Page 7 of Settling the Score (The Karma Club #4)

The four would-be queens of relationship karmic retribution, along with Chase and Olly, turned, in unison, at the approach of a golf cart.

It was too far away to make out facial features, but even at this distance, Sienna could easily spot their matching, broad shoulders, larger than life frames.

Strength. Charisma. Titan Twins, incoming.

She looked around wildly. ‘Is it too late to hide in a bush?’

‘Yes,’ the others answered as one.

Paige threw her a grimace, so Sienna quickly lifted a hand and surreptitiously smoothed her hair down, hating Aiden in that moment.

Hating him more than she had all these years, despite everything he’d put her through.

Somehow, this was the worst. The lowest ebb.

Because he’d snatched even this from her – the moment of victory she’d been determined would finally be hers.

‘I told Blake we’d meet them at the house,’ Astrid said, apologetically.

‘It’s fine,’ Sienna lied. ‘Of course your fiancé wants to see you after a week apart. It’s fine, ’ she added, because Astrid still looked concerned.

‘Just smile,’ Bella encouraged Sienna. ‘You have a beautiful smile. No one will be looking at your shirt if you smile.’

Her shirt? What the heck was wrong with her shirt? Sienna glanced down right as she remembered the coffee spilling over her breasts as the plane had taken on a particularly opinionated cloud, causing it to rattle around in the sky for a good minute or so.

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake,’ she groaned, glancing upwards. ‘How many bleeping mirrors did I break in a past life? For the record, this is not how it’s meant to go. Y’all promised me revenge. ’

‘Revenge?’ Olly groaned. ‘God, please tell me hamsters won’t be involved this time.’

‘Or salty coffees,’ Chase added.

‘You both – just don’t say a word,’ Paige instructed. ‘This is secret women’s business.’

‘This is a mistake,’ Sienna grimaced, her skin paling.

‘Stop.’ Bella’s voice was calming. She squeezed Sienna’s hand. ‘And listen to me. You are a knockout, no matter what you’re wearing, how your hair looks, or anything else. Smile, act as though you don’t have a care in the world, and our plan will still be firmly on track. You’ve got this.’

‘And we’ve got you,’ Paige said, moving closer and putting a hand around Sienna’s waist, squeezing her hip. ‘You’re not alone, honey.’

It was just the right thing to say. Somehow, these women always did that. No matter how Sienna was feeling, they had just the perfect words of encouragement to soothe away the frustrations of her day.

‘I love you guys,’ she said, with genuine relief.

‘The poor sucker has no idea what he’s in for,’ Chase muttered, grimly.

‘You kind of want to warn him, right?’ Olly replied.

‘Don’t you dare,’ Paige said.

‘You don’t think a heads up about the possibility of a stray dog landing in his lap is something he should know?’

Paige slapped his shoulder. ‘Like you didn’t actually love it.’

Olly grinned.

‘Guys, shhh, ’ Bella whispered.

The golf cart was close now. Close enough to see Aiden turn and say something to Blake. In her peripheral vision, she was aware that he nodded in response, but Sienna could hardly take her eyes off Aiden. Nausea rose inside of her at this impending reality. Seeing him – for real – again.

She had been literally bombarded with images of him over the past decade.

Photos of him in magazines in skimpy underwear, displaying his package like a man who had never, ever needed the help of a sock.

Talk about BDE. She’d seen him on billboards, interviews on TV, ads, he was everywhere.

But she hadn’t actually seen him in the flesh since he’d broken up with her.

She hadn’t seen his smile, his hair, his eyes, his mouth up close and personal, and now that he was bearing down on them just as fast as the golf cart could go, all the oxygen seemed to be getting sucked out of her world all over again.

Her lips parted and her eyes widened, because so much of who she’d once been, so long ago, was bound up in this man.

This man. Not a boy any more, a teenager on the cusp of adulthood, but a proper, grown-ass man, all sexy square jaw and deep grooves in his cheek, not to mention the burly, broad shape of him, the legs that looked like two solid tree trunks.

Her stomach knotted and she blinked away, mouthing, so only Bella could see, ‘Kill me now, please.’

‘Not a chance,’ the sleek blonde replied, so Sienna had no choice but to swallow past the lump in her throat, paste an overbright smile onto her face and channel every bit of advice they’d given her over the past few days. Stand straight, shoulders squared, no emotions, and smile.

‘Well, well, if it isn’t the future Mrs Carter,’ Blake said with a grin, as he jumped out of the golf cart as soon as Aiden had brought it to a stop.

