Silver stepped out of the bathroom stall and checked her reflection in the mirror, pushing a stray strand of her hair back behind her ear. Her emerald green sheath dress brought out the flecks of green in her otherwise dark brown eyes, and she smiled at herself. She felt pretty tonight, really pretty, which didn’t often happen. Usually, she felt like she was wearing a costume when she dressed up, but this dress was simple and elegant enough that Silver felt comfortable in it. Silver pulled a soft beige lipstick out of her simple black clutch and reapplied it. Then she pulled out her phone to check for messages. She had one, a text from Jack.
I’m still full from breakfast. I ate so much that I can’t even move. It’s like I’ve anesthetized myself. The anesthesiologist did himself in. Lol.
Silver chuckled and rolled her eyes. Jack tried so hard, but he told the corniest jokes. She quickly typed back a smiley face emoticon, not even bothering to use voice commands for such a short message. Then she turned her attention back to the mirror, which contained a built in computer screen. Across the top of the mirror, a running banner displayed headlines from local and world news. Silver saw a blip about the heat wave that was currently sweeping Chicago, and sighed when she saw that temperatures were expected to continue to rise over the next few days. She usually took the El to work so she didn’t have to find a parking spot for her hovercar, but she hated public transportation when it was hot out. Being stuffed into a commuter hovertrain with all those sweaty people definitely did not put her in the right mindset for dancing well. The El was supposed to be climate controlled, but even with today’s advanced technology, it seemed to always be too hot whenever the temperature rose above eighty degrees Fahrenheit.
Silver glanced at the delicate gold watch on her wrist. She should get back to the event. The keynote speaker would be taking the stage at any moment, and Silver didn’t want to be late. That would only add more fuel to the anger Mrs. Astor felt toward her. Silver quickly left the bathroom and started walking down the long hallway back toward the ballroom. She was surprised at how empty the hallway was. She must really be running late, if everyone else had already made it back to their seats. Silver quickened her step, and then nearly ran into a large man as she approached the corner where the narrow hallway turned back to the larger, main hallway.
“Oh! Sorry,” Silver said, then looked up to see, to her surprise, that the man was Mr. Astor.
To her greater surprise, he quickly pushed her up against the wall of the narrow hallway and pinned her arms up above her head.
“Listen to me carefully,” he hissed. “And don’t even think about screaming or crying for help. I’ll make your life a living hell if you do.”
Silver’s eyes widened in horror. Mr. Astor’s pupils were dilated, and his breath smelled like whiskey. “Let me go!” Silver said, squirming to try to get her hands out of his grip. “What are you doing?”
“Hold still, you little skank,” Mr. Astor said. “I’m not going to hurt you. At least, not right now. But I want to know what you overheard at the dinner party last week. Joe told me that something I said seemed to have upset you, but he said he doesn’t know what it was. So, I’m asking you, and you better be honest with me. What did you hear?”
Silver’s heart dropped. Why had Joe even said anything to his dad? And how much had he said? Joe should have warned her. It sounded like Mr. Astor didn’t know that Silver had heard the part about shifters, so Silver decided to just play dumb. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Silver said. “I was upset that night because I was sick. It didn’t have anything to do with you.”
“That’s not what Joe said,” Mr. Astor said, leaning in closer so that his angry eyes were only inches away from Silver’s own wide, frightened eyes. Silver could have changed into a grizzly at that moment and ripped Mr. Astor to shreds. But, as much as she wanted to, she knew she had to remain calm. Shifting in the middle of a fancy hotel in Chicago was only going to give ammunition to the people who wanted all shifters dead.
“I’m not sure what Joe said to you, but he must have misunderstood me. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Mr. Astor peered deep into Silver’s eyes, and she did her best to hold his gaze and look convincing. She had always been a terrible liar, and she knew that Mr. Astor could probably tell that she was holding something back.
