Fractured Read Free Page A

away.
    â€œCan you tell me anything about this?”
    â€œNo,” I muttered. The ring seemed illuminated, the only bright thing in my line of sight. I wanted to touch it.
    I was afraid to touch it.
    â€œDid—did she give this to you as a sort of—as a test?” I stammered, my gaze still fixed on the ring. I was light-headed.
    I felt—no—I smelled Gabe by my side—sweat and lilac and patchouli oil.
    â€œWho is this guy?” she snapped. Her voice had that New York edge I could never master. I was numb. Floating. I must have looked like I was insane, but I couldn’t look away. I wanted to run screaming down the deserted streets of this city of a million murders. I was crazy to come here. Crazy to think I was safe—it wasn’t Agent Reston I had to fear. It was myself.
    â€œJust another fan,” said Jeremy Glass. I could hear the social grease slide between them. They came from the same smart world—the one I’d never really be a part of. “I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the performance. That’s all.”
    I could tell Gabe was tense, but I couldn’t look at her. I couldn’t break my focus on that ring.
    â€œTake it,” Glass snapped. “You know you want it.”
    â€œDon’t, Bobby.” Gabe had me by the arm. The street was a swirl of dirty color. I reached for it, but Gabe grabbed it first. “Can’t you see he’s exhausted? We’re both tired.”
    â€œI understand,” said Glass. “Take my card. Hold onto it. If you get any inspiration, let me know.”
    With the ring safely out of sight, my equilibrium returned. Gabe was looking at me with worried hazel eyes, but she was addressing Glass. “Right,” she said dismissively.
    â€œYou okay?” Gabe asked. “Who was that jerk?”
    I glanced over her shoulder and shuddered as Jeremy Glass shuffled painfully to the curb. I hoped he never came back. But Gabe still had the ring.
    â€œNever mind him.” Gabe’s lips were nuzzled against my jaw. She murmured in my ear. “You were amazing tonight, baby.”
    â€œWho, me? You were a blazing comet of amazing yourself.”
    Gabe laughed. “You can’t fool me. You hate this.”
    I pressed my nose to her hair. I still had my eye on Glass as he shuffled back and forth trying unsuccessfully to hail a cab. I wondered if he was drunk. And then he was down, his head slamming against the pavement with a wicked thud , his leg bent at an unnatural angle.
    â€œShit,” we both said in unison and ran to help. He was bleeding from a cut on his head, but he’d already pulled himself up to a sitting position.
    â€œI’m okay. It’s just Veronica acting up again.” Jeremy Glass nodded toward the awkwardly angled leg.
    Then his phone rang. Ignoring us, he spoke into it. “Where’ve you been? What? What happened? Oh God. Shit. Where are you? Okay. Okay. Stay there. I’ll be right there.”
    He tried to stand, but between the cut on his head and the wobbly fake leg, it was clear he wasn’t getting too far.
    â€œIt’s my girlfriend,” he said. Again, he tried to stand. I caught him as he fell. “She’s— Oh shit .”
    Sitting on the pavement, he began to hyperventilate. I wanted get out of this unfolding drama. I wanted to undo the moment I’d ever met Jeremy Glass.
    â€œWhat happened to your girlfriend?” Gabe asked softly. “Do you want us to take you to her?”
    Numerous cabs drove past. Figured they’d all show up then. All I wanted was to stuff Jeremy Glass in one of them and be done with him. But I knew Gabe would never go for that. And I wasn’t brought up that way. We couldn’t just leave an injured guy with one leg alone on the streets of Manhattan. As much as I wanted to.
    â€œWhere is she?” Gabe spoke to him gently, as if to a hurt child. I cringed just a