“They’re just disgusting, horrible creatures… Are you sure they’re dead?”
“If they aren’t, I think your screaming did them in,” Sasha chided. “You almost gave me a heart attack, Jewel.”
Before Sasha could set the container down, there was a loud commotion, followed by people rushing up to them from all directions. Two security guards descended on them, knocking a cameraman out of the way.
“Hey, watch it. This camera costs more than you make in a year,” the man protested angrily. Ignoring the security guard’s sputtered apology, the cameraman pivoted at different angles to get the best shot of the two women. Jewel slowly moved away from the wall. “I’m sorry I screamed,” she said over the commotion. “I just…I don’t like bugs.”
Sasha lowered the box, which was miraculously still in her hand despite the crowd moving in. “I’ll definitely remember that for the next time.”
“Should we get a live shot?” a woman exclaimed.
“No,” Sasha protested, but at the same time, Jewel answered, “Yes.”
“There’s no need. This was just a big misunderstanding…” Sasha began.
“Free publicity, remember?” Jewel whispered in to her ear.
The host ran up and peered in the box. “Hey, are those scorpions?”
“They’re dead,” another employee chimed in.
“Even better. Okay, people,” a producer yelled as he pushed through the crowd. “Let’s get ready. We’re live in five.”
Before she could blink, Sasha was shuttled down the hall and back on to the set she’d just vacated. Her host was quickly seated, and when she got the signal they were live, she slid her tongue over her teeth and pasted on a high-wattage smile.
“As if bestselling author Sasha Lambert’s interview couldn’t get any better, it would appear someone decided truth could be just as strange as fiction,” the host began.
Sasha glanced over to her publicist. Miraculously, Jewel had recovered from her fright moments before. Her grin could’ve lit the small space they were all shoved into on its own. In fact, Jewel looked like she’d just been handed an award for Best Publicist of the Year. If the situation weren’t so bizarre, Sasha would’ve laughed.
It was hard to believe that this was the same woman screaming and terrified moments earlier. For Sasha, one thing was certain: It was time to make the proverbial lemonade out of lemons. Decision made, she sat up straight, pasted on a solar smile of her own and answered, “Who’d have guessed that the way to a girl’s heart would be dead arachnids?”
“Trust me, Sasha,” Jewel said confidently. “Once the news spreads of you receiving dead spiders, people will definitely be checking you out. All the buzz is bound to translate to more book sales.”
Sasha wasn’t so sure. “It wasn’t spiders, it was scorpions,” she corrected. She almost dropped her cell phone while rummaging through her purse looking for the hotel room key card. When she found it, she pressed her phone to her neck while cautiously opening the front door. “Besides, I doubt many people even saw the added footage, Jewel.”
“Doesn’t matter. I posted a few pics already and got some great feedback. With lots of interest to see the interview.”
“What?” Sasha moaned.
“Don’t worry. It’s definitely working in our favor. Trust me.”
Sasha shook her head. “Jewel—”
“Sasha, this incident could’ve been a disaster. We turned it around. What’s the harm if we get more readers out of the deal? It’s win-win, right?”
“If you say so.” Sasha sighed. “I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
Ending the call moments later, Sasha dropped her cell phone back inside her purse. With a sigh of relief, she set her bag down before flopping into a plush chair. She closed her eyes. What a fiasco.
Her special delivery had been pandemonium, but in a way, she never would’ve expected. Even as she was leaving, employees at the television studio were still buzzing about the unexpected excitement. She’d sold another ten books before she’d even reached the parking lot.
Well, at least some good came out of the weirdness. She opened her eyes and glanced around the hotel room. It was well decorated, but she missed London. She missed her home. After being on the road for several weeks promoting the U.S. leg of her book tour, the cities and towns were starting to blur. Sasha was homesick for her own Collington Gardens flat in South Kensington. She longed for her four-poster king-sized bed with the oversized down comforter that engulfed her like a big fluffy hug.
Just thinking about the familiarity of home caused Sasha’s heart to tighten in her chest. It beckoned to her like the red beam from a lighthouse warning ships on a fog-choked sea. Her home wasn’t the only thing she yearned for. Every Sunday, Sasha walked to a nearby shop for cranberry scones with lemon curd. She would sit outside in the communal gardens, sip her morning tea and read. It was quiet and tranquil in her neighborhood. It was one of the reason’s she’d chosen to live there.
