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, she noticed his door was closed. Usually that meant he was in a meeting. For an instant her rash determination faded. What was she doing? Anything she said or did in the next few minutes was guaranteed to blow back in her face. Tristan was a master at deflection. No matter how badly he behaved, in the end he was never at fault.
“You can’t go in there,” Ginny Anderson cried as Zoe sailed past and grabbed the doorknob to Tristan’s office. “He’s in a meeting.”
Zoe ignored her and opened the door. Tristan was on the phone. His eyes widened when she stepped in and shut the door behind her.
“Someone just came in,” he said to whoever was on the other end of the call. “I have to go. I’ll call you later.” Hanging up, he got to his feet and came around the desk. “What the hell do you think you’re doing bursting in on me like that?”
Once his anger would’ve cowed her, but she was no longer the woman he’d dominated. She stared her ex-husband down as he approached, refusing to back down as he came to tower over her.
“You bought my building so you can evict me?” She brandished the letter. “That’s low even for you.”
His eyes narrowed. “How’d you know it was me?”
She immediately saw her mistake. Without the documents she’d received about his shell companies she’d have no idea he was behind her eviction. Zoe hiked her purse higher on her shoulder, the weight of Tristan’s secrets a burden she should’ve left in the car.
“Who else could it be?” she retorted, bluffing like her life depended on it. “You’ve done your best to ruin me. This is just another in a long list of dirty tricks.”
“You seem pretty certain it was me,” he replied smoothly. “You must have some sort of proof.”
His absolute confidence suggested he knew exactly what had been sent to her.
Inwardly cursing that she hadn’t thought her accusation through, she said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I know what you’ve been up to.” He leaned into her space, his manner growing even more menacing.
“I haven’t been up to anything.” Zoe took a firmer grip on her purse.
“You’re a liar.” Without warning, Tristan whipped his hand forward, latched onto her handbag and yanked it off her shoulder. “Do you have it with you?”
“Stop that!” Zoe snagged the strap and held on. “Let go! What are you doing?”
With a sharp sideways jerk, Tristan stripped the purse from her hands. Pulled off-balance, she stumbled and nearly fell. By the time she straightened, Tristan had freed the envelope. He threw the bag at her feet. Fighting helpless tears, Zoe scooped up her purse and held it against her chest.
“You have no right,” she cried, wondering why she thought this encounter would go in her favor when none had before.
“I have every right.” He scanned the contents of the envelope, mouth tightening at what he found. “You were stupid to bring this with you today.” While Zoe watched in helpless dismay, Tristan tossed the envelope onto his desk and straightened his tie. “But then you’ve never been all that smart.”
Zoe barely registered the insult. Her throat tightened as she fought overwhelming despair. Because of her rashness, she’d lost the only leverage she’d had against him.
“That boyfriend of yours has no idea about you,” Tristan continued, more relaxed now that he’d regained the upper hand. “Or what you’ve been up to.”
“What are you talking about?” she demanded, cursing the impulse to engage him.
Her stomach clenched in fear as a sly smile appeared on his face, making it clear he knew every sordid detail of what she’d been doing.
“You know,” he said. “The little revenge pact you made where you receive dirt on me in exchange for you getting dirt on Dailey’s sister. I had no idea you had it in you.”
“How...?”
Only three people knew about that. London would never risk her reputation by telling anyone. And unless she’d started talking in her sleep, Zoe hadn’t spilled the beans.
“Your friend Everly told me,” Tristan said, confirming Zoe’s conclusion.
“Who?” she asked breathlessly, hearing the lie.
“Everly Briggs.” Tristan smirked. “I guess she’s not as good a friend as you thought.”
“She’s not my friend. She’s barely even an acquaintance.” At least that much was true.
