Imitation by Heather Hildenbrand Page A

primly on the edge of a
high-backed chair, but Daniel immediately waves me over to the
small space left on the loveseat beside him. “What are you doing
all the way over there, kitten? Your daddy won’t bother us for a
while.” He says the words slowly, suggestively, and every nerve
ending jumps as I settle next to him.
    Invisible insects crawl over my skin
as he slides his arm around me and pulls me close. He is smiling
down at me, his lips twisted in a way that belies any warmth behind
the gesture. “Come here.”
    I swallow but it lodges in my throat
and I can feel Linc watching us from near the doorway. I know then
I cannot do this. I cannot be this version of Authentic
Raven.
    I shove Daniel away and straighten my
back so that our bodies are no longer pressing together from hip to
shoulder. “I’m not feeling very well,” I say.
    He frowns but looks more angry than
concerned. “What’s the problem?”
    I rack my brain for a good-enough
reason to bolt from the room. When I don’t answer, he says, “You’re
not still thinking about that incident from last night, are you?”
He leans closer and winds his arm around my shoulders
again.
    That incident. Someone tried to murder me, and Daniel has
referred to it as that
incident . My chest burns with indignation.
My fingertips tingle with it. I jump to my feet and stare down at
him, uncaring what the correct response is or if I am out of
character.
    “ I think you should go
now.”
    He stands too and smiles slyly. “I
love it when you make me work for it, Rav,” he says. His voice is
rough with desire. Before I can react, he grabs and yanks me
against him. His mouth is hovering over mine and I know what he
intends to do. I refuse to let him.
    The anger is hot, spilling out. I
shove him. “Get away from me,” I hiss. From the corner of my eye, I
see Linc take a step toward us. Daniel doesn’t notice. He’s too
busy accepting my rejection—something he’s probably never
experienced, judging by the expression on his face.
    “ Seriously?” Daniel gapes
at me. “Is it your time of the month or something?”
    I concentrate on breathing in and out
slowly because this stupid boy is not worth blowing my cover. He is
not worth dying over.
    I speak through clenched teeth. “I
will not ask you again.”
    Before Daniel can respond, I hear Linc
say, “The lady asked you to leave. I think it’s best if you
comply.”
    Daniel whips his head around. For the
first time, he seems to notice how Linc has positioned himself. His
shoulders stiffen. “Are you threatening me, GI Joe? Because that
wouldn’t be very smart.”
    “ I’m simply reiterating
the lady’s request.” Linc’s tone is even, giving nothing away, but
I see his fingers curl slightly inward.
    Linc and Daniel regard one another.
The air is heavy with tension. Finally, Daniel blinks and mutters
under his breath. I catch the words “replaced” and “early” before
he grabs his jacket off the arm of the sofa and stomps
out.
    I don’t move until I hear the outer
door—the one that will take him to the elevator—opening and closing
behind him.
    When I move to leave, Linc steps into
my path, blocking me. I don’t want to look at him. If I see pity in
his expression, I think I’ll lose it. All of the layers I’ve
stacked so carefully between me and the rest of the world feel
cracked and broken. My wall is close to crumbling in this moment
and I refuse to let him see that. To let Titus hear about it. He is
not worth dying over, either.
    “ Are you all
right?”
    It is anger I hear in his voice, not
concern, and that intrigues me. I raise my face to his. There is
more anger there. And something else, but it is not pity or
suspicion as I feared. I exhale.
    “ I’ll be fine,” I
manage.
    “ Are you sure? Because
you’ve never—” He breaks off, his expression clouding.
    “ I’ve never
what?”
    He is silent and unwilling to look at
me. Suddenly, I need to know what it is Authentic Raven has