This party is everything Leslie wanted it to be. It’s loud and crowded. People have been bombarding me with welcome-back love from the moment I walked in while I’ve been trying my best to keep my eyes open. The mini knit Balmain dress I’m wearing is doing the heavy lifting for me tonight because I don’t have the energy to give.
My model friend Anya and her husband, Pedro, are here, and though I usually always have fun when they’re around, tonight is not that night. I should’ve put my foot down with Leslie because I can feel the exhaustion in my bones. My legs are about to give out and I can hear my words slowing down.
I excuse myself to the restroom, hoping a moment of quiet and a splash of cold water can bring me back, but the body I just bumped into is the coldest splash of water I could ask for.
“Dani Jenkins. You look fantastic.” Nigel Pierce leans in to kiss me on the cheek.
I step out of his grasp just in time. “Nigel. What are you doing here?” Leslie is under strict instructions not to send me alone anywhere where Nigel is expected to be, so if he’s here, I shouldn’t be.
His hand lingers by my hip. My feet itch to run as far away as I can, so I dig my nails into my palm, reminding myself that we’re in a room full of people, not a hotel room with no one to save me but myself.
He chuckles, clearly offended by my lack of enthusiasm. “I was invited, same as you. You really do look good, Dani.” He makes no attempt to hide his sleazy gaze sliding down my frame. I feel like not even a scorching-hot shower could erase this feeling from my skin.
“Thank you. If you’ll excuse me, I was headed to the restroom.”
He grabs my wrist before I can step away, his grip forceful and demanding. “Hold on a minute. Let’s catch up. We might be working together soon, so it’d be good for us to get reacquainted.”
My lip curls against my will. “Excuse me? Working together on what?”
He lets me go, brushing his hands down his sides to regain his composure. “Haven’t you talked to Leslie? She pitched you for my upcoming campaign. I told her I was still considering other models, but I’ve always felt strongly about your talent. Maybe we can get together to talk it over?”
All the blood drains from my body. The room starts to spin and I’m barely able to keep myself upright.
No. No. No. Not now. Not in front of him.
“I-I-I have to go.” I push past him, sprinting to the bathroom and shutting myself inside the farthest stall.
I put my head between my legs to try to keep the vomit down. It’s hard to breathe. It’s hard to move. It’s impossible to speak.
This is the one that gets me. I’m going to die here.
I squeeze my eyes shut and try to force air from my lungs. It takes only moments for everything to go black.
At some point, a quiet tap on the stall snaps my eyes open.
“Dani, it’s me. Let me in,” Ri whispers.
“Ri? What are you doing here?” I look down at my palms, red and angry with impressions of my nails.
“You texted me an SOS and then didn’t say anything else, so I tracked your phone. Talked my way past security.”
I don’t remember pulling out my phone. I don’t even know how long I’ve been in this bathroom. Has my absence been noticed?
I crack open the stall and pull Ri inside.
She holds up a small purse. “I have my travel sewing kit with me. I assumed this was some kind of wardrobe malfunction. What’s going on?”
Tears well in my eyes as I release a shaky breath.
“Dani, hey. What’s wrong? Talk to me.” She grips my shoulders, concern marring her features.
The skin on my wrist feels hot, right where Nigel grabbed me. I claw at my skin, trying to scrape his touch away.
Ri puts her hand on top of mine. “Stop. Stop. You’re gonna hurt yourself.”
“Good,” I cry. “He touched me.”
“Who touched you?”