When life got hectic and she needed to clear her head, Sasha would take long drives through the English countryside. That usually did the trick. Even the chaotic bustle of taking the Tube to Harrods for shopping deepened her homesickness.
At first, Sasha’s life had been turned upside down after her breakup with Milo. He had found the upscale flat she was living in and had paid the monthly rent while she handled the upkeep. When she had ended things, Milo had insisted that she could move out at her leisure, but she’d immediately began saving and planning. She wasn’t rolling in the dough, but by scaling back on her expenses and living within her means, she’d be able to afford a decent place of her own. Definitely not in the same area she was living in now, but whatever flat she found would be hers, on her own terms, and without any drama. For the first time in a long time, she was happy.
Eventually, her mind wandered back to the television studio. Why would someone send her a pretty package with dead scorpions in it? There was no note with the box, and Jewel couldn’t recall details on which courier service had delivered the package.
“Who would do such a thing?” she pondered aloud. The lifeless creatures were as vivid in her mind’s eye now as they were earlier. “Ick.” Sasha shivered and suddenly got the feeling that things were crawling on her. Bolting out of her chair, she rushed to the bathroom and stripped off her clothes to shower.
Minutes later, after the jets of hot water pummeled her tightly coiled muscles, she began to relax. Who would go through such an elaborate ruse?
Her thoughts drifted to her twin sister, Sienna. There was no way it was Sienna. For years, their relationship had been strained, but they were in a better place now. When they were seventeen, Sasha had injured her leg and had to wear a cast. Instead of bowing out of her latest beauty pageant, she’d convinced her sister to go in her stead. It was foolproof—or so Sasha had thought.
Later that night, Sienna had been accosted by Sasha’s boyfriend. She had blamed Sasha for not believing her when she had come home hysterical and accusing him of attempted rape. Sienna was devastated that Sasha had sided with him and insisted that it was just a big misunderstanding. She accused Sienna of overreacting. It was a bad decision that Sasha couldn’t take back.
The fallout had altered their relationship and their family life. For years, they were barely cordial, but recently they had started rebuilding their relationship. No, it couldn’t be Sienna. A few years ago maybe, but not now. She was happily married to Vaughn Deveraux, and Sasha had been a bridesmaid at their wedding. That alone spoke volumes about their relationship. The sisters still had a long way to go, but the last year had definitely been an improvement. They’d made progress.
She briefly considered Milo. It was clear now she hadn’t known him that well at all, but regardless of their breakup, it couldn’t have been Milo…Could it?
She rinsed the soap from her body and stepped out of the shower. She reached back in to turn the water off. If only she could wash troublesome thoughts away as easily.
An hour later, Sasha was dressed in pajamas and sitting cross-legged on the plush hotel bed. The movie that was on television while she brushed her hair was doing a better job of watching her then the other way around. While wrapping her hair in a silk scarf, her cell phone vibrated on the nightstand. She leaned over and picked it up. When she saw the caller, she sighed tiredly, then answered.
“What is it?”
“We haven’t finished our discussion.”
“When I hung up earlier, Milo, it was because there was nothing more to say.”
“Really? Because from where I’m standing, there’s a great deal to say. You’re purposefully trying to ruin what we have.”
“What are you talking about? There is no what we have. We are officially ancient history, Milo, and for the record…you ruined what we had.”
“Why wouldn’t you discuss things with me first?” he accused, his voice terse.
“Discuss what?”
“This book, Sasha,” Milo snapped. “It’s this book that broke us up, and now I hear that it’s going to be a movie.”
A loud sigh escaped her lips. “Of all the issues we’ve had, you want to focus on my book?” she uttered, incredulous. “First of all, it didn’t break us up…you and your lies were the culprit. Secondly, don’t believe everything you hear. I’ve made no plans for a movie deal. Not that I wouldn’t be open if an opportunity presented itself.”
“You assured me that this book was not going to be about us.”
Sasha yanked the cell phone away from her head to stare at it in disbelief. She set it back on her ear seconds later and jumped back into the fray.
