Page 369 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

Cruel, dark humor pools in his eyes, a terrifyingly wolfish smile following behind it. “Yeah? Care to elaborate?”

I scan his vile face, my skin hot and steaming. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

He cocks his head.

“What exactly do you think I did?”

It takes godlike effort not to smack the smug off his face. “What you pulled tonight? You orchestrated this whole staffing problem just to get him to work, and then you brought Teddy here⁠—”

“Who? The bartender?”

He raises his drink to his lips.

“Jesus, you’re delusional.”

“You did it all to humiliate him.”

His glass lowers without the sip.

“Allison. Listen to yourself. You’re talkin’ as if I’d spend a second of my time fuckin’ up your life, when you’re already doin’ a grand job of it yourself.” He leans closer. “How the hell would I know you’d bring the help to Christmas⁠—”

My palm strikes the meat of his cheek,

an ugly echo in the hall.

The force of it vibrates up my arm

and jerks his chin sideways,

splitting the smile from his face.

For a second, everything stops.

Raymond’s head stays turned, his face rigid, as a fierce, bright handprint reddens on his cheek.

“You’re losing it,” I grind out.

“You’re losing it ‘cause of one reason,

“and one reason only…”

My head dips to catch his eyes.

“You’re threatened by him.”

Raymond rights himself,

adjusting his jacket,

slicking back his hair

with poisoned patience.

Then he steps in close. “You always did mistake defiance for strength.”

“And you always confused control for care,” I snap back.

He lets out a menacing laugh.