“Listen to me, Silver,” Mr. Astor said, squeezing Silver’s wrists so tightly that she had to bite her lower lip to keep from yelping out in pain. “If you’re lying to me, and I find out, it’s not going to be pretty for you. You’re a nice enough girl, I guess. But there are things in this world you know nothing about. There are threats to society that need to be taken care of, and I intend to take care of them. If you get in my way, I will kill you. Do you hear me? I. Will. Kill. You.”
Silver tried to look shocked and hurt. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. And you’re hurting me. You’re going to leave bruises on my wrists.”
Mr. Astor let go of Silver’s wrists and Silvers arms dropped to her sides, shaking as the blood started circulating through them again.
“You’ve got a lot worse than bruises coming to you if you get in my way,” Mr. Astor said. “I’ve never liked you. I tolerate you, because Joe seems rather fond of you, for whatever reason. You must be really good in bed or something. But I can see you for what you are. A little gold digger, just trying to claw your way to wealth and high society. You don’t belong here in our world, you little backwoods Alaskan trash. If you cross me, you’ll be sorry. So keep yourself in line.”
Mr. Astor stepped back from Silver with a sneer, then disappeared around the corner. Silver tried to take a few deep breaths to compose herself, but she felt like she was going into shock over what she had just experienced. She felt confused, angry, and, most of all, betrayed. How could Joe have gone and talked to his dad without at least warning her? Silver felt herself trembling against the wall, with hot tears welling up in her eyes. She widened her eyes and kept herself from blinking to try to keep the tears from spilling over, but it was no use. A few traitorous, salty drops fell from her eyes, leaving a hot, wet trail down her cheek. Once those first tears escaped, it was like a dam opened. Silver turned back toward the bathroom, praying that she could make it into the safety of the stall before anyone saw her. The last thing she needed right now, on top of everything else, was some headline speculating why the local ballet star was in tears at a charity dinner.
Silver nearly broke into a run, wiping at her eyes and trying to ignore the deep purple and blue bruises that were already forming on her wrists. When she was only a few steps away from the bathroom door, and the safety that the enclosed room would offer her, she heard her name called out.
“Silver! Silver, wait!”
It was Joe. Silver paused right in front of the bathroom door, and turned around slowly. He was running down the hallway toward her, a look of confusion and concern on his face, which only grew more concerned when he saw her face, which at this point probably had a few mascara rivers running down it.
“What’s wrong, Baby?” he asked, breathless as he finally caught up with her.
“What’s wrong?” Silver asked. “Where should I start? Maybe with asking you why you told your dad I was upset after overhearing him talk at the dinner party last week? Thanks for the warning. Or maybe with this?”
Silver held up her wrists, and Joe gasped when he saw the bruises.
“What the hell? What happened? Who did this to you?” he asked.
His voice trembled with anger, and, for a moment, Silver’s own anger toward Joe softened. It felt good to know that seeing her hurt made him angry. Maybe he could talk to his dad, and tell him off for Silver. She shouldn’t have to deal with attacks like this from her own boyfriend’s parents.
“Your dad did this. He pushed me up against the wall in the hallway and threatened me. He asked me what I’d overheard, and I told him I didn’t hear anything. Then he threatened to kill me if I got i
n his way. He also said I was a gold digger and that you were only with me because I was good in bed, which is all kinds of creepy for your dad to say,” Silver felt a fresh wave of tears coming on. Saying all of that out loud made her realize how ridiculous Mr. Astor’s actions were.
Joe’s eyes widened again, but then he shook his head. “Come on, Silver. My dad wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t say those things. And I may have mentioned that you were upset, but I didn’t say anything beyond that. I didn’t give him any details on what you’d heard.”
Silver felt her heart dropping. She should have known that Joe wouldn’t be able to think ill of his dad. No matter how much Joe made fun of his parents, he was still loyal to them when it came down to the wire.
