Page 297 of Nobody's Girl

Galchobar rises and comes to us. “Good evening, Alyssa. I see everything has turned out well, all the way around,” he says as he motions to Kyle and Laura. “It’s a shame you were drugged. Thankfully, Eden was given the answer to your dilemma before it caused you permanent damage.”

Alyssa smiles at him. “Thank you for coming this evening, Galchobar. It’s nice to see everyone after the day I’ve had.”

“Everyone had to see you, Alyssa,” I tell her as I take her to sit at the table. Purposely, I seat her next to Kyle, then I sit on the other side of her.

The quicker she faces her embarrassment, the better.

She looks at the tablecloth as if it’s a work of art. I know she doesn’t want to look at him. I guess Kyle does too as he takes her by the chin and makes her look at him. “Hey, girl, you look a hell of a lot better than when I saw you last.”

“Please don’t remind me,” she mumbles.

Kyle looks past her to meet my eyes. He seems confused, so I say, “She asked about her state when I brought her home. I had to explain what we had to do.”

Laura leans up and looks at me. “Her state?” she asks.

Kyle gives me a slight head shake and I smile.

Shit, Laura!

Alyssa takes Kyle’s hand, moving it from her face. “Have you thought about what I offered you, Laura? About becoming a member of The Phoenix Foundation. Kyle’s a member, you know,” she says, and Kyle’s eyes go wide. “It just happened. Don’t be upset with him.”

Laura’s voice becomes high pitched. “Kyle! You joined the cult?”

Kyle closes his eyes and he turns to her. “It’s not a cult and I’d like it if you joined us,” he says, then turns back to look at Alyssa. “You didn’t tell me you asked her that, Ally.”

“Are you mad?” she asks him.

“I’m not mad, Al,” he says. “A bit confused, but not mad.”

“I want her to know,” Alyssa says, making the rest of the people at the table gasp.

Galchobar clears his throat. “My dear Mistress Fontaine, perhaps we should talk privately for a moment.”

Alyssa radiates confidence and I suddenly feel sorry for the old guy. “Are you going to tell me I’m not allowed to ask my best friend to join our organization, sir?”

“I would never dare to tell you such a thing,” he says, with a bow of his head.

Laura lets out a sudden laugh. “What in the hell?”

“Laura, maybe we should drop this and talk about it later,” Kyle says as he puts his arm around her.

“Now’s best,” Alyssa says. “This secret has gone on long enough. I feel as if I’m lying to her and I don’t like it. Kyle is in love with her and she him. It’s not fair to him to have to hide this from her. This is something which hurts me to make him do. I want no more of it.”

Kyle looks at her with a frown. “Don’t do this because of me, Ally. I can’t allow that and you know it.”

Laura pushes his arm off her shoulders. “You can’t allow her?” she asks with a glare. “This man bows to her as if she’s the damn Queen of New Orleans and you tell her you can’t allow her to do something? Tell me, Kyle, when did you get this power over her?”

“She needs to know,” I say as I turn my attention to Galchobar. “She’s not a threat. Her character is good and she’d be a help to our causes.”

Laura stands up and looks around at us all. “Wait one minute, Eden. I’m not about to join this thing. You may have pulled Kyle in, but I’m not going to be suckered into anything.”

The tall-stemmed glasses, one filled with red wine and one with water begin to shake in front of Laura. “Sit!” Alyssa says quietly.

Laura sits down immediately. “Ally! What are you doing?”

The glasses stop shaking and Laura looks at them. Alyssa leans over to Kyle. “I want to show her how we communicate.”

“Ally, you’re going to freak her out,” he says as he shakes his head vigorously.