Ravensong by ML Hamilton Page A

didn’t move. Then
slowly he backed up and dropped his arms to his side. Before he’d
moved far enough away, Elena brushed past him and ran for the
stairs.
    * * *
    It took a long time for her to make
her trembling fingers button her clothing or pin up her hair, but
finally she was dressed. She took a seat on the bed and put her
face in her hands. What was she doing? God, what a mess? She didn’t
want to go downstairs, she didn’t want to face Joshua again, but
she had no other way to get to work and she needed to make the
presentation.
    Drawing a deep breath and exhaling
slowly, she forced herself to her feet and retrieved her purse and
the manila envelope with the mock-up in it. Then she cautiously
descended the stairs. Joshua was fully dressed and waiting for her
on the landing, but he never looked up nor acknowledged
her.
    He pulled open the door and stomped
out. Savanna ran after him, mewing as she went. Elena glanced
around the townhouse one last time and then closed the door behind
her. Outside the sun was shining warmly, but a chill went up her
spine as she watched Joshua unlock her door, then round the car and
slip inside without opening the door for her.
    What a long day it had already
been.
    * * *
    Joshua was on-time for the
eight o’clock meeting for the first time since he’d been hired
by Avalanche . He
poured himself a cup of coffee and ran a hand through his loose
hair. Elliot moved close to his side.
    “ Forgot to shave this
morning?” he said, studying the stubble on Joshua’s chin. “And
isn’t that what you wore yesterday?”
    “ Don’t start, El,” said
Joshua, running his hand through his hair again. He hated wearing
it loose, it was always in his face. “I’ve had a hell of a day
already.”
    “ You’re on time at
least.”
    Joshua frowned at his friend. “I mean
it, El, don’t bait me.” He picked up his coffee cup and took a seat
at the table, avoiding all eye contact with Elena.
    In truth, he didn’t know why he was so
mad at her, but he was - furious to be exact. For a moment in her
kitchen, he’d really thought of striking her and this thought
disturbed him. Joshua hadn’t spent much time with his real father
growing up, but when he did it was usually hell. Ray Ravensong
drank heavily and when he was drunk, he was a mean son-of-a-bitch.
He put his son in the hospital three times as a child with broken
ribs and concussions, once a broken pelvic bone. How many hours had
Joshua spent discussing his own violent tendencies with a
psychologist?
    He was so afraid of taking after his
father that he rarely drank. Perhaps that’s why he’d turned to
drugs instead. And he never struck his daughter, Tiffany, no matter
what she did. Yet this morning, the woman sitting across the table
from him had nearly made him strike her. Elena was right, if she
evoked such intense emotion in him, it was best he stay away. Far
away.
    “ Is it cold in here to you
guys?” said Julian as he entered the conference room.
    “ No,” said Elliot.
“Why?”
    Julian smiled smugly. “I figured hell
must be freezing over since Ravensong’s on time.”
    “ I didn’t know you were a
comedian,” said Ralph, chewing noisily on his gum.
    Joshua lifted his head and glared at
the manager. “Why don’t you go check it out first hand?” he
snarled.
    “ After you,” smiled Julian,
moving to his seat.
    “ Let’s not start so early,”
said David, coming in on the last part of the conversation. He also
took his seat and looked around at the assembled group. “Well
Elena, show us what you’ve got.”
    Joshua looked down at the
table again as Elena rose to her feet. He could almost feel her
nervousness, but he refused to give her any encouragement at
all. You’re on your own, baby, he thought bitterly. As she set her mock-up on the
stand, Joshua began to scribble idly on a piece of
paper.
    Through the corner of his eyes, Joshua
could see she had the cover veiled. She drew a deep breath and
flashed a perfect