With Every Breath (Slow Burn #4) - Maya Banks Page 0,12

have had fun with it and enjoyed herself. Maybe even done a little flirting. But then, she thought she would forever be free of Thomas, free of her humiliating past, and she’d been more than ready to finally embrace her present, was even looking forward to a future, something she would have never contemplated having. Firmly ensconced in her new life with a wealth of good friends and coworkers—the very best kind of people—she’d relaxed, become complacent and allowed herself the luxury of thinking that maybe, just maybe, she could leave Thomas and everything associated with him in the past, get the fuck over it, move forward and finally step into the sun.

How stupid and naïve she continued to be when those were the very things she’d sworn never to be a victim of again. What was the saying? You could never outrun your past because it inevitably caught up to you when you least expected it. And there was no such thing as absolution. Not for the wrongs she’d committed, had been complicit in. There was always a price to pay for the mistakes you made. She could delay them but never escape them.

Oh well, one more night to get through and then tomorrow . . . A wave of grief consumed her. Tomorrow was the big staff meeting at DSS. Her plans were completed. Arrangements made. Everything she needed, weapons and intel she’d meticulously gathered, careful to ensure no one, especially Dane, ever discovered all the things she’d so carefully collected starting the morning she’d received the call from the DA.

At least she’d get to see Ari, Ramie and Tori—provided Tori hadn’t opted out of the evening—say goodbye, even if she didn’t voice that farewell. She’d see them, commit their faces, their love, loyalty and friendship to memory. Pain surged as she crossed the street, drawing closer to the gallery. Except Gracie. She had to avoid Gracie at all costs. Simply seeing her from afar would have to suffice. Later. When she had made her escape, she would send Gracie a letter and say goodbye.

Then tomorrow morning, she’d see everyone she’d worked with the past several years, including being introduced to the new recruits, proof of DSS’s—and Caleb, Beau and Dane’s—commitment to hiring only the best and as many of the best as they could pull into the expanding security system.

She paused at the gallery door, noticing that it was already a packed house. Deciding to be “fashionably late” had been a good idea after all. Less chance of being cornered by too many friends all giving her the stare down she’d grown accustomed to over the past week. Her nerves were so frayed that there was no way she’d be able to withstand a full-scale assault from all the people who mattered to her. Just like she mattered to them.

She eased inside, not wanting to draw any undue attention to her entrance.

No such luck.

As she did a quick survey of the room, her gaze unerringly settled on Sterling and she froze when she saw his eyes solidly fixed on her. He’d evidently clocked her the moment she’d walked in the door as if he’d been waiting for her—had he? And he stared at her with those piercing dark eyes that never missed a damn thing and when she thought things couldn’t get worse than the fact he’d obviously been keeping an eye out for her arrival, he began shoving through the crowd not even caring that he was being rude and pushing people out of his way. And he was making a beeline for her.

Damn his arrogant, smug ass straight to hell. She was here. So why was he so intent on making a scene when he’d been the one so adamant that things be perfect for Gracie’s debut, had been pissed that Gracie’s feelings would be hurt if all her friends weren’t here.

She glanced left and right looking for an escape route, any escape route so she could melt into the crowd and not be there when Sterling shoved into her space. Or maybe she could fake a sudden onset of the flu or some wicked stomach virus. Food poisoning! But then she hadn’t eaten her forgotten takeout in her car because the damn man had forced a confrontation on her turf and well, after that, her appetite had fled.

A waiter bearing a tray full of champagne glasses brushed by her and she lunged for one of the glasses and then on impulse grabbed another one.