Page 31 of Fallen Angel

“I would imagine not. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re my bitch now, and when I call you for a good fuck, you’d better be available to me. Understood?”

“Um, yes. I mean, I think so.”

“Yes what?”

“Yes, Mistress Violet.”

Chapter Sixteen

On Halloween Eve, Mallory stands outside the Blue Angel, trying to psych herself up for the show. Alec is still in L.A., and she can’t remember the last time she’s done a performance without him. He’d come to be her audience of one, the person who inspires most of what she explores and expresses in her act, and the person she trusts with feedback on her performances.

So how could she let what happened at the Plaza rattle her so much? With all that Alec means to her, and for all their years together, surely she has to be able to get past the Jocelyn Incident, as she’s come to think of it.

She spots Poppy striding down the street, her mile-long legs impossible to miss.

“Hey,” Poppy says. “Whatcha doing out here?”

“Just getting some fresh air.”

“But it’s so cold out!” Poppy reaches for the door handle, then hesitates, turning back to Mallory. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

She walks closer to her.

“You and Alec have been in a long-term thing, right?”

“Well, yeah. Although now probably isn’t the best time to be asking me about that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Ignore me. Go on.”

“Okay, well, in all the time you guys have been together, did the sex ever get kind of boring? Like, routine?”

“No,” Mallory says, without hesitation.

“Never?”

“No. Why? What’s going on? Are you and Patricia having problems?” She doesn’t particularly want to hear about the sex life of her former boss, Patricia Loomis, but if she can’t talk about her own problems, the least she can do is listen to someone else.

“Yes. I mean—no. We’re not fighting if that’s what you mean. But I don’t feel attracted to her anymore. The sex is always the same. It was good in the beginning but now it’s …”

“Too predictable?”

“Yes, that. But also … sometimes I’m attracted to other people.”

Mallory nods with understanding. Relationships are so hard. “I think that’s normal. But when you’re in a good relationship, you make the conscious decision not to act on it.” When you’re in a good relationship. Is she hearing herself talk?

Then she realizes that tonight will be the first time she’s seeing Violet since the Plaza.

“So it’s just a mind-over-matter type of thing?” Poppy says.

“Exactly.”

“Okay. I’m going to just keep reminding myself of that. Don’t mention this to anyone.”

“Of course not.” Mallory says. “We should go in before people start showing up.”