To Die For - Davidson King Page 0,14

life trusting my gut—it kept me alive and when it told me to run, I did. At that moment, it was shouting at me to get out of the restaurant. I was just about to excuse myself when the door to the room opened again, and it was like every nightmare I’d ever had came at me all at once.

Everyone has their very own Satan. The one person that has the power to make your life a living hell, and mine was a man named Dorian Birch. The very same man who walked into the room and whose eyes were locked on mine. And the smile of victory he wore felt like I was being flayed. He’d found me.

“Good evening, everyone,” Dorian said in a booming voice. While his smile made my insides turn acidic, everyone else was immediately enamored. I was like them once.

Dorian Birch wasn’t an ugly man. Just the opposite—he was stunning. I hadn’t seen him in seven years, but it was like he hadn’t even aged. He was fifty when I first met him…so pushing sixty now and still handsome. Easily six foot two, broad, salt and pepper hair, piercing blue eyes, and a smile that would melt anyone’s heart. Until you got to know him and saw the toxicity the man had running through his veins.

I was frozen in place as he walked around greeting everyone. I knew he was saving me for last. I knew this man so well. It was how I was able to escape him. It was how, until this very moment, I was able to hide from him. After the first few years, I figured he’d stop looking and maybe I got lazy, but I should’ve known better. This was Dorian Birch. He didn’t give up, and he never lost. I had bested him, and he couldn’t let that go.

When Dorian came over to our table, we all stood. He took his time talking to Maude, and I looked at the four men around him, and they all had smirks on their faces. There was no coincidence in any of this. Dorian had planned it all. This was his game; these were his players. I was outnumbered and had nowhere to go.

Finally, Dorian was in front of me, hand out. “Lane Ashley, is it?” I wanted to spit in his face and run more than I wanted to breathe at that moment.

“Lane?” Earl said, “You all right? You don’t look so good.”

“Um…” I cleared my throat. “Yeah, fine. Yes, I’m Lane.” I didn’t dare shake Dorian’s hand. I never wanted to feel his skin on mine again.

“Earl here was telling me you had some serious reservations about this business arrangement.” Our gazes met, and while he appeared jovial toward Earl, I saw the slight narrowing of his eyes and how he gritted his teeth. “We’ll talk after the dinner…alone.” He wasn’t asking—he never did.

“Unfortunately, I have somewhere else I need to be after this dinner.” I feigned disappointment.

“Pity.” He smiled. “Tomorrow is fine. I’ll meet you at the studio.” He didn’t wait for me to answer him; he moved on, and my stomach churned.

“You really don’t look well, dear.” Betty placed her hand on my forehead.

“I didn’t sleep well last night,” I said to her, then faced Earl. “Earl, don’t sign with him, please. I’m asking you to just trust me on this.”

“Lane, what are you talking about?” He turned toward Dorian, who was talking to my neighbor.

“If I told you Dorian would destroy all your buildings after you signed the papers, if you knew he had malicious intent, would you not sign?”

“You speak like you know him?” Earl said.

“I do. He almost ruined my whole life. Please, Earl, I’m begging you.”

“Oh, Lane,” Earl whispered. And I knew. I knew Dorian had managed to make Earl sign those papers before the dinner. Dorian wasn’t stupid. Once he and I saw each other, he knew I’d tell Earl not to sign. There was no question he’d sweetened the deal so much Earl couldn’t resist. “I’m sorry. He was just—”

“I know.” I held up a hand stopping Earl. “I know what he’s like.” I took my seat and Betty and Earl followed suit. Maude wasn’t paying us any attention.

“Earl, you said you’d wait,” Betty scolded.

“He offered an extra million, I…I’m sorry.” There was no hiding how sorry he felt.

Dorian sat down and as if he knew I was watching him, his eyes locked with mine, and the asshole winked. I wasn’t as