Page 22 of Tame Me

“Yes. Yes, of course.”

“Come on then.” As I led the way, I made idle chit-chat, asking them about their children and grandchildren.

People came in a steady flow for the next twenty or so minutes, and with each new arrival, I braced to see the man I’d once loved. As the minutes ticked by, I began to wonder if he’d chickened out.

My dress had the desired effect, and every person who greeted me said a similar version of, “Wow, you look amazing.”

The party had been going for nearly an hour when a weird hush came over the crowd.

A prickle rolled up my spine, and I didn’t need to turn around to know Alexander had arrived.

Chapter Seven

Despite my heart pounding in my chest, I carried on flitting from one guest to another, pretending to be unaware of Alexander. I did, however, feel his eyes on me. The hairs on my neck bristled at the intrusion.

Mom approached my side. “I’ve put some things in the oven—can you watch them for me? I need to chat with Molly about something.”

“Sure, Mom.”

She pranced off through the crowd, making a point of saying hello to everyone she passed. I excused myself from Mom and Dad’s long-time friends, Robert and Mary, and made my way into the kitchen.

A group of people erupted into laughter, and as I looked through the kitchen window to the backyard, I saw Tyler in among them doing a weird dance. It looked like his joy at being the center of attention hadn’t changed.

I turned, and as I bent over to peer in through the oven door, I felt a presence in the room that made my skin crawl. Without even looking, I knew it was him.

Here we go. The moment four years in the making had arrived.

I stood, flicked my hair over my shoulder, and turned to him. The counter between us was a blessing. “Hello, Alexander.”

Just looking at him repulsed me. I found it hard to believe I’d once found him attractive. His eyebrows were too bushy, his jaw too large, and his complexion insipid.

“Hi, Jane. You look incredible.” He’d put on at least twenty pounds since I’d last seen him, and there was more than just a little salt and pepper in his dark hair.

His compliment was worthless to me, but following Henry’s rule, I acknowledged it with a nod. “Thanks.”

“It’s great to have you home.” He said it like I was here to stay.

“This isn’t my home anymore.” My heart thundered in my chest as I stared at the man who’d once captured it and then systematically shattered my heart into millions of pieces.

His eyes were a fraction wider than I remembered, showing whites that had a tinge of yellow.

He cleared his throat. “I heard what you did to Chelsea-Lea.”

“She deserved it.”

He swallowed loudly enough for me to hear. “I guess so.” His lip twitched.

“You two didn’t last long.”

He squeezed his eyes shut as if searching for the perfect response.

“Was she worth it?”

His eyes shot open, looked into mine for a second, and then, to my disgust, they fluttered to my cleavage.

I wanted to vomit as the silence fell upon us like a concrete blanket.

“I can’t believe how amazing you look.” He came around the counter, closing the space between us, and with each inch he drew closer, bile inched up my throat. His presence was a hideous dark shadow, and I fought the urge to run.

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