“Still,” said Jay. His face twisted sourly. “Come on.”
“At least read it,” I pleaded. “Read it and you’ll understand why it works. You’re dismissing it automatically. You’re not even giving it a chance.”
“Look,” said Jay, and suddenly he was smirking. It was a bad smirk. A terrible smirk. “I know this is all very fun for you...”
The words struck me an almost physical blow.
“Fun for me?”
“Yes,” he repeated. “Fun for you.” He pulled his tie all the way off and threw it on the desk. “You know, playing house with my friend’s son? Not to mention his other friends too. Shit, I can only imagine what it’s like for you over there. I’ll bet you’re having a great time.”
Forty-Two
KAYLEEN
My stomach was tied up in knots. I was sweating too, despite feeling abruptly cold.
“E--Excuse me?”
“Then again, I don’t have to imagine it, do I?” Jay leered. He jerked his chin toward his computer monitor. “I can read all about it. Juliana… the main ch
aracters’ ultra-sexy, super-cool, shared girlfriend.”
His lips curled into a snarl as he emphasized the second-to-last word. I couldn’t believe what was happening.
“Three books,” Jay spat angrily. “A whole year’s worth of work. All of it undone by some crazy new plot line, introduced at the last minute by some live-in cook who’s too lovesick — or too greedy — to make a decision.”
I was on my feet in an instant. Fists tight. Jaw clenched.
“They’re finished,” Jay said calmly. “I’ll tell them tomorrow. There’s no way the company’s going to take them on without my support, so…”
As I stood there shaking, he leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers together. His gaze swept my body, literally, from head to toe.
“Of course…” Jay relented, his voice changing again. “There is a way I could be persuaded to see your point of view…”
My blood ran cold. Everything about the man — his voice, his expression, his smarmy, leering smirk — all of it made my skin crawl.
Jay stood up and took a sly step in my direction. I wanted to leave. To turn and run. But something told me to hold my ground.
“As I was saying, I don’t have to scrap the deal,” he said ominously. “If you were to somehow… convince me…”
And just like that, he was touching me. His arm moved with snake-like efficiency, his hand snapping closed over my wrist.
“Let go of me,” I said icily.
His palm was cold and clammy. Of course it would be.
“I said—”
“I know you imagine yourself as their ‘inspiration’,” Jay said mockingly. “But they’re only using you.” He shrugged, casually. “You’re really little more than their live-in whore.”
He said the word with an icy edge, squeezing my wrist as he did it. A flash of pain shot up my arm.
“You’ve been nothing but a distraction to them,” he growled. “You should’ve left them alone. But hey, the whole deal can still be salvaged. If you’re willing to work with me…”
The disgusting piece of dogshit holding my wrist nodded in the direction of the couch. Alarms went off, all through my head. I pulled… hard.
Nothing happened.