Unleash Me, Vol. 1 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) (20 page)

“
Oh,
that should be a good time.
”

“
It
is what it is
—
and
I see it as a potential game-changer.
 
Forget about your clashes with him.
 
Forget about the fact that you can
’
t stand him.
 
Tonight, if you
’
re
smart, which I know you are, you could turn this around in your favor.
 
Do you want to know why?
”

“
Of
course I do.
”

“
Because
West and Alex are good friends.
 
They have been for years
—
they
’
re close to the same
age.
 
If Julian doesn
’
t want your book
changed
—
and
especially if he plans to option it for film
—
he
’
ll request minimal edits, which Alex will pass on to
Boss.
 
Alex is Boss
’
boss.
 
If you play it right, tonight could give
you the chance you need to keep the book as you originally envisioned it.
 
Alex will take his cue from Julian, and if
it
’
s
positive, Boss will have to back off.
”

“
He
will hate me if that happens.
”

“
So
what.
 
If this works out, he
’
ll have his marching
orders.
 
If he
’
s rude to you, you
simply tell me.
 
Physically, that
man might be a beast, but he
’
s
nothing I can
’
t
take care of.
 
And Alex has given
him one last chance to get it together and to conform.
”

“
All
right
—
I
’
ll see you at six.
”

“
Sharp!
”

“
I
’
ll be there,
”
I
said, and then I hung up the phone.
 
I looked at Tank.
 
“
What have I stepped
into?
”
I
asked.

“
Your
dream.
”

“
Why
does it feel like a nightmare?
”

“
Because
it
’
s
all new to you.
 
But Blackwell is
right.
 
You need to charm West
tonight and maneuver the conversation in such a way that you get what you want
in the end.
 
I see this as a huge
opportunity.
 
I only wish I could be
there with you to see the look on Boss
’
face when he realizes that it
’
s all going wrong for him.
”
 
He
moved toward the kitchen island, where that day
’
s edition of the
Times
sat.
 
“
Let
’
s
find your advertisement.
 
I want to
see it.
”

We didn
’
t have to look far.
 
It was just seven pages in, and the colors were so bright that you
couldn
’
t
miss it.
 
My face took up much of
the right side of the page
—
diamond-studded
lips and all.
 
To the left, was my
new book cover, which I hadn
’
t
yet seen, but that I rather liked.
 
It had a nice edge to it.
 
On
the very top of the page, the text read,
“
On March 30th, enter the dark, unforgettable world of
best-selling author Lisa Ward.
”
 
Beneath that, was a quote from one of
my favorite authors, David Spears.
 
“
I,
Zombie
is a thrilling, radical, and sometimes touching shift in
the post-apocalyptic genre.
 
There
’
s never been a book
like this.
 
It is, in fact, a book
that I wish I
’
d
written myself.
 
Ward is a major,
break-out talent.
 
You
’
ll be reading her for
years.
 
—
David Spears
”

“
Holy
shit,
”
I
said.

“
Spears,
”
Tank
said.
 
“
I
’
ve read all of his
books.
 
An endorsement from him is
about as big as it gets in this genre.
”
 
He
put his arm around my shoulders, pulled me close to him, and then kissed me on
my forehead.
 
“
Congratulations,
Lisa.
 
You
’
ve worked hard for
this, and you deserve it.
”

I stood on tip-toe and kissed him
back.
 
“
Thank you.
 
And I get to share this experience with
you.
 
You don
’
t know what that means
to me.
”

He motioned toward the
advertisement.
 
“
Imagine that in Times
Square.
 
We need to see it at some
point.
 
Check it out while I
’
m gone, and then, when
I get back, we
’
ll
go over together and have a look.
”

I put my hand on his chest, feeling a
loss as I did.
 
“
I should go,
”
I
said.
 
“
If you have meetings
at noon, you probably should start packing.
 
Then you need to shower and get ready
for work.
”
 

He didn
’
t answer at once, but when he did, it was with
reluctance.
 
“
Probably,
”
he
said.

I could feel myself starting to
become emotional, but I checked it as much as I could.
 
I hated goodbyes.
 
I didn
’
t want to say goodbye to him, and I couldn
’
t help it when my eyes
became bright.
 
“
So, I guess I
’
ll leave you to it,
and I
’
ll
go see if Jennifer needs any help.
”

“
I
’
ll miss you,
”
he
said.
 
He moved my hand over his
heart.
 
“
But know that you
’
ll be here.
”

“
Now
you
’
re
going to make me cry.
”

“
It
’
s just for two
weeks.
 
Remember that.
”

I took a breath and blinked away
tears.
 
“
I know.
 
And we
’
ll both be busy, which is good.
 
Call me when you can.
 
I
’
ll do the same.
”

“
Don
’
t take any shit from
Boss.
”

“
I
don
’
t
plan to.
”

He pointed at the advertisement.
 
“
You
’
re
bigger than he is now.
 
Don
’
t forget that.
”

“
Am
I?
”

“
Are
you serious?
”

After a searing kiss, I put on my
coat, grabbed the rest of my things, told Tank that I loved him, and left his
apartment before I completely fell apart.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

When I arrived home, Jennifer was in
full packing mode, but she stopped the moment I stepped into her bedroom and
she saw the expression on my face.

“
Come
with me,
”
she
said.

“
But
you need to pack.
”

“
I
’
m almost
finished.
 
Let
’
s sit down for a
moment.
 
Come on.
 
In the living room.
 
Would you like some coffee?
 
It
’
s still fresh.
”

“
Are
you having some?
”

“
Of
course.
 
I
’
ll get us each a cup.
”

When she returned with two steaming
mugs, she handed me mine, and then sat down next to me on the sofa.
 
“
I
’
m
sorry that we
’
re
leaving early.
”

“
What
happened?
”

“
Change
of plans.
 
Schedules weren
’
t settled.
 
It was better for all involved to go a
day earlier.
 
I know you
’
re upset.
 
I know you
’
re going to miss Tank.
 
I also know that everyone is saying
‘
but it
’
ll
just be for two weeks
’
.
 
Well, to hell with that.
 
Let
’
s be honest here
—
those two weeks are going to feel
like two years.
 
I get it.
”

One of the many things I loved about
my relationship with Jennifer was that we never pulled any bullshit with each
other.
 
We always just said it like
it was.

“
I
’
ll be fine,
”
I
said.
 
“
I had my little
meltdown, which made me feel like a seventeen-year-old girl again.
 
I
’
ll get through it.
”

“
I
know you will.
 
I also know that
sometimes it
’
s
going to be hard.
 
Officially, you
’
ve only been in this
relationship for a little more than two weeks now.
 
It would be easier if you
’
d been in it for a few
years
—
you
’
d have a more solid
foundation at that point.
 
But right
now, your relationship is so fresh, and the feelings are so intense, that being
separated from him is going to suck.
 
But I do know this
—
Tank
will call you often.
 
So will
I.
 
And then there
’
s your own work.
 
I think you
’
re going to be so busy
that you won
’
t
totally be focused on him not being here.
”

I mentioned the birthday party I was
going to that night.

“
You
’
re going with Boss?
”

“
Mmm-hmm.
”

“
Oh,
hell.
 
Why him?
”