Payback by Francine Pascal Read Free Book Online Page A

Ed talked me into going to this party tonight. When you stop laughing, you should stop by. It's at 34th and 1st. Some big building with fountains in the lobby.
    Show up and keep me company. I'm sure there will be plenty of mock-worthy people. Good, clean fun.
    -- Gaia

ROMEO
Normally, I don't go in with a plan. I never know who I'm going to want until I'm in the moment. I do have a special place in my heart for brunettes, though. They often think they're ordinary. Plain. Not-sexy. They act like they have something to prove. And that always makes things more interesting.
    But I'm not averse to the occasional blond. Redhead. Asian, African American, Indian, Latina, etc., etc. I'm not averse to anything. Like I said, it depends on how I feel in the moment.
    Tonight, however, I have a plan. Two, actually. One brunette. One blond. Maybe neither will resist. But hopefully at least one of them will.
    It's the breaking-down process that makes for riveting reading.

INCONSPICUOUS
Gaia immediately wished she had worn something a little less street rat chic, then immediately hated herself for having the thought.

GAIA POSSESSED
    GAIA STOOD IN THE MOST INCONSPICUOUS corner of Sideburns Tim's apartment and watched the door, silently cursing Ed Fargo's name. Had they or had they not said they would be here at eight o'clock? She'd even swiped one of Ella's watches to make sure she'd be here on time. That was the last time Gaia would ever even consider being considerate.
    There was something weird about this party. It was different from the last, and only, party she'd been to since she arrived in New York. The lights were dim. The music was low. Scented candles dotted the room, lending a heady aroma. Everyone seemed mellow. Comfortable. Cozy. It made Gaia want to crawl out of her skin. She gripped her water glass as if it were the only familiar object in the room.
    "Gaia Moore?"
    The grip on the glass tightened dangerously. It took Gaia about three seconds to recover from the surprise of someone actually saying her name. Of course, it was Megan Stein. Heather's right-hand snob, looking oh so fetching in some half-sweater thing over some half-shirt thing. She was standing there with another FOH, and each of them was sporting such overexaggerated expressions of shocked disgust, they could have just walked off a sitcom set.
    "What are
you
doing here?" Megan asked, glancing at her friend, who smiled and looked away. Like the remark was so clever, she could barely contain her laughter. Like she really cared about sparing Gaia's feelings.
    "Having the time of my life," Gaia answered flatly.
    Megan let out a short laugh. "It must be so fascinating to be so weird," she said, looking Gaia up and down. Gaia immediately wished she had worn something a little less street rat chic, then immediately hated herself for having the thought. She placed her drink down on the glass-topped table next to her. When her inner Gaias were having conversations among themselves, it was definitely time to bail.
    "Leaving?" Megan asked, arching one eyebrow.
    Gaia wasn't about to waste another syllable on the girl. She pushed by Megan and her silent partner. She could practically feel the cold outdoor air on her skin. The second she hit the street, she was going to find a pay phone, call Ed and ream him out, then call Mary and tell her not to bother leaving the house. What was she thinking coming here, anyway? Did she think she was going to have fun? At this point, it was pretty obvious that on top of being less one fear gene, Gaia was also missing the gene that allowed enjoyment of life.
    "Aw, look," Megan said from somewhere behind her. "We scared her away."
    Stopping in her tracks, Gaia felt her hands ball into fists. Ignore her. Ignore her. Ignore her. Megan wasn't worth it. Heather, maybe, but not Heather Junior.
    "Want me to kick her butt for you?"
    Gaia glanced over her left shoulder. It was a guy. Tallish. Asian. Black hair almost hardened by gel.
GQ
handsome.