Chapter 25
Izzy
Ten minutes earlier
“Do you know where the closest restroom is?” I asked Saylor quietly, trying not to interrupt her special moment with the cheesecake bite in her hand.
“Orgasmic, I’m telling you.” She moaned softly, and I had to laugh. “Sorry. Yes, there’s one down that hall, but you’re better off sneaking upstairs and using the one at the top of the stairs. Most people don’t dare to go up. It’ll be quicker.”
“Awesome. I’ll be right back.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“I mean, you can if you want or need to, but I’m good. And I don’t want to pull you away from your second true love.”
“It really is amazing.” She moaned around another mouthful, and I laughed as I walked away.
Saylor was right. I found the bathroom she’d pointed out, and it was free. I quickly did my business and washed my hands. As I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I hummed happily.
I was having an amazing time. Saylor was hilarious. I was so happy for Hunter. He kept sliding naughty looks in my direction. I swear I was halfway to an orgasm already, and he hadn’t even touched me. I couldn’t wait until we had our chance to celebrate later.
Everything was finally coming together.
Judging by the way I had to hold onto the sink, I might be a little drunk. The champagne just tasted so delicious and kept coming straight to us.
I was just happy. More than a little tipsy. And definitely horny.
I was thinking about Hunter and his clever fingers as I left the bathroom when I bumped into someone outside the door. “Oomph. Oh sorry.”
It was the step-monster and her little sidekick.
“Shit.”
Phoebe huffed and rolled her eyes. “Relax. Not everything is about you. I just need to pee, and the line downstairs is ridiculous.”
“It’s all yours.” I gestured grandly to the door next to me, turned toward the stairs, and got maybe three steps when someone grabbed my arm.
“You really think everyone has fallen for your bullshit, huh?” Blondie sneered, her talon-like grip tight on my arm.
“What did I ever do to you?” I tugged but couldn’t break away from her hold on me. “I mean, I don’t even know you. What’s your problem?”
“My problem? My problem is that I love Hunter.”
I froze.
“That’s right. I know about the two of you. Ryker told me all about your little tryst. How you’ve been hooking up behind your old man’s back. How no one knows. How he’s screwing up his big break by hooking up with an elephant like you.”
I took a step away from her with every accusation. “Look, you don’t know me. And you really don’t know Hunter if you think you have a chance of getting him back. He told me about you, too. I just didn’t put it together until now.”
This was the bitch who’d been crawling all over Ryker at Phoebe’s party last month. In front of Hunter. Because he wasn’t rich enough or famous enough for her ridiculous, clout-chasing ass.
“He’ll come crawling back to me once you’re out of the way. How he could ever go from me and all this—” she gestured at her thin body beneath her slinky dress. “To that, I’ll never understand. Lucky for me, gravity will be attracted to you though.”
“Gravity? What the hell is that supposed to—?” I broke off in a shriek as she suddenly shoved me, and I toppled backwards.
Into thin air.
My feet and arms flailed for purchase on something—anything—but there was nothing.
The moment stretched impossibly long.
Pure terror raced through my bloodstream.
I was falling.
My shoulders finally slammed into a stair.
My head bashed back.
And I kept rolling.
My legs came over my head.
Slam.
And then nothing.