Annihilate Me 2: Vol. 1 by Christina Ross

Author:Christina Ross [Ross, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-11-20T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Thank you for arriving when you did,” Henri said. “God, they’re boring. And condescending. I’m sorry for the way they treat you, Jennifer. And for the way they’ve always treated you.”

“I’m not,” I said. “There’s something to be said for being an outsider—and I am an outsider. I find them fascinating.”

“You shouldn’t, because they’re not. But at least you gave it back to them. Luftwick was right—you keep things interesting.”

“My wife has a way of doing that,” Alex said.

“You’re a lucky man.”

“I know I am.”

“I like to think that we’re both lucky,” I said.

“You are,” Henri said. “Now give me a kiss—it’s been too long. Are you OK with being here? After what happened?”

As I kissed him on each cheek, he took each of my hands in his own and gave them an affectionate squeeze before kissing me on each cheek.

“I’m fine. The past is the past.”

“Too many people here like to keep the past in the present.”

“They don’t bother me, Henri. At least the count has always been kind to me. As for the others, well—not so much.” I shrugged. “But it doesn’t matter, does it? I’m here with the most important man in my life and now I get to spend time with a dear friend of mine—you. That’s what matters. So, I’m happy.”

“You look ravishing, but what else is new?”

“Believe me, I get a lot of help, but thank you.”

“You’re too modest.”

“And you’re as handsome as ever.”

“I’m wearing elevator shoes,” he said. “Can you tell?”

“You do seem taller.”

He looked at Alex. “And that’s why I adore your wife. Anyone else would have bullshitted me. ‘Oh, no, Henri—you look the same.’ I swallow it because I’m in business with most of these fools, but I hate the lies.” He motioned toward me. “But this one? This one tells it like it is.”

“Best to keep it real,” I said.

“Tough to do that in this crowd.”

“But you see? I’m not part of this crowd. I’m an alien. Some don’t care that I’m married to Alex—they’ve accepted me for me. Others know that I come from the wrong side of the tracks, and they’ll never get over that. Sometimes it stings, sometimes it makes me want to be a little mischievous, but mostly I just ignore it. It’s not as if I’m going home with any of them. This is a party—and a grand one, in fact. How do you even pull anything like this off, Henri? It’s remarkable. Look at this place. Look at how many people came. I always feel lucky to have these kinds of experiences, so why should anyone ruin that for me? I refuse to let them.”

At that moment, Henri’s father, Audric, zipped up in his wheelchair, blew his horn, and stopped beside us, startling all of us. Now that I could see him up close and not just in a passing blur shooting by us, I could see beyond his years. At one point in his life, he must have been extremely handsome. He

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