“Are you saying I’m making this up, Joe?” Silver asked, struggling to keep her voice even. She held up her wrists again. “These bruises didn’t just magically appear. Your dad put them there. And he threatened me. I know you love your parents, but come on! You have to let go of this image you have of them as these harmless eccentrics. They’re not just eccentric. They’re harmful. Your dad wants to kill off an entire race of people. He has money and power, Joe. He’s not just making empty threats. Do you think he would have been so upset to know that I overheard him if it was all just empty threats?”
“Sil, come on. He’s just easily excitable. And so are you. Just calm down and come back in to listen to the speaker. You and my dad will both have forgotten all about this by tomorrow morning.”
Silver felt her blood boiling at Joe’s patronizing tone. “No, Joe. I’m not going to just forget about this in the morning. And if you aren’t willing to take my side over your father’s, then I think it’s time we parted ways.”
This time, it was Joe’s turn to look angry. “You’re threatening to break up with me over this? I didn’t do anything!”
“You’re right, Joe. You didn’t do anything. And that’s the problem. You sit around and do nothing while your parents treat me like crap. I don’t want to be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t put me first.”
Joe didn’t speak for a long time. He just looked at Silver with an incredulous, hurt expression on his face. Silver could feel her body shaking and her heart breaking, but she refused to back down. If Joe wanted to stay with her, he had to admit that he wasn’t putting her first. But even before Joe spoke, Silver knew they were done. Joe would never truly be able to cut ties with his parents.
“You’ll regret this, Silver. You’ll never find another person as perfect for you as me. And you’ll never be able to have the lifestyle I could give you with anyone else. Not every rich man is willing to date a poor ballerina.”
“Goodbye, Joe,” Silver hissed. Then she pushed past him and marched down the hallway toward the hotel exit. She didn’t even care who saw her tear stained face anymore. She just needed to get out of here and away from him. She felt sick to her stomach over the words she’d just heard come out of his mouth. Dating Joe had never been about money. She had never taken a single cent from him, and she’d only let him buy her gifts for her birthday and Christmas. And she wasn’t a “poor” ballerina. She might not be wealthy like him, but she made a decent living.
Silver ignored the quizzical look from the bellboy as she stumbled out of the hotel’s lobby and into the warm evening air. She waved away the man at the concierge stand when he asked, “Are you okay, Miss?”
She didn’t want to explain anything to anyone. She just wanted to get away from all these people and find a safe place to cry. She pulled out her phone and quickly used it to request a hovertaxi. Thankfully, it only took a few moments for one to arrive in front of the hotel for her. She climbed in and breathed a sigh of relief as the glass gull-wing door closed behind her with a firm whoosh, blocking out the crowds milling around the hotel. Silver gave the computer the address for her condo building, and moments later the taxi started zooming into the air and toward Lakeshore Drive. Silver caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and winced at her disheveled appearance. She had never felt so angry and embarrassed in her life. How could Mr. Astor treat her that way? And how could Joe just let him get away with it?
Silver felt tears pushing against her eyelids again, and she pulled out her phone again.
“Call Storm,” she said. She needed to talk to someone she trusted, before she completely lost it. But after several rings, Storm’s voicemail came on the line. Frustrated, Silver almost threw her phone against the glass of the window. She thought about calling her dad. He would at least be happy to hear that she had broken up with Joe. But there was also a good chance that he would be on the next flight to Chicago to beat up Mr. Astor if Silver told him what had happened.
Silver slumped in her seat, feeling alone and unsure of what to do. She mentally ran through her list of friends, and one name stuck out in her head. Feeling hopeful, she sat up and spoke to her phone again.
“Call Jack Tanner.”
Chapter Eight
Jack blinked in confusion a few times as his dreams flitted away and consciousness came flooding back. He looked around in a daze, trying to figure out what that dinging noise was. Then, he sat up suddenly as he realized it was his phone ringing. The sharp tone of the ringer was alternating with the computer’s voice announcing, “Call from, Silver Rowe. Call from, Silver Rowe.”
