Cruel Fortune (Cruel 2)

That, she knew for a fact.

“So, you’re saying…fake it till you make it?” I asked.

“Fake it till you don’t give a fuck,” Jane said. She raised her martini glass.

Lewis laughed. “I’ll toast to that.”

We all clinked glasses together, and I sipped my martini more carefully. I was drunk enough to consider this. That was absurd. I couldn’t move to New York. And I most certainly was not going to become Upper East Side by sheer force of will.

“So, what do you think?” Lewis asked.

“About moving?” I shook my head, still shocked we were even having this conversation.

“Yeah. Do it, Natalie!” Jane agreed.

“I mean, my interest is purely selfish,” Lewis said, leaning forward into my personal space. “I want you here. I want you close.”

“I don’t know. I’m going back to Charleston in the morning. I’ve just been planning to write from there.”

“Ugh, Charleston,” Jane said. “That’s somewhere in the South, right?”

I arched an eyebrow. “Yeah, it’s in South Carolina. It’s beautiful.”

“I bet it is. But it’s not New York.”

“And you said you couldn’t write there,” Lewis reasoned again.

“I did say that, but maybe now that I have my inspiration back for the story, I could work on it there.”

Maybe. Hopefully. Fuck, hopefully.

“What’s the new book about anyway?” Jane asked.

“Oh, it follows this couple and their relationship over time. Starts with them young and falling in love despite the fact that they’re total opposites. Then, it shows the descent of their relationship and the way family and outside influences mold and sharpen it. It’s told from multiple points of view so that you see the relationship and its issues from every side. But you never quite know the truth.”

“Sounds dark.” Jane’s fur coat slipped, revealing the bare shoulder beneath.

“Sort of. Realistic is what I go for,” I said with a shrug.

“It sounds amazing to me,” Lewis said. “How much do you have?”

I shrugged. “Like, fifteen thousand words. It’s, like, thirty single-spaced pages.”

“That’s a hefty amount in a matter of days.”

“It is.” I leaned into the bar, wondering if this third martini was a huge, huge mistake. “Most I’ve written in a year.”

“Rock star,” Jane said. “What about you, Lewis? Any fascinating new adventure?”

Lewis’s eyes crawled over me as if to say that I was the new adventure. But, when he spoke, he was all business. “I’m working with a slew of new investors that looks promising. As you are probably aware, I manage hedge funds. We’re looking to rapidly increase return on investment by purchasing a new real estate opportunity.” He shrugged with his perfectly casual smile. “It’s all really dry and boring unless you know more about how they work.”

“I’ve invested in a few before,” Jane said with her own shrug. “Real estate seems safe.”

“It can be.” His tone suggested that what he was dealing with was anything but.

I, on the other hand, had no experience with hedge funds. All I knew was that they were incredibly risky, and if they paid off, you made a shit-ton of money. Also, only super-fucking-rich people could use them. Which counted me out.

“I’m going to…” I pointed toward the restroom.

As soon as I stood up, my knees wobbled, and I thought I might fall over.

“Oh shit,” I said with a laugh. “I didn’t think I was this drunk. How strong were those martinis?”

Jane took another sip of hers, looking utterly unfazed. “Strong. As they should be.”

I blinked rapidly as I tried to get my legs to cooperate and then teetered toward the restroom. After seeing to my needs, I checked my phone, shocked to see that it was past midnight already. Time to go home. As much fun as it had been—and it had been more fun than I’d thought—if I wanted to make my seven thirty a.m. flight, then I needed to sleep off my impending hangover.

“Okay, I think I’m out,” I said with a laugh. “It’s late, and I have a crazy-early flight.”

“So soon?” Jane complained. “Come on. One more drink!”

“One more drink, and I’m going to black out,” I said with a laugh. I stumbled toward her and pulled her into a hug. “I had a great time. Thanks for inviting me out. I will see if I can make it up for the opening of your club.”

“Yes! You have to be there. Or you know, just move here.” Jane winked.

I laughed. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

Lewis had gotten to his feet and was slipping cash onto the bar. “Let me take you back to your hotel.”

“Oh…I can get a cab.” I took a step and nearly fell into him.

He smiled and caught me with ease. “Better safe than sorry, Miss Bishop.”

“Let him take you.” Jane flitted her hand. “I’ll be fine here. I have more convincing to do with Kendrick.”

“All right. That would be nice.”

Lewis took my hand and gentlemanly placed it on his elbow, and then he whisked me out of Tilted Glass. A black Mercedes appeared in front of us. Lewis held the door open for me, and I all but fell inside.