Page 16 of Fire

One is a gorgeous redhead. Her hair is brighter—completely the opposite of mine. She’s laughing while looking up at the man with her. Her eyes are full of happiness and love. That’s not what grabs my attention, though. No, the man beside her, holding her close, is what makes that poisonous snake that stays coiled in my belly strike.

It can’t be him. Can it?

“Andrew?” I ask, quietly, straining to even get the word out. I feel Ford’s arm tighten around me, but I can’t make my gaze pull away from the man in front of me.

“Grace,” he says, his voice gruff, a little different from what I remember, yet definitely Andrew’s. The air in the small, contained space is thick. I think he must be in as much shock as I am. My body jerks against Ford’s protective stance when an alarm rings out around us. Andrew and the woman are standing in front of the doors, not letting them close. They step in, and maybe it’s my imagination, but I think Andrew would rather be shot than get inside. I definitely understand that feeling.

“Ford,” Andrew says. That feeling of something dropping over my head is gone, because here it is. Ford knows Andrew. Proof that I can’t be happy. My past won’t die. It’s always there.

Andrew and the woman continue to face us, their backs to the elevator doors. No one speaks. It’s about as awkward as awkward can get. Ford clears his throat. “We haven’t met. I’m Ford, and this is my woman, Grace,” he says. I feel his chin rest against the top of my head. I’m afraid to breathe, but I don’t miss the stamp of ownership he puts on me. Right now, I’m thankful for it—even knowing this can never work out. Ford and Andrew run in similar circles. He’ll find out I didn’t fit in Andrew’s life. That it was so bad the man completely ghosted me to get rid of me—afterI gave him everything I had. That’s bad enough, but you put that with the fact I was married to Benny, and what I let him do to me …

There’s no way Ford will want me in his life once he has all the facts.

“I’m Sloane,” the woman says, and I don’t miss the way Andrew’s hand falls to her hip. It’s a move of his I remember well.

“Are you, well?” I ask, immediately wishing I could bang my head against the elevator wall. How lame of a question is that? My gaze darts to Sloane’s before going back to Andrew. I wish I could take the words back instantly.

“Yeah, um …” he trails off, obviously knowing I was talking to him. “Yes, now.”

I nod, unsure of what to say next. Andrew’s father told me he was a cripple, and that I was lucky to be cut me out of his life. I wanted to slap the man. That would never have mattered to me. I loved him. It’s clear there’s nothing wrong with Andrew, so maybe they were all lying to me. I was probably just a joke to everyone.

“When did you get in, Vector?” Ford asks, using his club name.They definitely know one another. Shit.

“Just now, really,” Andrew answers him, clearing his throat. “Cowboy said he was meeting the other Saint’s Outlaws at the table games, but we haven’t eaten, so we're going to grab dinner.”

“We’ll catch up later then,” Ford replies, and I panic at the thought of having to see either of them again.

Thankfully, the door opens, and they start to leave. I don’t move. I guess Ford understands because he stays with me.

The woman looks over her shoulder at me, delivering words I don’t want. “I hope we’ll get to talk later.”

“Yes,” I murmur with a tight smile, praying the exact opposite.

12

GRACE

Tonight has been hell. Not only did we run into Andrew and Sloane again, but Roman was with them, too. Roman was the last person I pleaded with to have Andrew call me after he ghosted me. It was embarrassing as hell to see him again. It also hurts seeing the three of them laughing and having fun. I don’t know why I feel that way. It’s not like I’m still harboring feelings for Andrew. If anything, I don’t even respect him anymore. I don’t want in his life. I guess just seeing the three of them so happy together is like another sign that Andrew and Roman felt I wasn’t good enough all along.

Still, I managed to get through the game and I’m still standing. Ford is trying to convince me to stay the night. I’ve already spoken with Asher and he’s happy. They’re keeping him tonight—not that Ford knew that in advance. Honestly, I’d rather go straight home, but I’m drained and emotionally exhausted. I also know that going home to an empty house won’t be healthy for me right now. So, I know I’m going to agree—despite only being ninety minutes from my house. I’m praying that I sleep and get an early enough start that Andrew andSloane will be nowhere around tomorrow. Then I’ll go home and break it off with Ford.

I wish things could be different, because I really like Ford. I love spending time with him. Tonight, he held my hand, pulled out my seat and made sure I had something to drink. The man was completely attentive, plus his eyes never wandered—not once.There were women looking at him, too. One kept trying to rub against him at the table while Sloane was rolling the dice. All he did was scoot closer to me, while kissing me on the cheek and putting his arm around me. I’ve never had that. I find I want more—even if it is one night.

“If we stay, I’m going to need a separate bedroom,” I tell him. I may secretly want more, but it’s never going to happen.

“How about we go over and see if we can book a two-bedroom suite, then I’ll order room service, and we can talk over dinner?” he suggests.

I frown. “Ford, that soundsreallyexpensive and I?—”

“You donotworry about money. I am not exactly poor, but with the five g’s that I won thanks to Vector’s old lady at the craps table, we’ll let them pay for the room and the meal. What do you say?”

I sigh. I don’t want to leave. I can be honest and admit that. I enjoy being around him. Plus, I’d like to talk more with him—even knowing I’m going to break things off when we return back to real life. “If you’re sure,” I cautiously agree.

“I’m more than positive,” he says with a big smile. He doesn’t want tonight to end, either. Something about that warms me from the inside out. He puts his hand against my lower back, leading me to the lobby. Before we get there, I hear my name.

“Grace!”

My body stiffens when I hear Andrew. Ford looks down at me with questions in his eyes. It’s the same look that I saw in the elevator earlier. He hasn’t asked how I know Andrew, but Iknow it’s coming. I turn around slowly and face the man who disappeared from my life when I needed him, but now keeps showing up all the time.

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