Page 24 of Dangerous Men

A voice calls out my name, and I freeze, a cold chill running over me.

Oh no.

“Sydney?”

Oh no, oh no.

I know that voice.

Pasting a smile on my face to hide my panic, I turn, counting to ten in my head as I do so.Think happy thoughts, Sydney.

I inhale peace and exhale worry, I say to myself, not believing a single damn word.

I am an ocean of calm.

“Chase,” I greet my ex-boyfriend as he approaches. Scratch that, my ex-boyfriendandhis new girlfriend. My stomach sinks as I recognize the woman at his side, his arm wrapped around her waist.

Of course he’s here. After I’d begged him to come, and he’d still said no. After I’d bought both our tickets with my own money, after he’d made me feel so guilty for expecting even the slightest amount of courtesy from him by wanting one special night. One night for me. Of course, after all of that, he shows up here.

With her.

And just like that, my dream night has become a nightmare.

He even dressed up, something he’d consistently failed to do when we were together. I recognize his suit as the same one he wore to his uncle’s wedding two years ago, and though it’s a little tight around the middle, it still fits. And he looks good. He’s always been handsome, with his boy-next-door looks and charm, always been the sort of man to turn heads.

That was part of the problem.

Caroline gives me a shy smile, an unreadable expression on her perfectly contoured face. I wonder if she’s as uncomfortable seeing me as I am seeing her. Her dress flows down her body in mirror opposition to mine, high-necked with a low back, golden hued and sleek.

She looks good, too. Really good.

I hate her a little for it.

“You got a haircut,” I say to Chase, stupidly, regretting the words the moment they are out of my mouth.

“Uh, yeah,” he laughs, touching the tips of his short hair. “A few since we broke up, actually.”

His gaze rolls over my dress.

“That’s quite a look,” he says. If he thinks my outfit is too provocative—the neckline too low or the slit up the side too bold—at least he doesn’t say it out loud. In fact, the way his eyes linger on my cleavage makes me think he approves. Caroline makes a sound, clearing her throat to draw Chase’s attention back to her.

“Thanks,” I say reflexively. I eye the exit to the garden, glancing back over my shoulder. “Well, I should get going. I need to find my date.” The lie rolls off my tongue with surprising ease.

I say it to be cruel, wanting to hurt him. He doesn’t need to know I’m here with Jade, and I want him to think that maybe Ihave someone else too. Make them realize they aren’t the only ones that have moved on, even if it is a lie. But Chase doesn’t react. He doesn’t even look at me.

Acting like he wasn’t even listening, he plants a delicate kiss on Caroline’s bare shoulder, making her blush. My insides twist.

God, I’m pathetic.

Why am I standing here entertaining this? Why can’t I just walk away? My fists clench at my side, and just as I’m about to turn and leave, Chase finally glances back at me.

“Hey, listen, I’ve been wanting to talk to you, but you, uh…you haven’t returned any of my messages lately.” He says it so casually, like he doesn’t even care. Like he wasn’t messaging me constantly, day after day, without pause.

Does your girlfriend know how much you’ve been messaging me? I wonder.

“I blocked your number,” I say, the words tumbling from my lips before I can stop them.

That gets his attention, at least.