The rest of their meal passed pleasantly. After they were done eating, Shayne took Anna to a glitzy, world-famous casino. Walking through the doors, the atmosphere instantly hit her, and she stopped to turn in a complete circle.
“I've never seen anything like this before,” she said to Shayne, her eyes glittering. “It's dazzling.”
He pulled her back to him, tilting her face up to his. “The only thing dazzling here is you. What would you like to do first?”
She looked around and then shrugged. “How about all of them?”
He laughed. “Your wish is my command.”
Shayne led her around, letting her try everything. Money was truly no object for him. He was rich enough to gamble every night for a hundred years, if he wanted to.
After trying the table games, she made her way over to the slot machines. She gave him a saucy grin, as she slid onto a stool in front of the machine. Within minutes, she was quickly engrossed in trying to win.
Shayne realized it was time to check in with his dimwitted crew. There was no telling what kind of mischief they were up to. Leaning over, he ran a finger down the side of Anna's cheek as his mouth claimed hers in possessive kiss.
Reluctantly pulling away, he said, “I’ll be back shortly. Can I get you something to drink?” He certainly needed one.
“Yes, that would be great,” she replied, gratefully. “I'm actually really thirsty.”
AFTER MAKING HER PROMISE she wouldn't leave the machine, Shayne walked away. Anna couldn’t tear her eyes away from him, and she wasn’t the only one. Several admiring glances were sent his way as he walked by. He was the type of man who would be noticed anywhere. Sighing, Anna turned back to the machine and pulled the handle.
Suddenly, a cool voice asked from behind her, “Aren’t you Anna Andrews?”
Her breath hitched at the question. Slowly turning, Anna immediately recognized Suzi Zellers. Her face was frozen as she faced the woman who had made it her mission in life to destroy her.
Anna was shocked at her appearance. It was hard to believe the woman standing in front of her was the same Suzi she'd once known. The years had not been kind to her, and her skin looked like it belonged on a woman twice her age. Deep grooves framed her eyes and lips, while her forehead and neck were heavily wrinkled. Her hair was thin and brittle and looked white in the lights of the casino.
But the horror of it all didn't stop there. She looked like a dead woman walking. Suzi's body was slender to the point of being emaciated. She wore a short dress that barely covered her breasts and rear. Her breasts were abnormally large on her sickly frame, and it was obvious to Anna that they had been surgically enhanced. Something or someone had literally sucked the life and vitality out of Suzi, leaving nothing behind.
Anna finally remembered to nod, trying to hide her revulsion. She couldn’t even muster up a hello. Seeing Suzi's face again brought Anna's past back in a terrible way. The last time Anna had seen her was the night her whole life was ripped apart.
Anna was worried her repressed emotions would overtake her. Suzi was well acquainted with demons. For all Anna knew, she'd been plotting with them all along to take Anna and destroy her. She’d mocked her nearly daily, with her cutting insults about her size. Then Suzi made the entire town believe Anna was a liar, when she'd taken off with Jesse.
When it came to Jesse, though, Suzi had done her a major favor.
“Well? Are you going to talk?” Suzi asked, snapping her bubble gum. Her greedy eyes ran across Anna's dress, taking it all in. “What are you doing here, anyhow? Did you come into a little money?”
Anna stared back at her coolly, unwilling to go through the pretense of catching up. Instead, she said, “I think it’s best you left, don’t you?” She arched an eyebrow and continued, “It’s not like we ever had anything in common. You made that clear, years ago. So why would we now?” She turned her back to Suzi and resumed her game.
Part of her hoped Shayne would come and rescue her, but the other part wanted him to stay away. The ghosts of her past were haunting her heavily. Suzi had slept with her boyfriend the entire time he was in town. Shayne was a hundred times better looking than Jesse could have ever hoped to be, and there wasn't anything stopping Suzi from making a play for him too. Anna felt cold and clammy, as she feared the past repeating itself.
“Always the cool one, aren’t you, Anna? You’d think you would have used some of that money to fix that fat body of yours, though,” Suzi said, in a loud voice. “You’re still as fat and dumpy as ever.”
The people playing the slot machines next to Anna paused in their games to watch the drama unfolding in front of them. Shame and embarrassment washed over her, as every eye witnessed her public humiliation. When Anna turned back to her, Suzi slyly glanced around and smirked when she saw the attention she was getting. There was nothing she loved more than an audience.
Suzi leaned closer to mutter, “All alone too, just like always. I’m willing to bet you’re still as pure as you were years ago. Couldn’t even pay anyone to fuck you, now could you?” Suzi let out a laugh of pure malice.
The years melted away, and Anna became that young, naive woman who had just discovered her boyfriend was using her while screwing the perfect blonde. Hurt washed over her, the feeling as crushing as it had been years before.
Because of Jesse and Suzi, she'd always felt a lack about herself. Like she was less than, because apparently she was. Anna blinked furiously. She didn’t want to give Suzi the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
Men didn't
