Page 53 of Scorned Beauty (Scorned Fate #5)

My whole body locked up when the ladies’ room door swung open and the woman I hadn’t seen in years walked through.

“This is cozy.” The woman of my nightmares sneered at me.

She hadn’t aged well. Botox and fillers had taken their toll.

I used to admire her delicate features, but in her attempt to stop time, she’d almost become unrecognizable.

I thought I’d recognized her earlier, but since her lips were plumped up way past how I remembered her, she didn’t even register.

Apparently, she couldn’t say the same. “I thought it was you, Sloane. And, girl, I am impressed. Dominic De Lucci? Does he know you used to scrub my toilet and dumpster-dive behind my building? I still have the picture, you know.”

I thought about those pictures briefly over the past few weeks, but it was a blessing they burned down with the rest of my things the day Al was supposed to deliver them. “You sent me one every year for four years, but then you stopped. Why?”

“Because you’re not worth my time anymore,” she snapped.

“No, that’s the time Tomlin got elected to office,” Lucy said.

“You’re afraid to leave a trail of your husband’s past harassment.”

She stepped forward. “You seduced him.”

“If that’s your take on your husband grooming a minor, then you’re as despicable as he is.”

“You had notions in your head that you could be the next Mrs. Tomlin. He’s a respected United States congressman and you? You’re simply a nurse. Poor Imogen couldn’t even ask the right questions.”

“You set her up at dinner, didn’t you?” Lucy asked. So I guessed Imogen was wearing the red mask.

“Fred forbade me to go near either of you.”

“And why are you here?”

“Because despite what happens tonight, this isn’t over.” She directed her contemptuous gaze up and down my dress. “Enjoy, Cinderella. This won’t have a happily ever after. If Dominic De Lucci doesn’t see you for the trash you are, he will soon.”

Vivienne Tomlin swept out of the room in a cloying smell of heavy vanilla and rose.

We gave her a few seconds head start before Lucy tugged my arm to leave the ladies’ room. “Come on.”

I was suddenly over this gala anyway, and if Vivienne and Imogen-the-red-mask were the type of people in Dom’s circle, then I’d rather stay at home watching my serial killer TV.

I wasn’t the only one who had to make adjustments in this relationship.

I was busy spiraling in my thoughts, so I didn’t notice Lucy stop. I bumped into her. But then I saw what caused her to halt so abruptly.

Frederick Tomlin. I knew him as Mr. Tomlin then, not Congressman Tomlin.

He wasn’t wearing his mask. Though the years had been kinder to his tanned all-American face, his blond head was almost white. Once upon a time, he exuded the golden-boy allure of the Great Gatsby era.

I berated my sixteen-year-old self for not seeing the man he was. A predator. He’d been grooming me. My mother recognized him for who he was and it frightened her.

“Sloanie, sweetheart,” he breathed. The lust in his eyes made my skin crawl. “I always knew you’d become this beautiful woman.” His gaze hardened when they fell on Lucy, then flew back to me. “What’s this? Did you two conspire to take me down?”

“You did that to yourself, Congressman Tomlin,” Lucy shot back.

“You never changed, did you?” I said. “You still prey on children.”

His lips curled, and coupled with the sickening gleam in his eyes, his handsome features transformed into the revolting face of a monster. The masquerade was over and he’d shed the mask he’d been hiding from the public.

“Fred,” Vivienne gasped, running toward him as fast as her gown would allow. “They published it. We’re ruined.”

“What are you doing here?” he snapped at his wife. “I told you to return to the table.”

“And what? Face humiliation?”

“Then leave. I need a word with Sloanie girl.”

“Sloanie?” Vivienne screeched. “You’re not replacing me with trash!”

“The only trash is you,” a voice spoke from the shadows.

“Dom?” I whispered.

“You didn’t think I’d let you go off alone when this fucker is around?” His deadly gaze swept over Tomlin. “And you better not take another step toward her.”

Vivienne sneered. “You seem to forget she used to clean my toilet.”

“Is that the best you can come up with?” Dom drawled. “How about you worry about your reputation circling the sewer? It’s everything a bitch like you deserves.”

“How dare you?” she whispered.

“Go back to the table, Vivienne! So help me God,” Fred roared.

When Vivienne skittered away, he turned on Dom. “What’s this? Extortion?” His eyes zipped back to me. “Is this why you’re spreading your legs for this criminal?”

“Motherfucker!” Dom rushed Tomlin, but someone in a tux tackled him.

“Dammit, De Lucci,” the newcomer croaked in pain. “You’re going to set me back in physical therapy.”

Phil Harding?

Men in tuxes and tactical gear surrounded us. Wait, this was a sting operation?

I’d only noticed how the hallways were darkened more than normal, and men appeared to barricade the entrance leading back to the ballroom.

Someone approached. I recognized him as the fed working with Phil. “Congressman Tomlin, you’re under arrest for aggravated assault of minors. You have the right to remain silent…”

“You can’t do this!” he roared. “This is entrapment.”

“There was no entrapment here, but we have received evidence?—”

He glared at Lucy. “I’ll fight this charge. You can’t use this in court.”

They hauled him away from where the festivities were still going on. I caught sight of Kirill standing at the end of the hallway before he disappeared when the rest of law enforcement flooded the hall.

“Phil…” I whispered. “I didn’t know where to find you. Phil Harding…”

“Doesn’t exist.” He grinned wryly. “But I’m still Phil.”

He reached out to touch me, but Dom growled. “If you don’t want to be put back in a cast?—”

“Christ,” Phil chuckled. “I guess I can’t hug you.”

“Yes, you can.”

I squinted at Dom, ignoring the blast of disapproval coming from him, and stepped into Phil. “I’m so happy you’re alive.”

He said by my ear, “Me too, but I won’t be if you don’t let me go soon.”

“Mr. Harding,” Lucy interrupted. “Won’t you escort me back to the ball?”

I glanced at Dom’s sister, who was silently laughing while her brother stood forbiddingly with clenched fists, glaring at me and Phil.

He glared even harder when I rolled my eyes.

When Phil and I broke our hug, he turned to Lucy, offering his arm. “Gladly, Miss De Lucci. I can’t thank you enough for giving us a break on the case.”

They walked away. “It won’t hold up in court but…”

“This was the plan all along?” I asked Dom. “I could have helped better. Maybe planned a whole speech against Tomlin.”

“We couldn’t risk an entrapment charge. The less you knew, the better.” Dom prowled toward me. “And you were playing with fire, baby.” My pussy spasmed at the promise of retribution behind his eyes.

“What? Hugging Phil?”

“I don’t want any other man touching you.” He dragged me into his arms. “Got me? I didn’t even get to punch Tomlin.”

“No sense risking an assault charge, especially with witnesses,” I muttered.

Dom chuckled darkly. “See, you’re so good for me.”

“What? Reining in your crazy?”

“I’m about to show you crazy.”