The Corset Maker 4: The Corset Maker, #4

By K.T. Frederick

Everyone keeps secrets, but Amelia’s are tearing her world apart.

Her relationship with Chloe is in tatters. Her love affair with Julien is in ruins. As if navigating a work day with all three in the same space isn’t enough, Amelia is getting more anxious by the second when it comes to Derek Wiggleby.

Julien is struggling with his own demons. Feeling deceived by Amelia and Derek, Julien sets out to overcome his pain by facing his own dark secrets. Head on.

Will everyone’s “coming clean” be enough or will it destroy everything and everyone?

• Language: English
• Publisher: K.T. Frederick
• Release date: Mar 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9780994930767

Book preview

Chapter One

The heavy fire door leading to the back alley of the Metropolitan hotel screeches open and slams shut, waking me from my soggy sleep. At times it’s housekeeping, tossing their trash bags into the dumpster. Other times it’s the bar staff huddling to stay dry under their umbrellas. They shiver and curse about the change in weather, all the while smoking their Camels.

None of them see me. Or if they do, they don’t bother with one more person huddled behind a dumpster.

It’s finally quiet when a car eases up the driveway towards the alley. It splashes through the potholes. I lean with my back up against the wall, between the hotel’s dumpster and an iron staircase, hugging my knees to my chest. I bury my face in my thighs and squeeze my eyelids tight—shrinking deeper into my wet cocoon—when a pair of twin beams shines in my direction. One car door slams, then another. I pray it’s not Derek and his Chianti-pouring waiter boy. Then again it doesn’t matter anymore; anything my ex-boss does to me now would be merciful.

She’s here!

Chloe’s voice should give me relief, but it doesn’t. I can’t talk about this night. A night that went from bad to worse to devastating within a few hours.

Feet splash through puddles and there’s a coat being zipped up. Jeezus, Red. It’s Joe this time. You told me you were safe!

It takes a moment, but when the words start, it sounds like I just sipped a hot cup of battery acid. I clear my throat. I… I thought I was.

Chloe crouches down and touches my knee, her phone attached to her ear. Okay, bye, she says. My best friend is likely talking to my mother—another person I can’t bear to speak to right now.

The thought of going home to our crappy apartment and sleeping for a decade sounds wonderful. I reach for my phone to check the time. It’s dead. Again. What time is it?

It’s 3:30, Joe says.

I’ve been out here for three hours. It’s been three hours since a grenade went off inside my chest.

The rumble of cars and a distant siren permeate the solitude of the alley. None of us move. They’re staring at me, as if they don’t know what to do with me. Hell, I don’t know what to do with me. I have a roof over my head, I’m presently employed, but that’s pretty much all I’ve got.

Thoughts of the bloodstained mattress in apartment 319 get pushed out of my brain by visions of a near-naked Christine and Julien in his hotel room. After what’s transpired these last six hours, the outlook is clear. I have no Julien, no personal safety, no relationship with my mother.

How did you know to come for me? Let alone where to find me.

Chloe hands me a soggy tissue. Judging by the mascara stains smeared across my arm, my face is a mess. She can be so caring. Unfortunately, the small gesture does nothing to alleviate the cold I feel inside.

Julien called, looking for you. He said you took off, Amelia.

I nearly chuckle. And did he tell you why I left? That I didn’t feel like watching Christine and him fucking? It doesn’t matter.

Joe’s knees crack as he bends down next to Chloe. I fold my arms into my stomach and bury my face in my thighs again.

Red, you told me you were safe with him. Did he hurt you?

Immensely. But not in the way Joe thinks. No.

My mother’s friend begins a lecture about how my world has changed and how safety is the utmost priority. About how I can’t let my cell phone die these days…it’s all background noise.

I’ll be more responsible. Not sure I sound too convincing.

I’m going to ask you again, Joe says. Did Julien hurt you?

I snort and fire them both a look. Not physically. But ever since Julien’s come into my world, my life’s been squeezed through a meat grinder.

They exchange confused looks. That’s not entirely true, Chloe says.

If this is love, it sucks and I want nothing to do with it. It’s messed with my head and my heart. I’m making bad decisions and I don’t know how I’m going to work with Julien and Christine now. And it’s all because of Derek.

The back door to the hotel opens again but it doesn’t shut and I’m ready to tell the hotel staff to bugger off. I don’t want to see Julien’s face again.

That’s going to make it hard to work together, Amelia.

I glance over my shoulder to see a freshly showered Julien standing in the open doorway. I scramble to my feet, clutch my bag to my chest, and take a step away from him.

Julien stretches a no-time-for-nonsense hand to me. Come in. You need clothes.

Come?

I take a step towards Joe, still hugging my bag. No.

Julien drops his hand. Amelia, we need to talk about what happened.

Joe touches the back of my arm and tilts his head. His brow furrows. Not three hours ago I was practically skipping up to Julien’s room to kiss and make up.

Red, maybe you should stay, tell Julien about what happened earlier tonigh…

My gaze snaps to Joe. He knows he’s stepping over a line. There’s no point in telling Julien what we saw tonight. The bloodstained mattress in apartment 319.

What are you talking about? Julien asks.

When no one answers, he looks to my best friend who wears a confused and concerned look. I don’t know what’s going on.

I want space from this night. I need to distance myself so I can think. I’m obsessing over my stupid broken heart when someone could have died in that apartment. My words come out like a shot. Could we just forget it and go home already?

Now, now, Joe says. Let’s just take a moment and—

I grab hold of Joe’s arm and shake my head. He let’s out a