“Honestly, how many times do I have to tell you? Jared and I are just friends! We’ve known each other


    for years. Now you’re asking me to stop talking to him all of a sudden? No can do!” Then she turned to


    Jared and said, “Sorry, buddy. I can’t save you. It seems you’ll have to go home and face your dad. Or


    you’ll Lose me forever.”


    “Noooooco!” Jared was desperate.


    Kasie, Kristina, and Dixon burst into Laughter.


    “Emmett has already called Jasper,” Carlos said and hung up.


    ‘What?’ Debbie looked at her phone, confused. ‘He called already? So


    Jared won’t get beaten by his dad?


    Why didn’t he tell me earlier? So he was pulling my leg the whole time!


    Auuugh!’ Debbie opened WeChat and sent Carlos a message.


    “Honey, Love you.” At the end of the message was a Kiss Mark emoji.


    “Your husband won’t help?” asked Jared. He had decided that if Carlos didn’t help him, he would fix


    Debbie up with a ton of guys.


    “I think… he will. Maybe. Just wait.” Debbie wasn’t sure.


    The Shining International za was only about ten-odd minutes from


    Jared’s home, if you took a car.


    Jared was still sweating bullets when he went up to the fifth floor of the Alioth Building. He could think


    of little else, and picked at his food. He was too worried that Jasper would swoop in with his men, carry


    him into the car, and then he’d really get it. But by the time he finished his meal, everyone knew that


    Jared was safe.


    Jared almost cried with relief. He ced one arm on Debbie’s shoulder and said, “You have no idea


    how much I want to kiss you and your husband right now.”


    “Probably not a good idea. Carlos doesn’t swing that way, and he won’t be happy if you kiss Deb,”


    Kasie reminded him.


    Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    “Okay, suddenly I don’t feel like kissing anyone,” dered Jared


    Everyone looked at him and shook their heads


    The group separatedter. When Debbie came back to the manor, she found the overcoat Carlos had


    told her about, and put it on. By the time she fixed her makeup, it was almost time to go. The dinner


    party would be starting soon.


    The dinner was in a private booth on the fifth floor of Alioth


    Building. By the time Debbie and Carlos turned up, everybody else was already there waiting for them.


    After some pleasantries, they were led to the seats of honor. Somebody had already pulled the chair


    out for Carlos. Yet Carlos didn’t sit down immediately. He said to Debbie, “The heat’s on. Take off your


    coat, or you’ll start sweating.”


    Debbie blushed and did as he asked.


    Everyone there was a sessful businessman. One was more slippery than another. When they saw


    how considerate Carlos was to Debbie, they all started sucking up to her. Obviously, if Carlos was


    deferent to her, then she must be important indeed.


    One man took her coat. A second pulled the chair out for her. A third poured her some wine while a


    fourth filled her water ss.