Page 23 of The CEO

“Well, well. Look who the cat dragged in,” said a man with graying brown hair.

“Simon,” said Adam.

Bree could feel distaste when Adam said his name.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your lovely companion?”

Adam took a deep breath. “Simon Chandler, this is my wife, Brianna Kincaid.”

Bree extended her right hand. “Mr. Chandler.”

Simon took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the top. “Mrs. Kincaid. I’d heard that Adam married, I hadn’t realized you were so beautiful. He’s a lucky man.”

Bree pulled her hand back. “Thank you.”

Adam looked around and behind Simon. “Where is your better half tonight, Simon. Janie is the only reason most people put up with you.”

Simon’s lip curled up. “She was feeling poorly. I brought someone else.” He looked over Adam’s shoulder. “Ah, here she comes now.”

Bree turned at the same time Adam did.

“Valerie.” She nodded her head curtly.

“Brianna. I’d heard you and Adam married. I couldn’t believe it and only three years after poor Brad’s death.”

Bree narrowed her eyes, wishing her gaze was lasers that could zap the other woman out of existence. “I hadn’t heard you were dating again after the last fiasco.”

Valerie, a tall, bleached blonde, wore a red dress with a slit to the top of her left thigh. The dress was sleeveless, with a deep V-neck almost to her belly button, and she wore long, red lace gloves.

Bree thought she looked like a vampire wannabe.

Valerie looked Bree up and down, before turning toward Adam. “Yes, well we all make mistakes. Mine was obviously letting Adam go.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t let me go, Valerie. I kicked you out when I found you’d cheated on me. As the saying goes, you made your bed and then you had to lie in it. I wasn’t about to let you stick around.”

Valerie shrugged. “Yes, I admit that wasn’t my finest hour.”

Adam placed a hand on Bree’s back and started massaging the tension out of her muscles.

He frowned, but didn’t remove his hand from Bree’s back. “You’re just sorry you got caught, not that you did it in the first place.”

She waved a hand in front of her. “Of course, I am. I screwed myself and thought I could get away with the affair with Simon. I found you a little too vanilla for my tastes. It doesn’t matter now, I’m here and that’s all I want at the moment.”

“You haven’t changed since college. The one I feel sorry for in this mess.”—Bree looked directly at Simon with disgust— “is your wife. Janie. You remember her. Nice woman unlucky enough to be married to you.”

“She’s fine.” Simon sneered. “She’s getting exactly what she wanted—access to my money—It keeps her happy, and I can still have Valerie when I want her. Like tonight. She looks much better on my arm than Janie.”

A man with gray hair and mustache approached unseen by either Simon, Adam, or Valerie.

But Bree saw him.

He didn’t look happy.

The man frowned. “Mr. Chandler. I had hoped you would bring your wife.”

Simon reddened. “Ah, Mr. Danvers…my wife was indisposed so I opted to bring Ms. Valerie Kincaid rather than come alone.”

“Kincaid?” He cocked an eyebrow and looked at Adam. “Your ex-wife I assume.”