Page 54 of When Glitter Meets Gold

Magdalena waves her hand in the air. “Relax, I’m writing up a decent review of the place. Get off my ass, would you.” J helps her from the barstool, but she bats him off. “Your flare-up won’t make it into my story, I’ll leave that to the tabloids.” She points to a trio of nearby journalists, each appearing visibly affronted by the insinuation. “Vultures.” Magdalena wheezes out a laugh before looking at her oval-faced watch. “What time is it? Get me a car, Vandenberg, your party’s killing me.” The corner of J’s mouth ticks upwards. He’s about to arrange that car when Magdalena narrows her eyes. “You’re planning on fixing that other thing too, right?”

Immediately, he knows she’s talking about Sara.

He gives her a casual, non-committal nod, despite the surge of adrenaline he feels when he thinks about her.

He glances at his watch, noting it’s time for his speech.

He’ll take care of Magdalena, entertain his guests for another ten minutes, tops. And then he’ll turn the city upside-down until he finds the girl he prays he hasn’t driven away for good.

22

SARA

The night’s not going well.

After leaving Midas, I discovered that I’ve been suspected of forming a diabolical plan to swindle the owner of the bar I was sent to build relations with, practically exiled from the place due to an unfortunate incident that occurred between Amber and a life-size statue of an ancient Greek legend, not to mention the firsthand humiliation if Jack were ever to discover the juvenile napkin doodle.

I groan in the back seat of thesecondyellow cab of the night. The first marooned us after Amber thumped the window, insisting we stop to admire a fox, which had turned out to be an enormous hissing rat safeguarding a rotting burger. It’d taken thirty minutes to find another cab who’d accept two stumbling and shrieking—due to the rat—females.

I peek over at Amber, watching with rising dread as her complexion turns ashen, her gurgling stomach hinting toward another “episode.”

“Get it together, Amber, only a few more blocks.” I lowermy voice to a whisper, so the driver won’t suspect anything’s amiss.

Only I’m not whispering because I’m several martinis and a tequila shot down at this point and have lost all ability to whisper.

“Is she going to hurl?” The driver performs several double takes, flicking his eyes between the road and the back seat. “If she hurls, I swear to God, I’ll lock you both in here and make you scrub until your acrylics fall off.”

“She’s not going to throw up,” I shoot a warning stare at Amber, who manages a feeble nod. “And I’m pretty sure you can’t joke about kidnap.”

“Who said I’m joking?” The cab driver barks.

I scoff at his threat and turn back to Amber. She’s swaying back and forth, her eyes exhibiting that glazed-over, end-of-the-night look.

“Could you crack a window?” I ask politely. “It might make her feel a little better.”

On cue, Amber hiccups.

Which is all it takes for the driver to attack the brakes, causing us to come to a screeching stop in the middle of a dark alley way.

“Alright, everyone out,” he bellows.

“You can’t just leave us here,” I cry.

“Are we home?” Amber’s sound effects have advanced, her hiccups now gaining belching status. I shoot her a severe look because this girl isnothelping our case right now.

The driver erupts. “Out!”

With no other option, I get out, dragging Amber with me. She clings to my arms for dear life as I call to the driver from the curb side, “We’ll just be a sec, if you’d be so kind as to…” The rest disappears beneath the squeal of tires spinning against cobbles. “…wait,” I say in the most defeated voice as the cab accelerates into the distance, taillights vanishing moments later as the car swerves left at the end of the alley, barreling out of sight.

Amber jabbers in my ear while I guide her to the other end of the alley.

“Hey, ya know what I think? I think that Parker dude’s trying to get me drunk. Five shots of tequila. Or was it shix?” she exclaims, holding up sevenfingers. “I should tell him nice try, huh?” She snorts aggressive bursts of laughter in my ear.

“Sure, but let’s tell him when we’re in the safety of another cab?”

We’re not so far from the glow of streetlights now. I almost breathe a sigh of relief until our silhouettes are backlit by headlights that snake into the alley and the distinct sound of a car slowing hums from behind.

I tighten my grip on Amber, forcing her to move her skyscraper heels faster over the uneven cobblestones.

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