A Wicked Game(28)

Jack frowned. His throat went suddenly dry and his heart took a nosedive. What the fuck just happened? He watched the car merge into traffic and disappear into the distance. The icy look Tori gave him combined with the shock of seeing her with another man held him in place. He looked down the street, then up again, raking his hands through his hair.

He got back to his car and grabbed his cell phone. Without a second thought, he called her, but as he expected, his call went straight to voicemail. So he sent her a text: You lied. Jack placed the phone in his cup holder and drove away, willing off his mind the images of her with another man.

A few minutes later, he parked his car in his garage and grabbed his phone. He was taking the elevator up to his place when his phone vibrated in his hand. A new message from Tori flashed on the screen.

Game Over.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He’d fucked up, he’d give her that. He wouldn’t call it over yet. They were far from over.





Chapter Eighteen





The dinner party lasted longer than she’d expected. How she’d made it through the entire evening, Tori didn’t know. Her boss asked her to accompany him to a working dinner party with a new partner, and, given her position at the magazine, she couldn’t very well say no. The new partner was so important to her employer that she’d had to give up going to London.

If she’d gone on her trip as planned, she wouldn’t have seen Jack. What did he expect? What did he want? He left her. He broke all contact between them. He hadn’t even called her, which she’d known he wouldn’t. Regardless, she’d expected him to say something, to tell her they’d reached the end of their affair.

He hadn’t. Jack took the easy way out and left.

It’d been almost three months, and no matter what she’d tried to do, she hadn’t gotten over Jack yet. It’d take her a while before she could see someone else. Tonight, it’d hurt to see him standing there. It took all her willpower to stay put and get into the waiting car. Making a fool of herself, for a guy who had ditched her, in front of her boss hadn’t been part of her evening agenda. She knew better.

Her boss stayed behind and his chauffeur drove her home. Tori was exhausted both physically and mentally. She craved the comfort of her bed. Catching any sleep tonight would be next to impossible. She’d pop a couple of sleeping pills if she had to, but she wouldn’t lose sleep over a guy—a guy who didn’t deserve her—and she refused to wake up with horrendous bags under her eyes. The beauty police department at the office would kill her if she did.

The chauffeur stopped in front of her building complex. She thanked him and stepped out of the car. Not paying attention to her surroundings, she walked to the entrance’s steps.

“Tori.”

She paused midstep and turned to face the man she wished she could forget. Jack stood, leaning on his bike, arms and legs crossed. Tori stared at him, taking in the way his leather jacket fit him just perfectly and how his jeans showcased his strong legs. He looked like the badass beautiful nerd he wasn’t supposed to be.

“What are you doing here, Jack?” she asked.

He sauntered toward her. “We need to talk.”

“No, we don’t. As far as I’m concerned, we have nothing to discuss.” She walked to the steps.

“Who was that man?”

Tori shook her head in disbelief and twisted back around to look at him. “It’s none of your business.”

“Are you seeing him?” he asked.

There was an edge to his voice she hadn’t heard before. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times. “What I do or don’t do is no concern of yours.”

“Are you fucking him?”

She gasped. “Have a good life, Jack.” She turned back to the steps to add more distance between them.

“You lied,” he said.

She spun around and stared him down, lifting an eyebrow. “I lied?” Tori closed the space between them. “I wasn’t the one who promised to call. You did.”

His jaw tightened. Jack reached for her, but she stepped back, avoiding his touch. “I can explain,” he said.

“I’m not asking for an explanation. I don’t need one. You decided to move on. So have I. What are you doing here now, Jack?” Her chest tightened as she tried to breath. Why was he playing with her mind, with her heart? It’d been hard enough to accept he didn’t want to talk to her when he didn’t return any of her calls. He shouldn’t be here now. She’d moved on—or tried to.

“I want to explain,” he said, his intent gaze bore into hers.

“It’s too late for that,” she said, taking a step back, ready to turn.