JК
Guilty Pleasures :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 73 из 205”
“Want to see the bruises?”
I finished the story and watched his solemn, square face. His large, blunt-fingered hands were folded on his desk. The check was lying beside him atop his neat pile of manila folders. His face was attentive, concerned. Empathy never worked well on Bert's face. I could always see the wheels moving. The angles calculating.
“Don't worry, Bert, you can cash the check.”
“Now, Anita, that wasn't …”
“Save it.”
“Anita, truly I would never purposefully endanger you.”
I laughed. “Bull.”
“Anita!” He looked shocked, small eyes widening, one hand touching his chest. Mr. Sincerity.
“I'm not buying, so save the bullshit for clients. I know you too well.”
He smiled then. It was his only genuine smile. The real Bert Vaughn please stand up. His eyes gleamed but not with warmth, more with pleasure. There is something measuring, obscenely knowledgeable, about Bert's smile. As if he knew the darkest thing you had ever done and would gladly keep silent-for a price.
There was something a little frightening about a man who knew he was not a nice person and didn't give a damn. It went against everything America holds dear. We are taught above all else to be nice, to be liked, to be popular. A person who has set aside all that is a maverick and a potentially dangerous human being.
“What can Animators, Inc., do to help?”
“I've already got Ronnie working on some things. I think the fewer people involved, the fewer people in danger.”
“You always were a humanitarian.”
“Unlike some people I could mention.”
“I had no idea what they wanted.”
“No, but you knew how I felt about vampires.”
He gave me a smile that said, “I know your secret, I know your darkest dreams.” That was Bert. Budding blackmailer.
I smiled back at him, friendly. “If you ever send me a vampire client again without running it by me first, I'll quit.”
“And go where?”
“I'll take my client list with me, Bert. Who is the one that does the radio interviews? Who did the articles focus on? You made sure it was me, Bert. You thought I was the most marketable of all of us. The most harmless-looking, the most appealing. Like a puppy at the pound. When people call Animators, Inc., who do they ask for?”
His smile was gone, eyes like winter ice. “You wouldn't make it without me.”
“The question is, would you make it without me?”
“I'd make it.
“Want to see the bruises?”
I finished the story and watched his solemn, square face. His large, blunt-fingered hands were folded on his desk. The check was lying beside him atop his neat pile of manila folders. His face was attentive, concerned. Empathy never worked well on Bert's face. I could always see the wheels moving. The angles calculating.
“Don't worry, Bert, you can cash the check.”
“Now, Anita, that wasn't …”
“Save it.”
“Anita, truly I would never purposefully endanger you.”
I laughed. “Bull.”
“Anita!” He looked shocked, small eyes widening, one hand touching his chest. Mr. Sincerity.
“I'm not buying, so save the bullshit for clients. I know you too well.”
He smiled then. It was his only genuine smile. The real Bert Vaughn please stand up. His eyes gleamed but not with warmth, more with pleasure. There is something measuring, obscenely knowledgeable, about Bert's smile. As if he knew the darkest thing you had ever done and would gladly keep silent-for a price.
There was something a little frightening about a man who knew he was not a nice person and didn't give a damn. It went against everything America holds dear. We are taught above all else to be nice, to be liked, to be popular. A person who has set aside all that is a maverick and a potentially dangerous human being.
“What can Animators, Inc., do to help?”
“I've already got Ronnie working on some things. I think the fewer people involved, the fewer people in danger.”
“You always were a humanitarian.”
“Unlike some people I could mention.”
“I had no idea what they wanted.”
“No, but you knew how I felt about vampires.”
He gave me a smile that said, “I know your secret, I know your darkest dreams.” That was Bert. Budding blackmailer.
I smiled back at him, friendly. “If you ever send me a vampire client again without running it by me first, I'll quit.”
“And go where?”
“I'll take my client list with me, Bert. Who is the one that does the radio interviews? Who did the articles focus on? You made sure it was me, Bert. You thought I was the most marketable of all of us. The most harmless-looking, the most appealing. Like a puppy at the pound. When people call Animators, Inc., who do they ask for?”
His smile was gone, eyes like winter ice. “You wouldn't make it without me.”
“The question is, would you make it without me?”
“I'd make it.