Revealing Annie - Freya Barker Page 0,64

difficult conversation, one that had brought home to me how many years I’d already invested in my character’s life without having one of my own. I immediately started investing money for the rainy day I realized was probably coming sooner than I thought. Aging can be brutal in that industry.

“It’s funny,” I continue. “I remember when we were arguing about making a police report, he used that as an argument against it. Claiming I was a hard enough sell for the big screen without adding a police investigation to the mix.” I snort at the irony. “I wasn’t even interested in movies. Not anymore, that fire had already dulled when I discovered how unpleasant living in the public eye really is.”

His hands slide up my shoulders until they brace my neck. He leans in and I automatically grab onto his wrists. A faint scent of smoke comes off his clothes.

“Are you good?”

“Good? No, I’m pissed as hell. At Miles,” I quickly clarify when I catch the look on his face. Then I have to ask, “Do you believe me?”

“That you’re pissed? Yeah, I would be too. But if you’re asking me if I bought into that nonsense about you being mentally unstable.” He brushes his nose against mine. “Not for a second.”

I close my eyes and take a deep breath in before exhaling. In for a penny, in for a pound.

“Even if it wasn’t all a lie? I was hospitalized, and I was also on Prozac.”

He brushes his thumbs over my cheekbones.

“So has more than half the population at some point or other. You’ll tell me about it when you’re ready.”

Overcome with emotion, I swallow hard and focus on his strong chin. I suddenly feel the need to lay it all out on the table. Make it so there is nothing lurking in the shadows between us. I want him to be the one who sees every part of me: every flaw, every failure, every fault.

“I want to tell you.”

He presses a kiss to my forehead before leveling his eyes with mine.

“Fuck, I hate this but, Annie-chan, you gotta brace yourself, because first I have something to tell you.”

Sumo

She’s killing me.

Those clear blue pools lift up, allowing me to see the hope shimmering under the surface. I hate I have to put hurt and fear there again.

“Brace myself?”

I nod. “When Tony and I were on our way to your place, we were passed by a fire truck.” I can feel the muscles in her neck go rigid. “Baby, your trailer was on fire. There’s nothing left but part of the frame.”

“Edward?”

I close my eyes and rest my forehead to hers. It shouldn’t surprise me, but it does; her first thought is for her elderly neighbor, not herself.

“He wasn’t home. No one was on that side of the road. The trailers on either side of yours may have a little water damage but that’s all.”

She abruptly pulls out of my hold and turns to the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Making sure he and Hattie are okay. They’ll be worried.”

I just manage to catch the door before it slams shut behind her. She’s already grabbing her bag from the desk drawer.

“All made up?” Margaret wants to know.

“My house burned down,” Annie announces without even looking at her boss. “I’ve gotta check on my neighbors.”

Margaret’s big eyes turn on me.

“That’s what took you fifteen minutes to tell her? I thought you’d have her up against a kennel by now.”

“I’m sorry, we’ve gotta go,” Annie says, seemingly oblivious to what Margaret just said. Or maybe she’s just ignoring her.

But Margaret isn’t done. She fires her parting shot when I pass her to follow Annie out the door.

“Boy, you need some better material.”

22

Annie

“Well, blow me sideways.”

We’re sitting outside Edward’s trailer, watching the fire inspector go through what is left of my trailer. I expected to be more upset than I am, but the longer I look at it, the angrier I get. Kyle had insisted on driving, and I’d taken the opportunity to build up a decent head of steam on the way already.

Hattie noticed my eyes immediately and I just finished filling them in on my identity and how I ended up here. I’m pissed enough I want to draw this creep out from under whatever rock he’s hiding, so I’m not hiding anymore.

“Annabel Fiore? Who the hell is that?” Edward asks annoyed.

When we first got here, he mentioned he’d already been on the phone with my landlord and his former neighbor. Something I probably