Page 70 of True Colors

Now, she looks even more suspicious.

“Did you get a facial?” Pallavi wants to know.

“N-no.”

Mila smirks. “She does look like she swallowed glitter.”

Pallavi’s eyes widen. “Did you get laid?”

I roll my eyes.

I wish.

“Back to work, everyone,” I say with mock authority.

While my friends are happy for whatever is making me shine, one person isn’t.

Erin corners me by the printers, voice sweet enough to rot teeth. “So,” she purrs, “I heard you went to the opera on Saturday.”

I didn’t tell anyone at work. How does she…?

Did Luther tell her? Maybe he did. Maybe he saw us as a casual date and just mentioned it.

Oh God! Is he cheating on Erin with me? Is that what this is?

“I did,” I say with confidence I don’t feel. “La Traviata. The soprano—Elena Rossi—was extraordinary. And the pacing the conductor set made the whole thing feel heartbreakingly restrained.”

She looks surprised at that, unsure about how to move forward.

But she recovers quickly enough and lands her blow. “Luther’s family's box seats are very nice, aren’t they?”

She’s been there with him? So, what? He’s allowed to take whomever he likes to the opera.

“Yes, very nice.” I want to leave the room now and get away from this woman, who I know is preparing to hurt me with her words, and dim my pleasure of being with Luther.

“Did he fuck you after?”

I am shocked at her crudeness. “Ex-ex-cuse me?”

“Oh, he did, did he?” There’s malice on her face now.

A flush works its way up my neck as I remember his lips on mine.

Erin sees it. She smiles like she’s won.

“Careful, Anouk,” she warns softly. “Men like Luther—that world—those circles you stepped into this weekend? They chew people up. You don’t belong there.”

She walks away, heels clicking like little gunshots.

I hold my breath.

Count backward from ten and get to the conference room with the printouts for the Novagene project team meeting.

Erin is already there, laughing with Luther. The minute I get in, though, he turns and smiles at me, his eyes are bright, and the harshness of Erin’s words dissipates.

I don’t know how she knows about the opera, and it doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t let her cattiness affect me.

“Let me take those from you.” Vijay holds his hand out for the printouts, and I pass them over, taking a seat near the middle of the table.