Brigg

suit jacket as I pushed open the carved

an hour ago. Kowalski had threatened to withhold my security deposit over fabricated damages. I knew Arleen had paid Ko

the room was thick and suffocating, heavy with the cloying s

vy velvet drapes. I picked up a glass of ice water from a passing waiter's tray. I lea

rough the crowd. The strin

that swept the floor. Her hand was wrapped tightly around Jaquez's arm. They wa

atching a poorly acted Broadway play. The bet

. His eyes locked onto me standing in the shadows

es of champagne from a table and began walking straight across th

down on a nearby tray. I turned my bo

rd, intentionally throwing his right sho

isted my torso sharply to the left, st

omentum carried him forward

g himself, he swung his arm wide and hurled the champagne glass directly

the banquet hall. Dozens of crystal coupes cascaded down, crashing on

he middle of the wreckage. He deliberately slammed the

liquid dripped onto the pristine white wool rug. Jaquez grab

Every guest froze, their eyes wide

reckage and dropped to her knees. She saw the blood pouri

not look at the angle of the fall. She

ainst my cheek with

it snapped my head to the side. A bright red h

f the high ceilings. She pointed a trembling finger right at my face. "You are

tongue against the inside of my cheek. I tasted the sha

id not open my mouth to defen

o sorrow, no plea for understanding. It was the absol

ered. A sudden, inexplicable panic fluttered in her throat. She could n

her back to me. "Get security in

d her silk scarf around Jaquez's bleedin

d past her hair, straight at me, and smiled. It was the sm

y the shoulders, shoving me backward, forming a physical wall between

e back. I watched Arleen carefully help Jaquez

d of warmth in my chest

e for my birthday last year. I pulled it loose, yanked it off my collar, and dropped it.

wealthy guests. I ignored their disgusted whispers and

pushed them open, stepping

ainst the folded pink court receipt. I felt the texture of the paper. I looked back at th