Page 76 of An Improper Deal (Elliot & Annabelle 1)
“No!” I stop, realizing I almost screamed at him. I inhale deeply, doing my best to defuse the bomb in my head. “No,” I say again, more calmly this time. “You’re the host. I can take care of my sister myself.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Annabelle
Nonny’s heavy, but I manage to carry her to her room. She’s so out of it she doesn’t even stir when I put her on the bed. I smooth the hair from her face. An old mixture of dread and panic wraps around my throat, and I fight for air.
Get a grip girl! This isn’t about you. It’s about your sister.
I drag a chair over and sit by her bed. She’s breathing evenly. She turns to her side and curls up, holding my hand. I squeeze it.
She should never have to know what it’s like to wake up after passing out from drinking. Granted, I don’t think any of Elliot’s siblings would let anything happen to her, but I thought the same thing when—
The door to the suite opens, and Elliot slips in.
“What are you doing here?” I say. There’s no way the five-course meal is over already.
“Everyone left.”
“Why? They shouldn’t have.”
“Hard to pretend everything’s fine when something like this happens.” His voice is calm, and I can’t quite figure out what he’s trying to say really. Does he blame me for ruining the event?
I make sure Nonny is fine, then stand up and gesture for him to leave the room with me. I don’t stop until we reach the master suite.
Elliot follows me in and closes the door behind him. “I’m sorry about Tiffany, but you went overboard. Nothing would’ve happened to Nonny. I would’ve made sure.”
“That’s not the point,” I tell him. “I don’t want Nonny to feel comfortable or safe about drinking, ever.”
“Why not? Everyone does it.”
“So if everyone jumps off a bridge, she should too?”
He cants his head. “You’re blowing this out of proportion.”
“No. You just don’t get it because you’re a man. Who’s going to hurt you even if you pass out? Worst case, somebody robs you, but it’s just money.”
“Gigi—”
I raise a hand. I don’t want to hear him call me by another woman’s name. Maybe that woman would’ve been more understanding, but I’m not her. He doesn’t know anything about me. “I can’t stay here if this kind of thing happens again.”
“For fuck’s sake, you’re being unreasonable.”
That only pisses me off more. “She could’ve been hurt! When a young woman gets drunk like that she is a victim waiting to happen because there’s no guarantee that the people she thought were on her side won’t take advantage of her. Don’t you know anything? Fine, it’s okay now. I get it. But what about next time? What if she gets careless or somebody spikes her drink again? She could be raped or get pregnant or ruin her life or experience hundreds of horrible scenarios!” My chest rises and falls rapidly as I slash the air with my arm.
Elliot pulls back, but his brilliant eyes never leave my face. “Did something like this happen to you?” he asks, his voice quiet.
I swallow a hot lump in my throat. Panic and anger have made me careless. “No,” I say. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Elliot just looks at me.
“It’s common sense.” Wrapping my arms around myself, I tear my gaze away. “Every young woman knows this.”
“No. Elizabeth ‘knows’, but not the way you seem to.”
I flinch, my eyes flying up to meet his. “Did something happen to her?”
“No. I’m saying something happened to you. She can quote statistics and studies. She raises money to help women and children, and she has to be able to throw numbers and anecdotes at potential donors to get them to fork over some money. But she doesn’t react the way you do.”
