"Which is why I always remind you."
"Such a hardass." Tegs addressed Amery. "This psycho fucker made me run three miles on a treadmill. Three miles," he repeated. "Look at this body. Do you think it fucking enjoys running? Hell no. But I did it. Puked like a frat boy on the first weekend of college afterward, but I goddamn did it."
Amery had heard Ronin acted as a personal trainer, but this was the first evidence she'd seen of it. "Good for you. I keep trying to convince him to teach me a shoulder throw."
Tegs laughed. "Little-bitty sprite like you throwing grown men around? You go, sister." He held out his knuckles for a fist bump. "I hope the first guy you throw on his ass is that sadistic fucker Deacon, 'cause I'd pay good money to see that."
"Deacon didn't like it any better than I did when you sat on him," Ronin said.
"Don't matter. S'what I get paid to do." He clapped Ronin on back. "Really great to see you out and about, old-timer."
After Tegs left, Amery said, "He's some kind of sports guy, right?"
"Tegs plays offensive tackle for the Broncos."
"Should I have recognized him?"
"Only if you're a football fan."
"Are you a die-hard sports fan?"
He shrugged. "I'll watch a game if it's on. I try to keep up with what's going on locally. But I'm not a fanatic."
A shadow fell over them again.
Ronin faced Tegs. "What now?"
Tegs's hands came up in surrender. "Whoa. Don't shoot the messenger. Krueger wants to talk to you."
"About?"
"How the fuck do I know? He heard you were here, said you've been ditching his calls, and he told me to ask you for five minutes of your time." Tegs shot Amery an apologetic smile. "Quick business thing, pretty lady. I'll bring him right back."
She watched as the Master Black mask dropped back into place. Ronin said, "Amery, don't wander off. This won't take long."
The man didn't even crack a smile when she saluted.
None of the people milling about were friendly, except for a pervert or two she caught eyeing her ass. In lieu of starting a conversation with a stranger, she downed another glass of champagne, wondering how she'd ended up ditched at a cocktail party within fifteen minutes of arrival. This was what had kept her up last night: Ronin knowing everyone. Her knowing no one. Him leaving her alone while he roamed around.
What she wouldn't give to see one familiar face.
That's when she heard, "Amery?"
She froze. Goddammit. The one time in her life she'd gotten what she'd wished for, she'd ended up with the one person she'd hoped never to see again. Maybe if she ignored him he'd think he was mistaken and walk away.
Please let him walk away.
Before she could vanish into the crowd, Tyler stepped in front of her.
He wore an expression of shock. "Amery Hardwick. It is you." Tyler pulled her into his arms. "My god, it's been what? Four years since we've seen each other?"
"Yes," she said, trying to disentangle from his embrace.
But Tyler wasn't letting her go. He scrutinized her face. "You look fantastic. Like really fantastic."
"Thanks. I need to-"
"Stay and talk with me. We've got a lot of catching up to do."
No, they didn't. But if she didn't act as if she wanted to escape, then maybe she'd satisfy his curiosity and he'd move on. Quickly. "I didn't realize you were still in Denver."
"Left for about a year to oversee the Rockies feeder teams. When I returned management promoted me. And I also work with the pitching staff, so I've got the best of both worlds."
"Sounds great." Amery tried not to stand on tiptoe and peer over his shoulder for a glimpse of Ronin.
"I'm living in Cherry Creek now."
"That's nice."
"One of the perks of being upper-level management is I get to attend this event every year."
"Lucky you."
Tyler went on to tell how awesome his life was and never stopped to take a breath or to ask about her. He hadn't changed a bit. How had she ever found the me-me-me aspect to him attractive? Yes, he was a good-looking guy, but as she stood in front of him, trapped by his gigantic ego, she couldn't remember what she'd ever seen in him.
Confidence. He had it; you lacked it.
That was the one good thing that'd come out of their relationship. In trying to emulate him she'd learned to act more confident-even if she had to fake it.
He was frowning at her. Oops. Had he noticed she'd tuned him out? "Sorry, I didn't catch that last part."