
'He likes spontaneity," I had noted. 'Just not quite like that."
Instead of sticking to the original plan, she proposed meeting at a Japanese restaurant.
'He adores seafood," I mentioned. 'But maybe not right now. Not after the lobster incident."
Nicholas agreed, as expected. He was a gentleman, after all. Twenty minutes later, our cab pulled up to the curb.
Elisia fussed and primped, applying so much lip gloss I swore she added half an inch to her face. When she finished, she turned to me for approval.
'What do you think?"
A mischievous smile tugged at my lips, but I stifled it, opting for a professional assessment.
'I think... today will be unforgettable."
Avy Winchester...you are going to hell.
The cab was dismissed, as we darted through the cold and into the restaurant.
While Elisia started craning her head around the second we walked inside, looking eagerly for the paparazzi, I walked straight up to the receptionist.
'Colton Breakhard?" I asked softly.
It was Nicholas's alias whenever he went out. Restaurants. Hotels. Falsified travel documents. He'd thought it up late one night, and found himself quite clever.
The woman flipped through a list, then nodded at me with a secret smile—pleased to be in on the con. In the two years I'd been doing this, every receptionist was the same.
'He's at a table in the back. Not a private room—like you asked."
Another little con. But one that was easily excusable. The point of this whole thing was to be as public as possible, right?
'Thank you."
I turned back to Elisia and gestured her forward. I swear—the girl was checking herself out in the mirror.
'This should be really easy," I reassured her. 'Just a simple meet and greet—make sure the two of you are compatible. Now, from what I've been told, you don't drink, correct?"
It made her perfect for Nicholas's image. Terrible for Nicholas himself.
She shook her head, taking on the sudden ridiculous expression of a martyr.
'I have a condition. My body can't process it. So sad."
I nodded quickly. 'So sad."
We wound our way quickly through the restaurant—not speaking—until I saw Nicholas's golden-brown waves reflected off a mirror in the back. I tugged Elisia's wrist to get her attention.
'Now remember what I told you," I whispered in her ear as we came closer, 'the man likes bold. And no offence, but girls rotate in and out of his life all the time. Do something to shock him. Do something to make him remember you."
Of course, I couldn't have any idea what the lunatic would actually do...
As we approached the table, Nicholas got politely to his feet. His eyes lingered on me for a second longer than they were probably supposed to, so that by the time he turned to meet his new girlfriend, she was already making her tragic move.
'Nicky," she crooned, a nickname I might have subtly encouraged, 'thanks for agreeing to meet me here. This place is really the best."
Before he could say a single word, she reached down and grabbed his crouch.
'And I can't wait to get better acquainted."
Ooooooh shit. Avy, what have you done?