Aiden watched his brother go before his attention turned back to the group, and Sienna felt like a whole country’s electricity supply had been shunted into her veins. The nauseating feeling rose higher.

His eyes travelled over Bella first, then Paige, and then, with heart-stopping slowness, almost as if he was fighting it, he looked at Sienna.

Really looked at her.

Like he’d been thinking about her.

Wondering about her.

Like he’d even given her a second’s thought at some point since he’d left town.

But she knew he hadn’t.

She’d accepted that a long time ago. I’ve moved on. You should, too.

His eyes were the most startling shade of blue, like ice and some kind of sparkly gemstone.

She’d loved staring at them back then, but now, they filled her with a sort of rage, because why should someone be this hot, as well as so insanely talented?

It really wasn’t fair. From that chiselled jawline to granite-esque cheekbones, symmetrical features and just ridiculously buff body, he was an insult to the entire concept of ‘it’s what’s inside that matters’.

Because his outside mattered. It really, really mattered, even when she wished on every star in heaven that it didn’t.

He stepped out of the cart with easy athleticism – hardly surprising, given his profession as one of the highest-paid hockey players in the league – and began to saunter (yes, literally saunter, because of course he sauntered) towards their group.

Astrid and Blake were hugging like they hadn’t seen one another in years, rather than a week, Blake’s hand on Astrid’s gently rounded stomach.

They were a family, Sienna thought, something popping in the region of her heart.

‘Aiden Carter,’ Aiden said, extending a hand towards Bella and Chase. Sienna felt her friend stiffen in an A-grade loyalty response before she dropped her grip on Sienna’s arm and, after a slight hesitation, took Aiden’s hand.

‘Bella Carmichael and Chase Miller.’ Her tone was delightfully crisp; Sienna wasn’t sure she’d ever loved her more.

Aiden nodded once, then moved onto Paige, who was eyeing him like something that had just slithered out from under a rock. Bless her. So much for keeping emotion off their faces.

Paige seemed to remember her mission at the last minute. ‘Paige,’ she said, not willing to offer a last name, apparently. ‘And Olly.’ She waved towards her boyfriend.

‘Pleasure,’ Aiden said with a nod. Sienna could have sworn she heard Paige grunt.

A moment later, he was toe to toe with Sienna, and she couldn’t put it off any longer. Her stomach squeezed and swirled.

‘Hey, stranger,’ he said, his voice a note lower, a little drawled and husky.

Flirty.

How fucking dare he? The nausea seemed to throb right in her throat, so she tasted acid and felt the walls of her tummy heave.

She tried to keep a grip on her temper – because wasn’t the whole point of this to make him flirt with her?

To make him want her, then trample all over his ego, and maybe even a little piece of his heart, just as he’d done with her?

As tempted as she might be to tear strips off him then and there, or give him a frigidly cold shoulder, that was not what they’d decided Sienna would do.

Besides, she’d sworn her past with Aiden wouldn’t ruin this moment – Astrid’s wedding.

That’s what they were here for. That’s what mattered most.

‘Aiden,’ she said, her voice carefully controlled, not showing any of the darker feelings that were making her pulse thunder. ‘Long time, no see.’

He dragged a hand through his hair, revealing a hint of tanned waist where his dark grey shirt lifted.

She blinked away quickly.

‘Yeah, jeez. How long’s it been?’

It was like a slug in the guts.

How long’s it been?

So casual. Like he barely even remembered. Unconsciously, she pressed a hand to her stomach. Remembering what it had been like to know their baby was in there. To feel that life as a part of her. The absence was something she’d never quite got over.

How long’s it been?

Her insides twisted uncomfortably – she felt as though she were still rocking on that damn boat.

‘God, I don’t know.’ She forced a laugh with the lie, suddenly hoping she didn’t vomit. ‘It feels like a lifetime ago.’

He nodded slowly. ‘And now you’re here,’ he said, a small frown tugging on his lips.

‘Of course Sissi is here.’ Astrid had separated herself from Blake long enough to catch the last exchange of dialogue. ‘She’s only one of my best friends.’

‘Yeah, so Blake said.’ Aiden looked quizzical. As though he still didn’t quite understand how this woman from his past had wound up solidly in his present, even when Sienna knew that Astrid and Blake had given him a slightly adjusted version of the truth.

Suddenly, the world was tilting and twisting, and Sienna’s stomach wasn’t just throbbing but heaving.

‘Oh, God,’ she groaned, catching a look of surprise from Paige right before she leaned forward and threw up. Right at the feet of Aiden ‘Eye Wateringly Expensive Loafers’ Carter…