Jennifer offered the respite I needed by waving me over to her table where she had two extra chairs. I focused on her like an oasis in a desert, ignoring everyone else in the room as we made our way to our seats.
"You okay?" she asked, giving me a quick hug before I sat down.
I nodded, smiling meekly. The other five people sitting at the table looked at me with a mixture of concern and curiosity. Luckily, none of them were brave enough to say anything. It was only human nature. We were drawn to anything dramatic. I actually felt as writers, we were naturally more curious and possessed a thirst for drama flowing through our blood that the average person didn't have. A writer's curiosity definitely rivaled that of a cat.
Thankfully, the keynote speaker was introduced, taking the spotlight from me for the time being. She was a worldwide bestseller who had hit the New York Times list more times than she probably could count. I'd been looking forward to hearing her address, but I found myself having a hard time focusing on her words as I unfolded my napkin and smoothed it over my lap. I felt like I had a load of bricks in my stomach, making it difficult to breathe.
Alec reached over, covering my hand that was nervously fidgeting with my napkin. His touch was warm and soothing against my skin. I looked up from my lap to find Alec smiling subtly. Grateful that he seemed to sense what I needed, the corners of my mouth raised slightly as my nerves instantly settled. I took a sip of water from the glass in front of me, waiting for my stomach to return to normal.
Of course when Alec decided to lightly trace patterns on the palm of my hand with his finger, it didn't help my erratic breathing. I was appreciative to have him caring so intently, but his touch made my body react in ways that were equally as distracting as everyone watching me.
Only when everyone in the room began clapping had I realized the keynote speech had ended. For the sake of my own sanity, I pulled my hand from Alec's, glaring at him when he chuckled. He knew exactly was he was doing. Maybe he was onto the little seduction plan I had been working on before the craptastic events of the night before pushed them to the back burner. Having him now acting so attentive and quite frankly, like a boyfriend, had me seriously wondering if Alec had his own agenda for us or if he was just really good at being the hero.
The noise level in the large dining hall rose after the keynote address and the servers began coming out with trays of food. "How you doing, hun?" Jennifer asked quietly.
I pasted on a bright smile, nearly shrieking when I felt the cut on the inside of my lip reopen. I ran my tongue over it, capturing a drop of blood. "Okay," I said ruefully, wiping my napkin across my mouth. Despite my efforts to the contrary, it was clear I wasn't my normal self. "I was shaken up last night, but I feel much better this morning."
Jennifer scooted her chair to face me, turning away from the others seated at the table. "Is it true he dragged you in his room?" She asked her question carefully, but I knew she wasn't trying to be intrusive. She was truly concerned.
I directed my answer at her even though I knew everyone at the table had one ear on me and the other on their own conversations. Alec slung his arm across the back of my chair, providing moral support. I sighed before continuing, but I figured the sooner I spread the word about what had really happened, the quicker things would die down.
"He tried, but I fought him off," I finally answered.
Jennifer gasped. "And you didn't know who he was?"
"No. He was just some asshat who had too much to drink. He was pretty convinced I would want to join him in his partying."
"God. So he was drunk?"
I nodded. "Plastered. I'd like to think if he would have been sober he wouldn't have tried to force me into his room."
Alec shook his head next to me, growling in disagreement.
I turned to him in surprise. Even through my river of tears the night before and his phone conversation with Mom and Dad, Alec and I had skirted around talking about what had happened. He hadn't asked for any more details beyond what he had heard while I gave my statement to the police. "Obviously, you disagree," I said, raising my eyebrow.
"From what I saw when the cops dragged him away, the guy was a serial asshole who wasn't afraid to try and throw his weight around. Drunk or not, you don't try to handle a woman against her will unless you're a perverted fuck to begin with. Hopefully, they give him more than a slap on the wrist and then he gets what he deserves in jail."
I was shocked at the venom in his voice. He seemed adamant about his opinions, speaking like he had some type of previous experience with something similar.
"What a freaking scum," Jennifer piped in, patting my hand. "How did you get away from him? I would have been so scared. You're so brave, Nicole."
I shrugged. I didn't feel brave. I felt foolish and dumb. "My brothers drilled self-defense into my head when I was younger. I actually panicked at first and forgot some of what they taught me. I was more shocked than anything when the guy grabbed me and started pulling me toward his room." Alec stiffened beside me, and I paused for a split second before continuing. Describing the details felt like pulling off a Band-Aid—the quicker the better. "It wasn't until he wrapped his arm around my neck and placed a hand over my mouth that was I able to recall what my brothers had taught me. I guess I took him by surprise."
Jennifer looked horrified by the time I finished. Looking around the table, I saw she wasn't the only one. I guess I couldn't blame them. If I was a sitting in their seats, listening to someone else recount how they had been attacked, I would have probably reacted the same way. You hear similar stories all the time on the news, but when it happens to someone you know, or worst yet, when it happens to you, things become more surreal.
Jennifer leaned in, giving me a one-armed hug. "I'm so proud of you. Thank god you kept your wits. It gives me the creeps to think about what that asshole would have done to you."
"French toast?" Alec held out a serving dish to me. His blatant move to change the subject wasn't lost on me or anyone else at the table. Jennifer and the others took the hint and let the subject drop. We began passing around serving dishes filled with breakfast foods that had been served family style. I was thankful for his interference and grateful to finally be done talking about the unfortunate incident for now.
As the day wore on though, I was asked to retell the story over and over again. I found it funny and sad at the same time how news of such a horrible occurrence could spread like wildfire on social media and then so many people still had no qualms about wanting to hear the nitty-gritty straight from the horse's mouth.
By the time of the massive signing later that evening, the real reason for the whole event, my teeth were on edge. I had to paste a smile on my face for something that should have been a joy. I handed out Wicked Lovely swag to everyone who came by my table, acting as if everything was okay, but truthfully, I needed a break from people. More to the point, I needed them to stop asking about the incident. I just wanted to interact with readers and book lovers like me, and talk about romance and swoon-worthy male characters. More than two thousand tickets had been sold to the signing alone. It was important that I get swag into the hands of as many readers as I could. That was the point of the trip.
Alec acted as a major buffer during the signing. The many women waiting had no idea of knowing, but I could tell that although charming as always, he seemed to be on edge also. He posed for pictures and tolerated all the groping and touching he had become used to, but beneath the surface, I sensed Alec was functioning on a slow boil.
Eventually, the three-hour signing came to a close. The smile I'd pasted on my face the entire time slipped as I slumped into my chair. Alec immediately began breaking down my banner and I jumped up to help him. Neither of us spoke as we packed away my belongings. Plans for late dinners were being thrown around and several people asked us to join them, but Alec politely declined each one, speaking for the both of us. Our attempt to leave the ballroom was a slow process, as everyone seemed to want to say goodbye or at least offer some type of condolence.
When we finally made it back to my room, we dumped everything in the corner and Alec sat on the edge of the bed, grabbing the room service menu.