“Answer call!” Jack called out as he stumbled from his bed, looking around for the phone. Not that he needed to actually find the phone to talk to Silver. The device connected to the intercom system in his condo, so he could talk on the phone hands-free from any room in the house. But old habits die hard, and Jack had spent most of his early years without the newfangled intercom system he now enjoyed. As a result, he still found himself searching for the actual, physical phone whenever someone called.
“Call connected,” the computer called out.
“Silver?” Jack said, still trying to get his bearings and brush off the last vestiges of sleep.
“Jack! Oh my god, I’m so glad you’re there. I’ve had the shittiest night. Wait, did I wake you up? I forgot you were trying to recover from work. I’m so sorry,” Silver said. Then she started crying.
“Silver! Don’t worry about waking me up. What’s wrong?” Jack asked. He instantly felt fully awake, and fear gripped his heart at the distressed tone of Silver’s voice. He grabbed a pair of jeans from the laundry basket on top of his dresser and started hopping into them.
“Joe’s dad attacked me, and then I broke up with Joe,” Silver managed to get out between sobs.
“What? His dad attacked you? Where are you now? Are you somewhere safe?” Jack let out a rapid-fire series of questions as he pulled a gray t-shirt on over his head.
“I’m safe. I’m in a taxi and I’m almost home. But I’m just kind of in shock and wanted to talk to someone. Storm isn’t picking up her phone.”
“I’m coming over,” Jack said as he turned around in circles looking for his shoes. Why could he never remember to just put them on the shoe rack, where they belonged?
“You don’t have to do that,” Silver said. Jack could tell by the tone of her voice that she was just trying to be polite. She really did want someone to come over. He was a little disappointed that Storm had been her first choice instead of him, but, hey, you can’t really compete with a girl’s lifelong best friend.
“I know I don’t have to. I want to,” Jack said as he finally found his shoes, which were right next to his phone. “Go inside and get yourself a glass of water or wine or something. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes or less.”
“Thanks,” Silver said, her voice sounding relieved.
“No problem. See you soon,” Jack said. Then he swiped on the phone to end the call before Silver could change her mind or argue further.
Fifteen minutes later, he let himself into Silver’s apartment.
“Welcome, Jack Tanner,” the British voice of her computer called out. Jack rolled his eyes.
“In here,” Silver’s voice
called from the living room. Jack walked in to find her sitting on the couch with her feet curled up under her. She was wearing a pair of loose black sweatpants, and a fitted long-sleeved white t-shirt. Her hair was pulled up into a tight, high bun, similar to how she wore it when she was dancing. Her face was pale, and looked like it was freshly washed. She had obviously tried to wash away the evidence of her tears, but the redness in her eyes gave her away. She held a glass of red wine in her hand, but it didn’t look like she had even taken a sip from it yet.
“Hey,” Silver said, and smiled bravely as Jack walked in. “Sorry to call you up out of the blue like that. I feel a little silly now for calling you over a breakup. I should have waited until Storm was available.”
Jack couldn’t help but smile. He’d known Silver for a long time, and he knew how much she hated crying in front of people. Even as a little girl, she’d always put up a tough front. She wanted to always act like she had everything under control. Once, when her clan was visiting his clan, a group of the cubs had gotten lost in the woods. They had wandered out much further than they were supposed to, and a snowstorm had set in. Even with their bear noses, they were having trouble finding their way back home, and darkness was quickly approaching. Panic was starting to set in, especially with some of the female cubs. But if Silver had ever been afraid or doubted their ability to get home before the cold night descended on the Alaskan tundra, she never showed it. She was stubborn and fearless.
These days, Silver often seemed less sure of herself than she had as a young cub. But, here and there, Jack saw glimpses of the tenacious fighter she used to be. And the one thing that hadn’t changed about her was the way she put her whole heart into it when she danced. Jack had seen her perform several times over the years, and he loved to watch her pour her soul out onto the dance floor. She was nothing short of incredible, even if she spent too much time doubting herself these days.
Trouble in a Fur Coat (The Fur Coat Society Book 1) Page 6
