“Tell him yourself,” the young man said before giving John the hotel name and suite number. He would be happy to tell the man to fuck off in person. Anna would land any minute, and he wanted to be able to tell her there was nothing between him and Tom. Finally, he would be able to explain everything.

It had been a terrible few days without her. He couldn’t write. Every time he opened his laptop, he thought about her. He’d picked up a few shifts at the bar, but mostly the same thoughts rolled through his head over and over again as he tried to decide what he would say to her.

John approached the room, winding his way through the ornate hallway. It was finally ending, then he and Anna could be together.

#

ANNA KNEW THAT VOICE. Must be the wrong room, she thought even as she continued to walk into the room.

It was easy to picture what she would find inside—an ornate suite with a plush carpet and impossibly delicate furniture, overflowing with flowers, side tables piled high with food and drinks. It would be another meeting where one voice commanded all the attention regardless of who else was there.

She pushed open the door. Once again, Tom had chosen his setting well. Her ex-husband sat in a high-backed chair. Dan Richards sat on the couch next to him, an anxious look on his face and poorly tailored suit in place.

Chapter Thirty-Five

“Anna, I’m glad you’ve decided to join us.” Tom gestured for her to sit down.

She remained standing, worried her legs might give out if she took a step.

“You’re only a little late, but that might work out well.”

Tom wore another elegantly tailored suit, a silk tie, and leather shoes. Like a store mannequin, his handsomeness was a manufactured blandness.

“What are you doing here, Tom?” she asked, clutching her hands. If she had anticipated this at all, she would’ve known to hide her confusion.

“I’ve been doing business with Dan for a while now.”

Her heart raced. What does Remington have to do with him? He shouldn’t even know their names.

“I told Dan I was interested in helping him with a troubled vampire movie, that I might even buy it when it was done.”

“How long?”

“Does it matter now?” Tom stood. “All that matters is you lost.”

“You did all this to get back at me?” Anna’s voice rose.

“You were always terrible at business, Anna.” Tom shook his head in mock concern. “Dan, please leave us. My ex-wife is getting emotional.”

Dan walked out of the room, and the pity on his face made her angrier than she already was. How in the holy hell could this have happened? She wanted to run, but reminding herself she had done nothing wrong, she calmed her racing heart.