Page 10 of How to Get Even

But as the boxes passed him, he caught a glimpse of a high cheekbone and a sleek blonde chignon.

Fuuuuuck.He inwardly groaned.

He ran his hand through his hair as he followed in her wake. There was no shaking this off.Christ, what had he called her? A pampered princess socialite?

He kept his eyes firmly above ass level as she walked straight over to the door opposite his and put the boxes down to reach for her key.

‘Do you need a hand?’ he offered reflexively before wincing at the look she gave him as she straightened up.

‘No,’ she answered. And then, as if absolutely incapable of stopping herself, she added a ‘thank you’, that was as much ‘fuck you’ as humanly possible.

There were slight traces of red slashes across her sharp cheekbones and he could see it. Why she’d made such an impact on him.

She looked him dead in the eyes.

Complex and varied shards of grey slammed at him like an assault. The flecks of gold both hot as fire and cold as ice, reminded him of Turner’sSnow Storm. Movement, slashes of anger, defiance, determination.

And for the first time in nearly twelve months his right hand twitched. The itch as if from a phantom limb, taking him wholly by surprise. He rubbed the back of his neck to buy some time as he gathered himself.

‘Look, I’m s?—’

The door slammed before he’d even finished the word.

And yes. He deserved that.

* * *

Just Desserts WhatsApp Group. 21.36EST.

Bella

That man is a… you know what.

Paige

You can say it, Bella. We’re all adults here!

Sienna

What happened?

Astrid

My money’s on Bella meeting Chase Miller.

Bella

The man is a menace. The worst kind of snob. Mean and utterly undignified.

Astrid

Sounds like Chase Miller.

Bella

I. Am. Going. To. Make. Him. Pay.

Paige

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