Excerpt: There Once Were Stars by Melanie McFarlane [Giveaway]

“Perhaps you should give me that drink, my dear.” The Director takes the glass from my hand. “I must have accidentally poured you some of my truth whiskey. I use it on guests I need to get information from. I don’t need any information from you, do I?” He grabs my wrist, twisting my arm as he pulls me into his lap.

“No, sir.” I try to stand. “I mean, Director.”

“Good girl. Now, before I let you leave with this notebook, I will share something with you. Something not many people know. Your mother became a bit of a problem for this office. She stuck her nose into departments she never should have. Am I going to have that same problem with you?”

The little food I ate gurgles in my stomach. Is he threatening me? “No.” I grab my mother’s notebook.

“Good.” He lets go of the notebook and places a hand on my knee. “Now we can be friends. I’d hate for you to affect your boyfriend’s future with this office.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I say through clenched teeth.

The door to the office opens and Jak walks in. He stops short in the doorway, his mouth dropping open when he sees where I’m sitting. The Director lets go of my leg and loosens his grip on my wrist.

“Manning!” the Director calls out. “Just the person we were talking about. Friendly little gal you brought tonight.”

I jump out of the chair, catching the bottom of my dress on something on the inside of his desk. I catch a glimpse of a button as my dress tears on it. I pick up my mother’s notebook, and run from the office.

“Thanks for the visit, Miss Greyes,” the Director calls after me. “I look forward to the next time we meet.” My stomach lurches again, threatening to empty itself into the hallway filled with people. I don’t care if Jak follows me, all I know is I need out of this place. Clary smiles smugly at me as I run past. All these people are so selfish and terrible. But right now, I don’t care. Right now, I’m clutching my mother’s notebook, thinking about the button I saw on the inside of the Director’s desk. The button that reads B3.