“Yeah, sure it is, just like her orange XXL breasts. But whatever.”
“Ouch.” He grinned and there were a few herbs from the complimentary canapés sticking to his front teeth. “You sound bitter.”
How dare he comment on how she looked, felt, or sounded! “I have news for you, Stan. I’ve moved on with my life.”
“So have I,” he said with a sickly smoothness that made her throat constrict. “Millie was just a phase.”
She felt his gaze on her breasts and then her throat and it repulsed her. How could she ever have thought she was in love with this creep? “Right.”
“She was a mistake, I admit it. I was a fool to think she could ever replace you. I was blinded, seduced by her.”
“Oh, give me a break. It was all her fault? You dumped me on Christmas Eve because she cast a spell on you or something? Or did she drug you with one of her very special cocktails?” Piper let out a hollow laugh and shook her head with disbelief. “It’s not working, Stanley. I’m not that stupid and lacking in self-respect anymore.”
He stroked a damp fingertip down her cheek. “I’ve been meaning to call you and beg for forgiveness, but thought it might be too soon.”
She took a quick step backward to get his finger off her. “Too soon for what? For me to forget what a manipulative bastard you actually were to me over all those years we were together? Too soon for me to get so desperate for your company that I’d let you get away with treating me like a piece of trash?” She stepped back to evade his touch. “Get real, it’s not going to happen.”
“So melodramatic,” he said. “That much hasn’t changed about you.”
“Worried I might embarrass you? That’s pretty much a trademark. You always did your best to exclude me from any of your precious work functions. I guess that’s why you’re here—work. Charity was never very high on your list of priorities.”
“You’re right, this is a corporate invite. Business before pleasure, you know that’s the way I need things to be.”
“Business before everything, right? Except for slutty cocktail waitresses.” Stanley had the ability to make certain words sound unbearably disgusting, especially ones that fed his pomposity. Words like corporate and business were like verbal tics. And then she noticed he was carrying a leather iPad case with his initials embossed in gold on it. She’d have laughed if she didn’t feel the sudden urge to vomit all over his far-too-pointed shiny shoes. Stan was such a dick. If only she’d been able to see it when they were together.
He snorted in the condescending way he always did when she dared to contradict him or stand up for herself. “She has teeth now as well as a fancy outfit.” And then he made a pathetic growling noise in the back of his throat that sounded like a drain. “Bite me, baby, I can take it. We were made for each other. Let’s give it another try, you and me. What do you say?”
She stared at him with the most disgusted expression she could muster—how could she have stayed with him for so long? Or maybe he had grown more offensive? She felt the words come bubbling out, like a locked gate that had suddenly been opened after seven years. “You are, and always have been, a complete dick.”
She turned to leave, but Stanley grabbed her by the wrist and gritted out a false smile, a baring of teeth that held the kind of warning she recognized immediately. “We haven’t finished talking yet, honey pie. I’d like to introduce you to my new boss. He’s been asking about my significant other and the timing’s perfect for a surprise reunion.”
“Let go of me,” she said. “People will notice, you idiot.”
“Then stop being difficult and come along nicely.”
“No, Stan, we’re over and there’s no going back this time.” She tugged ferociously to get free, but he was stronger. And people were beginning to stare. What the hell did he think he was going to achieve by this ridiculous caveman impression?
“Do we have a problem?” Matt’s deep voice oozed authority and control, and one look at his face told her he wasn’t in the mood for games. Dark eyes flashing like daggers, he looked utterly lethal. If there was ever a good time to swoon over hero material, this was it, and Piper was truly impressed with his timing.
“I don’t think we’ve been introduced,” Stanley snapped, but paled under Matt’s scrutiny. “So why don’t you mind your own business and leave us alone?”
“Because Miss Reilly is my business and I don’t like the way you’re handling her.”
“Exactly who are you?” Stanley spluttered a fake laugh. “Security?”
Matt reared up to his full height. “I’m your host, Matt DeLeo. This is my party, and I don’t recognize you.”
Stanley let go of Piper’s wrist and held his sweaty palm out to shake Matt’s. “Stanley Saunders. I’m part of the Cooper and Slatt corporate party.”
“Corporate, huh?” Matt folded his arms over his chest and nodded calmly. “I so hate that word.” He turned his gaze on Piper and she felt overawed by his presence. She’d never seen him like this before, exuding power and authority. She’d be turned on if she wasn’t so terrified about how this was going to turn out. “Is this guy the Stanley?”
Piper closed her eyes and nodded as she heard Stan take a sharp intake of breath.
“In that case, Mr. Saunders,” she heard Matt say, “consider yourself uninvited. I don’t let losers anywhere near my projects.”
“Losers? How dare you,” Stanley spluttered. “I graduated from Yale and have important clients all over the country.”
Matt waved his hand around his head as if an insect was annoying him. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, great, big deal, now get out.” A massive hulk of a security officer sidled up and politely gestured for Stanley to follow him. “And don’t be surprised when you get called in by your boss in the morning because Cooper and Slatt is now on my blacklist.”
Stanley glowered at her. “Well, I hope you’re satisfied, Piper. You wrecked my career, you stupid little bitch.”
Piper gratefully took the hand that Matt was offering her. She couldn’t get away from her awful ex quickly enough and the feeling was liberating. There was nothing left in her heart for the man, and the last few minutes had erased any lurking doubts from her mind. He was a total douchebag. “Good-bye, Stan.”