"I haven't done anything to any of you. " She looked over at Jan. "And couldn't be less interested. "
"Someone called one of Quill's top clients, pretending to be me," Jan said stiffly. "A drunken, vicious phone call that cost Quill an important account. "
"I'm sorry to hear that, Jan. If you honestly believe I'd do something like that, I won't waste my time, or yours, telling you different. Excuse me. "
She heard Cissy's exasperated, "Jan, how can you be so slow-witted" as the door shut behind her.
She started down the corridor only to come up short when she saw Bryce leaning against the wall. In hopes of avoiding a scene, she turned and started in the opposite direction.
"Retreating?" There was a laugh in his voice as he caught up with her. "You surprise me. "
She stopped. She hadn't finished that talking to, she thought. In her current mood, it would've been a waste of time. "You never surprise me. "
"Oh, I think I do and will again. I wasn't sure you'd be here tonight. " His expression turned sly, and smug. "I heard somewhere that you'd dropped your membership. "
"That's the thing about rumors, they're so often lies. Tell me, Bryce, what are you getting out of all this effort? Writing letters, making phone calls, risking criminal charges by falsifying credit cards. "
"I don't know what you're talking about. "
"Nobody here for the moment but you and me. " She gestured up and down the empty corridor. "So let's move straight to the bottom line. What do you want?"
"Everything I can get. You'll never prove I made any calls, wrote any letters, used any credit cards. I'm very careful, and very smart. "
"Just how long do you think you can keep it up?"
"Until I'm bored. I had a lot of time and effort invested in you, Roz, and you flicked me off. I don't like being flicked off. Now I'm back, and you won't get through a day without remembering that. Of course, if you were to make me a private, monetary offer - "
"That's never going to happen. "
"Your choice. " He gave a shrug. "There are things I can do to keep chipping away at you. I think you'll come around. I know just how important your reputation, your standing in Shelby County is to you. "
"I don't think you do. " She kept her eyes on his even when the lounge door opened several feet behind them. "You can't touch me, either, where it counts, no matter how many lies you spread, how many people you convince to believe them. Quill isn't a complete fool, and it won't take long for him to realize you're t
aking him for a ride. A costly one. "
"You give him too much credit. What he is, is greedy. I know how to play on greed. "
"You would, having so much of it yourself. Tell me, how much have you taken poor Mandy for so far?"
"Nothing she can't afford to lose. I never took what you couldn't afford, Roz. " He skimmed his fingers over her cheek, and she let him. "And I gave you good value for your money. If you hadn't been so narrow-minded, we'd still be together. "
"If you hadn't stolen from me, cheated on me with another woman in my own home, we might be - so I'll have to thank you for that. Tell me, Bryce, what is it about Mandy that appeals to you?"
"She's rich, but then so were you. After that, she's young and you weren't, and she's remarkably stupid. You weren't that, either. A little slow, but never stupid. "
"Are you really going to marry her?"
"She thinks so. " He took out a gold lighter, idly flicking the lid open and closed. "And who knows? Money, youth, malleability. She may just be the perfect wife for me. "
"It does seem small of you to be going around, making prank calls, complicating her life - oh, and screwing with Quill and Jan, losing Quill clients. I think you need more constructive work. "
"Two birds, one stone. It keeps them sympathetic to me and chips away at you. "
"And what do you think will happen when they find out the truth?"
"They won't. As I said before, I'm careful. You'll never prove it. "
"I don't think I'll have to. You always did like to boast and brag, Bryce. " This time she patted him on the cheek, and thought of it as her kill shot. "Only one of your many failings. " She gestured behind him to where Jan and Mandy stood, faces shocked, bodies still as statues.