“Really?” Mark asked, totally ignoring Holden’s insult. “Does she write girly romance stuff?”
Holden paused, silently thinking about the question. He couldn’t say romance wasn’t part of Mary Allison’s work but her stories were so much more. There were elements of revenge, dark comedy, and horror, but at its heart, Nemesis’s Bedtime Story was about loneliness, desperation, and the relentless determination to keep fighting even when you are no longer sure what you are fighting for or why. After growing up trying to prove he was good enough to a father who wasn’t paying attention, Holden could relate.
“She’s amazing. She’s working on a new project called Choking on Life. In the first issue, a small-town beauty queen hiding in a ventilation shaft from a group of gang bangers has to watch her female lover choke to death on her own blood. She’s too scared to leave her hiding place for days and nearly dies of dehydration before the police finally find her. She’s comatose but awakens…different. It’s as if she’s sharing her body with her lover’s spirit and is driven to hunt down the gang members to get bloody but very sophisticated and ironically justified revenge.”
When Holden met Mark’s eyes, he realized how long he had been passionately mooning over Mary Allison’s work like an obsessed fanboy and his face burned with humiliation. Rubbing his temples with his fingers, he felt his blood pressure skyrocket as he braced for what was coming from his nosy little friend.
“We have some authors and artists in our department who are amazing but no one knows it. They need you!” Mark returned his focus to his work.
Holden breathed more easily. Maybe he didn’t notice. He hoped that was the case because despite being a whack job, Mark’s adorable appearance appealed to the ladies as well as the occasional guy, and he could be a cocky jackass when it came to the subjects of dating and sex. Since it was so early on, Holden wasn’t ready to put words to his feelings for Mary Allison—at least not out loud.
“I’m glad Davis was able to talk you out of quitting.”
“Yeah, Davis Krammer’s a good guy. I’ve learned a lot with him as a departmental supervisor.”
“You never told me how he managed to talk you down.”
Holden huffed. “Focus on your job.”
“Having you talk to me while I work keeps the anxiety away. You don’t want my inner saboteur to come out to you?” He flashed a smile, and Holden rolled his eyes.
“Bullocks…Kramer’s a real professional as well as a hell of a guy. He could have written me off as a spoiled child, but—”
“Your being the boss man’s son might have guided his hand.”
“Shut up if you want to tell you.”
“Sorry, sorry.” Mark handed over the completed page and moved to another.
He looked over the work as he spoke, “Krammer took me out for a pint. Over beer and salted peanuts, we discussed the current market for graphic novels in the U.S. He threw some hardball questions and encouraged me.”
“Vague.” Mark’s voice was almost sing-songy.
Holden set down the finished page. “This looks good.”
“Then tell me how he encouraged you.”
Holden growled and then huffed, waving Mark’s attention to his work. “The usual pep-talk stuff, but the clincher was he sent me home with a few of the department’s best titles to read over the weekend and told me to see how I felt afterward. Once I got started, I had to admit they were good.”
“Especially mine.” Mark grinned.
“Yeah, I thought it was the best one until I started reading Nemesis’s Bedtime Story.”
Mark’s jaw dropped. “You like Marlon A. Gates better than me?”
“I didn’t say better, but they’re both excellent in their own ways.”
Mark put down his pencil, his nostrils flaring as he folded his arms over his chest. “Unbelievable…I guess if I have to share with anyone, it would have to be the mysterious Gates.” He moved his hands dramatically as he spoke. “His stories are compelling and the artwork is eerily beautiful.”
“Yep. I was hooked, and went to work that next Monday morning ready to go, but only if I got to work with Gates.”
“You didn’t demand to work with me?”
Holden chuckled. “Nope.”
“Rude…speaking of Marlon Gates, your pretty friend might get on his bad side if she continues to fish off his pier. She’s all over his art style and with a story like you described…Are you going to be her protector?”
Rolling his eyes, Holden reached out and thumped Mark on the side of the head. “You wanker, don’t screw with me.”
“Ow! That hurt!” Mark whined as he rubbed his head. “What was that for?”
“Oh, bullocks! You know exactly what it was for. Surely you’ve figured it out.”
A shit-eating grin spread across Mark’s face, and his eyes danced playfully as he teased, “Holdy Woldy likey-likey the little redhead with the big booty.”
His friend’s singsong voice alone was enough to make Holden itch to deck him, but Mark finally remarked on Mary Allison’s body one too many times. “I will fucking kill you!” He nearly pushed Mark off his stool put grabbed his arm and saved him as a fake-out.”
“Hey! Okay! Okay! I’m sorry! Sorry! Calm down!” Mark squealed brushing off his clothes and pretending to be scandalized.
Seeing the mocking expression wiped from Mark’s face and replaced with a momentary look of fear made Holden feel worlds better. “I swear you never progressed past the maturity of a middle school student.” He shook his head but then patted Mark’s shoulder to let him know they were still cool.
“Geez! I had no idea it was so serious. How long have you been dating her?”
“Huh? Who says we’re dating?” Holden furrowed
