Taking Him (Lies We Tell) by Ashenden Jackie

Author:Ashenden, Jackie [Ashenden, Jackie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2013-11-11T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“You promised me a dance, Hunter.”

He hated her voice. It made his muscles tight and other parts of him stir in a way he loathed. Jesus, it had been sixteen years, yet the way she said his name made his body spring to attention. Like fucking Pavlov’s dog.

Hunter turned to find Liz behind him, the perfect ice queen in her blue dress, all coiffed blonde hair and immaculate makeup. Over the years he’d perfected a way of handling her, affecting a bored disinterest he knew drove her crazy. It usually worked except he’d shown his hand when he’d seen her talking with Ellie earlier. Liz would take that scrap of anger, no matter how brief it had been, and use it to her advantage. Make it all about her. Because that’s what she always did whenever she was around him. Pushing and pushing for a reaction, any reaction, she didn’t seem to care what kind it was as long as she got it.

“Oh, did I?” he said carelessly. “Sorry. I forgot.”

The hotel foyer was largely empty; most wedding guests were inside the ballroom. He’d escaped an interminable conversation about the state of the construction industry with one of his father’s old friends and had slipped out of the ballroom to see where Ellie had got to. After their dance, she’d said she’d had to go to the ladies’, but he was sure she’d been gone longer than she needed to.

Liz stepped a little closer and he had to fight the instinctive urge to move away. He wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of knowing she made his skin crawl.

“You didn’t forget, dear.” She smiled at him. “You’re avoiding me.”

Ah, that smile. His world used to begin and end with that smile. Back when he’d been a kid ruled by his dick and the stupid belief that she loved him as much as he loved her.

“Avoid you? Why would I want to avoid you?”

“Oh, no reason. I thought you seemed a little upset when I got chatting with Ellie.”

Yeah, he’d been a little upset. Liz was toxic and he didn’t want her particular brand of poison anywhere near Ellie. But it wouldn’t do to let her know that. “I wasn’t upset. Pissed that you’d think telling her crap about the past is a good idea, but not upset.”

Liz took another step toward him and suddenly all he could smell was her perfume, thick and cloying, the same one she’d always used. He remembered how he’d turn his head into the pillows of his bed so he could smell it.

“I can’t imagine why you’d feel angry about a few funny anecdotes,” she said softly. “Unless, of course, you thought I’d tell her about…other things.”

He could feel his jaw getting tight, everything getting tight. The urge to get away from her was almost overpowering but he resisted it. Fought it. Refused to let it affect him.

“Other things?” He put his hands in the pockets of his trousers, his fingers automatically searching for the drawing pin.

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