“It isn’t about us and never has been. I’ve repeated this countless times, and you still aren’t listening. How about you acknowledge the fact that you lied to me, Milo? You want to talk about something? Let’s talk about that. You weren’t estranged from your wife, and you weren’t living apart either. It was an elaborate deception. You were just having an extramarital affair, and I was a fool to believe you and go along with your promises.”
“Sasha, listen to me—”
“No. You listen to me. This is my life, Milo, not a game for your enjoyment. I loved you. I was looking forward to our future together, but enough is enough. Stop calling me. I’m not coming back, and I’m not changing my mind. I should’ve realized affairs are the norm for you. What is it, like a rite of passage where you grew up?”
“This isn’t a joke,” he hissed. “Andromeda accepts my infidelities, as long as I’m discreet and I show her the proper respect. I’m sorry I wasn’t exactly truthful with you, but that’s how it’s done. I don’t broadcast my relationships—and neither should you.”
Sasha shook with anger. “Your infidelities…that’s how it’s done? That’s all I was to you, wasn’t I? Just some convenient side piece.”
“Don’t be melodramatic,” he countered impatiently. “You know that’s not how I see you.”
After a few more minutes of arguing, Sasha had reached her limit.
“Milo, one of my characters has an affair while on travel in Greece. Clearly you don’t hold the benchmark on that.”
“The man she has an affair with is Greek, Sasha.” He paused as if that declaration spoke volumes.
“He isn’t Greek. They were in Greece,” she clarified.
When he remained silent, it was apparent he had chosen not to acknowledge the distinction. She stared up at the ceiling in frustration. Sasha was exhausted and tired of going in circles without anything new being accomplished. “I have to go.”
“We’re not done talking about this.”
“Oh yes, we are. There’s nothing I want from you—not anymore. I’m not coming back, Milo. It’s past time you accepted that fact and move on.”
“If you decide not to give us another chance, Sasha, know this—I never look back.”
Their incredible time together played like a montage in her head. She thought about Milo’s loving nature, how special he made her feel and how his magnificent body had brought her more pleasure than she’d ever known. In some ways, he could rival a Greek statue. She had truly loved him with all her heart, and though it was breaking, she refused to back down. Not this time. Her stomach clenched with the realization of what she needed to do and how she could make amends for the damage she had caused his family. She and Milo were history. It was time she started acting like it.
Sasha was resolute. She dared her voice to tremble when she finally spoke. “Good to know, Milo, because neither do I.”
Sasha jabbed her finger on the End Call button before tossing the phone back on the nightstand. Unable to sit still, she got up and started pacing across the floor. The more she walked, the more animated she became. She threw her hands up in exasperation. The nerve of him. “It’s like he purposefully isn’t listening to a word I say,” she ranted.
Fifteen minutes later, the phone vibrated again. Sasha stomped over and picked it up.
“This is getting old.”
“Sweetheart, we need to talk about this.”
“We just did—twice—and don’t ever call me sweetheart again.”
“Just give me a few minutes, but not over the phone. That’s so impersonal. Meet me. Please?” he implored.
“I can’t, Milo. Goodbye.” Before she hung up, Sasha blurted out, “Did you send me dead scorpions?”
“Dead what?”
“Scorpions. Someone couriered over a beautifully wrapped box, and I opened it after my interview. There were…dead scorpions in it.”
“And you immediately thought they were from me?” he asked, incredulous.
She bit her lower lip. “I–It wasn’t immediate…not really, but I had to ask.”
“Sasha, are you all right?” His voice held a worried edge. “You’re not hurt or anything, are you?”
“No. Just freaked out, but I’ll get over it.”
“You’re sure?”
She refused to get pulled back in by the caring note in his voice. “Yes,” she lied. “I’m fine.”
“Sweetheart—”
“Don’t,” she warned. “I never should’ve answered the phone. It was a mistake. I thought we could be civil, but I was wrong.”
“That’s because you still love me, as I love you.”
She closed her eyes, “Don’t call me again, Milo.”
“I’m not giving up on us,” he vowed. “You love me…I know it.”
Sasha hung up the phone, then switched it off. Cutting off the light, she pulled the covers up to her chin. The cocoon of plush bedding did little to calm her nerves. She was distraught and overcome with emotions, but crying over her failed happily ever after was pointless. A frown creased her eyebrows. With a loud sigh, Sasha turned and nosedived into the covers.