Vengeful Shadows by Bronwyn Green Read Free Book Online Page A

functions I mentioned? There’s a retirement party for one of the Criminal Justice profs.”
    “When?”
    “Sunday night.”
    Great. Two days to figure out how to be convincing or Zander could kiss his teaching post goodbye. No pressure. No pressure at all.
    “It’s all about body language,” Cat said, interrupting Tessa’s thoughts. “You’ll have to practice. A lot.”
    Practice? Oh, this wouldn’t end well.
    “I agree,” Zander added.
    “Of course, you do.” Tessa crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him.
    “I’m not saying we need to be all over each other.” He grinned. “But, if you wanted to, I wouldn’t complain.”
    “Whatever.” The real problem was that she wasn’t sure she’d complain, either.
    “You’d also better decide what your story is,” Cat added. “You don’t want to give people different answers.”
    “Good point.” Zander turned to Tessa. “We do need to work on this.” He looked bemused. “I thought we’d be more comfortable together. It’s not like we’re strangers.”
    It was true. They weren’t strangers, but there were plenty of things she’d kept hidden. Plenty she intended to keep hidden.
    “After the show, we could go for a walk or get coffee and see if we can figure this out,” she suggested. On second thought, sitting with him in an intimate coffee house didn’t seem like the smartest idea. Maybe, they should go to a fast food place. Cold, loud, brightly lit and absolutely no ambiance. They could even sit in the kiddie section.
    “Actually, a walk sounds good,” he said.
    They spent the rest of the evening hanging out with Cat, Aidan and occasionally, Annie. As the show drew to a close, Zander put his arm around Tessa. “I’ll get our coats.”
    She felt his smile all the way down to her toes. What was the matter with her? This was Zander. Her friend. Not a prospective date.
    He returned with her jacket and helped her slip into it. His fingers brushed the sensitive skin at the nape of her neck, and a shiver raced through her.
    “Are you all right?” Concern emanated from his eyes.
    “Just a chill. I’m fine.”
    He studied her before finally nodding.
    For just a moment, she wished he’d kiss her. What was the matter with her? Another thought occurred. He might have to kiss her before this charade was over. This might work out perfectly. She could appease her curiosity and longing without risking any kind of admission or involvement.
    “I’ve got to speak with Aidan for a minute.” Zander held her gaze for a moment longer. “I’ll be right back, okay?”
    “Sure.” Finding a relatively quiet spot near the wall, she waited and contemplated the lunacy she’d agreed to.
    She shoved her hands in her pockets. Cool satin slithered across her skin and twined around her fingertips. Her stomach dropped to the floor. It couldn’t be.

 
    Chapter Four
     
     
    Trembling, Tessa pulled a length of white ribbon from her pocket. The scent of cigarette smoke and heavy cologne, while fainter than before, lingered on the fabric.
    The stalker had followed her here. He was probably watching her right now.
    She shoved the ribbon back in her pocket and whirled, searching the room. She didn’t recognize anyone other than her friends. No one else seemed remotely familiar.
    Her mind reeled. Maybe the coatroom attendant had seen someone put the ribbon in her pocket. She peered around the corner and checked the room. No attendant.
    Suddenly, wandering through the darkened city streets didn’t seem like a good idea at all. Panic churned through her stomach as her gaze sought Zander. The sight of him calmed her somewhat, and she tried to think.
    If she told him she wanted to go home, he’d want to know why, and for the life of her, she couldn’t come up with a lie he’d believe. Telling him the truth was out of the question. He’d go from zero-to-bulldog in thirty seconds or less. She could see it now. He’d be furious that she hadn’t told him