“So you know what I’m feeling right now?” she countered.
Ronin let his knuckles follow the curve of her jaw. “You’re turned on but you don’t want to be. You’re trying hard to fit in, but you outshine them all. And you’re wondering why I’m saying all this now when we’re in public. Maybe someone will overhear. But I don’t give a good goddamn if that happens.”
“Does that drummer in your head always do his own thing?”
“Always.”
She drained her champagne and grabbed another glass before hooking her arm through his. “Let’s mingle. I want to spot some celebrities.”
“Anyone in particular?”
“The only mover and shaker I know in Denver is Alexis Carrington.”
He shook his head. “Fictional TV character. Try again.”
“I was so hoping for a catfight between her and Krystle—a hair-pulling, clothes-ripping, shoe-throwing beat-down.”
“Aren’t you a little young to have grown up watching Dynasty?”
“I watched reruns every day after school. My mother, for being a self-professed happy homemaker, wasn’t happy when school dismissed for the day. She let me and my brother watch whatever we wanted. Yes, we did make fun of it, but it was an eye-opener as to how the really rich lived. Not a lot of billionaires in North Dakota.” She laughed. “I wouldn’t know how to act if I ever met a billionaire anyway.”
“I’m sure you’d do just fine. Nothing special about them, trust me.”
They’d almost crossed into the banquet hall when a voice boomed, “Ronin Black.” Then an African-American guy about six foot five and three hundred and fifty pounds blocked their path. “I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Sensei Black. In the flesh. At a party. But here you are.” He offered a formal bow, which Ronin returned. Then he thrust out his hand. “Man, it’s good to see you.”
“Same goes.” Ronin drew her forward. “Tegs Green, meet Amery Hardwick.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Amery said.
“You too.” Tegs grinned. “Got you a real foxy one, eh? She know about the time I whipped up on the unbeatable Master Black?”
“You sitting on me and squashing me like a bug hardly qualifies as a true victory, Tegs. And I choked you out after you let me up, so no whipping up on me there either.”
“I always forget that you wrapped those lethal fingers around my throat until I passed the motherfuck out.”
“Which is why I always remind you.”
“Such a hardass.” Tegs addressed Amery. “This psycho f**ker made me run three miles on a treadmill. Three miles,” he repeated. “Look at this body. Do you think it f**king 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 f**ker 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 f**k 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.