'' I replied.She quickly sat bolt upright in surprise and then just as quickly flopped back down next to me after forgetting her headache. ''Owww,'' s...e whined.''Couldn't find any of your own tops to wear?'' I asked.''I don't have anything on underneath and mine are not long enough to hide that fact.'' she answered.''Oh, I see.'' I said smiling, ''Just stripped and crashed last night then?''''I don't even remember stripping, I don't even remember getting up the stairs.'' she told me.''I helped. "I should probably take a page or two out of Anne's playbook, huh?" You're doing fine," she said. "You charmed the pants off the girls back in the café." Yeah, well, years of schmoozing practice." Come on now," Claire said, and poked him in the shoulder with her elbow. "Why do you spend so much energy denying you're a nice guy when I know otherwise?" Habit," he replied. "I'm new to the whole 'nice guy' thing."They drove over to Claire's place in separate cars. On the way, Claire made a changing. She tried to pull the rope loose from the head board but it was no used She looked over at the clock next to the glass of wine this time it read 10:24 p.m she had no idea if someone was in the room with her or if there was anyone even in the apartment anymore. She heard the toilet flush and an overwhelming sense of fear took over she looked over at the doorknob and watched it turn then a man stepped through the doorway. Amanda had never seen this man before in her life but he knew her name.. " Hmm," Alex said again, thoughtfully, and then with a friendly smile she brought the rifle up, took careful aim, and shot Preston in the shoulder. The bullet was nonlethal, but it slammed into him with such force that it knocked him backwards, toppling against the column behind him."FUCK," Preston yelled, as pain blossomed along his arm, "what the FUCK did you do that for?" Well, you don't get along well with people who are too nice," Alex said calmly "I needed to even out my good deeds." What.