ALICE Ch 317

Bea sighs and nods. “OK. I’m on the case. How do you guys know Viv?”

Riley blushes. “Uh, we used to be with FUTA. The original soccer program.”

Bea nods. “And she came creeping around and did her thing?”

“She tried,” Adella replies. She would look and sound cooler if she weren’t wearing basketball shorts and a shirt that has Keanu Reeves on it with BE KIND TO ANIMALS printed in big, red letters. And no bra, which Viv seems to appreciate.

“You two were just such a cute couple,” Viv purrs. “I’m not a monster.”

“That is exactly what you are. Nice meeting you. I’ll get to work.” Bea breezes by, smelling of something expensive and adventurous. Adella wears that very unimpressed look that she puts on when she’s feeling urgently threatened.

“She seems cool,” Riley says as the door clicks shut.

“She’s good. But she doesn’t come cheap,” Viv says.

“Bill me.”

“Oh, no. I think not.” Viv struts over and puts her arm through Riley’s. Then she does the same to Adella. “Promises were made, ladies. You opened the box, and I came.”

“I don’t remember us being part of that deal,” Riley says.

“Oh, please. You can’t think those two little CCL brats could be anything more than an appetizer course for me. I’m a grown woman. I crave satisfaction,” Viv says, pulling them in cozily.

“Never being satisfied is your whole lifestyle,” Riley says, exasperated. “And Colby wasn’t ever in CCL. She is so not the type.”

“That’s what I mean. That Meri, though.” Viv bites her lip. “I’d put a ring on that.”

Adella raises an eyebrow. “What’s that good for? Two years? Three?”

“Oh, shush. I have some champagne.”

“Isn’t your wife around here somewhere?” Riley asks, irked.

Viv rolls her eyes. “Don’t worry about her. She’s fine.”

“Oh my god.” Riley’s about to pull free, but the door opens and Annette walks in, looking over her shoulder at the hallway.

“Viv, who is that magical creature? She came out of here, right?” Annette turns and sees the scene in front of her: Viv with Riley and Adella on each arm.

Riley feels an intense pang of sympathy as she witnesses Annette’s soul leaving her body. The blonde’s face just crumples brutally inward, and her mouth falls open a little.

“Huh?” Viv says. “What’s wrong with you?” She’s good at acting, but it occurs to Riley that Vivian Corbin might not actually be very bright.

Annette is so passionate about the well-hung female form that she literally founded FUTA and personally scouted people like Riley and Adella to invite to her stupid soccer camp all those years ago. Annette is like a very disciplined dog sitting beautifully and staring at a pile of cheeseburgers while Viv, another dog, is face deep in it. Annette is out there with the weight of several massive companies on her shoulders, and Viv is doing… this.

Riley’s half afraid that Annette’s going to break down and cry right now.

One last time, we help Riley Jameson make a choice:

Take pity on Annette?

Or let Adella relive her glory days a little?