Miss Congeniality Read Online Free Page B

placating her, but she wouldn’t be moved.
    “I told you to stop drinking,” she hissed. He leaned in again in apology, but Clare simply shook her head before she pushed him back and walked off. Jason looked around, and then realizing Raquel and Brea were staring at him, asked angrily, “What? She knew I had a couple of drinks before I got here. She should just lay off.”
    Quick to defend Clare, Raquel got in his face. “No, you need to lay off the alcohol. This party is important to Clare, but you’re too damn busy trying to get drunk to give a shit. Let’s go,” she said to Brea before walking off. Brea looked at Jason—part disgust, part apology—before she turned to follow Raquel. Seeing Raquel moving swiftly through the throng of people, Brea knew she wouldn’t catch up with her. She didn’t know what the hell that was about between Clare and Jason and wanted to know more. However, there was no way she could find Clare in this crowd. Jason usually wasn’t a big drinker, so something must have set him off to have him get drunk in the middle of a studio event. Figuring she had her own problems, Brea veered toward the bathroom to catch her breath before having to work the crowd again.

    Brea first noticed the woman because she loved the hot-pink dress she was wearing. It stood out in the darkened hallway which led to the bathroom, and Brea desperately wanted to know the designer.
    Oh, shit , she thought, noticing the bruised lips which looked as though the woman had been thoroughly worked over. Coupled with the way the woman rushed by, head down, Brea knew if she had been several minutes earlier she would have gotten a show. Hook-ups happened—Brea had been to enough events to know that—but this was different. It seemed more personal and invasive, and she didn’t know why until she caught the gaze of the guy coming down the hallway, zipping up his pants.
    You have got to be fucking kidding me . Brea stared at Lance as he strode toward her. The fact he had been zipping up his damn pants was just icing on the cake. Clearly his reputation was well-deserved she thought with disgust as she tried to move past him.
    “Hey, darling.” He gripped her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She stared at him in revulsion.
    “I need you to let me go,” she stated more calmly than she felt.
    “Why?” He moved in to nuzzle her neck. She tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong.
    “If you think we are going to have a conversation after what I just saw, you have lost your damn mind. LET. ME. GO.” She continued to stand there, seething in anger but unwilling to give him the satisfaction of losing it.
    “That wasn’t what it looked like,” he started, cut off when Brea glared at him.
    “I don’t give a shit what it looked like. I told you the other day, and I will tell you again, nothing is going to happen between us. I just want to know you aren’t going to accost me every time I see you.” Green eyes flashed in anger, but he let her go without saying anything to her. He stepped back, gesturing for her to proceed to the bathroom. Taken aback, she continued to stand there, unsure what to do. He sensed her hesitancy and took the opportunity to stick it to her.
    “If you don’t give a shit, why are you acting like a jealous lover?”
    “Whatever.” She walked off, flipping him off when she went. The sound of his laughter could be heard all the way to the bathroom.

    Brea stood at the bar, wanting to be anywhere but there. She was standing with Raquel and Clare, not really paying attention as they discussed the evening thus far.
    “So, why was Jason drunk?” Brea asked, figuring she should participate in the conversation.
    Clare sighed sadly. “He told me tonight he wants more.”
    “What do you mean more?” This from Raquel, who often sought clarification for what most people said. She was constantly questioning and when Brea asked her why one time, Raquel answered she always wanted to know what she