One of Us Is Dead(78)

Karen took a step closer to Olivia. “Or what?” She jutted her chin up.

“Or that makeup might become a little more permanent.” Olivia’s teeth gritted together.

“Now, now, ladies. This isn’t the time. Can we have one night where we can all be civilized to one another?” I said.

Olivia stuck her nose up and walked over to Keisha’s station, taking a seat in the chair. She flipped her hair over her shoulder in a dramatic fashion and gave Keisha a commanding look. Keisha rolled her eyes but didn’t say a word. She pulled out a comb and a curling iron and started in on Olivia’s hair.

“I agree with Shannon,” Jenny said. “We’re ladies. We can act like ladies.”

“Oh, Shannon, I forgot to ask. Did that guy who stood you up ever contact you again?” Olivia asked, attempting to keep a straight face.

I narrowed my eyes but then relaxed them. “No, he didn’t.”

“You must feel awful. I know I would.” Olivia raised her brows.

“His loss,” Jenny said with a smile.

It was nice to have some support. I still didn’t love the idea of a party being thrown at my old house with my ex-husband, but then again, if everything went according to plan, it wouldn’t be his house for much longer.





70

Crystal


I arrived home less than an hour before the party was set to begin. I opted to stay at the salon as long as I possibly could just so I didn’t have to spend any additional time alone with Bryce. I didn’t know how to be around him. I tried to act like my normal self but knowing who he was, what he was capable of, and what he had done terrified and enraged me. I wanted to kill him. After Olivia finally left, Karen, Keisha, Shannon, Jenny, and I had a nice time sipping wine and chatting.

I walked in through the front door, passing by a man dressed in a tux and a mask like the Phantom of the Opera. He was lining trays with glasses of champagne. It would be a nice welcome for our party guests. The house was completely decorated just as I had envisioned it. The bartender was finishing up with prepping the bar. The caterers were putting out all the food. The DJ was getting his music set up out by the red pool. I was dressed in skintight black leather pants, a cropped off-the-shoulder top, and six-inch heels. My hair was big and curly. My eyes were extra smoky, and my lips were painted a deep-red color.

Bryce strolled down the stairs dressed in a cowboy costume. When he saw me, his eyes lit up, then his face sported a look of disappointment.

“I thought you were dressing up like a cowgirl. That’s why I’m wearing this damn thing.” He gestured to his own childish costume.

“I changed my mind.” I looked away from him and pretended to straighten up some decorations.

“I’m disappointed, but not too much. You look incredible.” He walked to me and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, kissing my bare shoulder. I nearly shuddered. I wanted to crawl out of my own skin. I closed my eyes and took a small breath. Act normal. Act normal.

“Tell me about it, stud,” I said in my best Sandy voice. Shannon advised me to act like Sandy would whenever I felt uncomfortable with Bryce. He pressed into me a little harder. I could feel his longing for me on my lower back.

“Maybe we have time for a quickie before the guests arrive.” He whispered hot breath into my ear.

“No. I have a few more finishing touches, and I don’t want to ruin my costume.” I was matter-of-fact and stern with my answer. The last thing I wanted to do was have sex with my husband.

He nuzzled me a little more. “You’re no fun.” He playfully touched my hair, pulling a strand of it straight and then letting it spring back into a tight curl.

“Can I get a scotch on the rocks?” Bryce backed away from me and redirected his attention to the bartender. The bartender nodded and almost immediately had a drink in his hand.

“Anything for you, Mrs. Madison?” the bartender asked.

Before I could answer, Bryce cut in, “Oh no. She’s much too busy for a drink.”

“Actually, I’ll have a vodka soda. Thank you.”

Bryce took a big swig of his drink and looked me over. “When are the guests arriving?”

The bartender handed me a tall vodka soda. I took a long drink, trying to ready myself to even speak to this man. A few days ago, I knew him as my husband, my lover, my soulmate, and now I knew him only as a monster and a murderer. I wasn’t sure if I was going to survive this night. I was positive Bryce had no idea I knew about him. But could I keep him in the dark long enough? Olivia must have been holding on to that secret, probably to use it later against me or Bryce.

I couldn’t stand playing nice with him. If he found out that I knew, would he have me killed? Would he kill me himself? He wasn’t the type of man to get his own hands dirty. Would he grovel and try to politic his way out of it? Shannon knew too. What would he do to her? I felt like I was standing in a zoo enclosure with a lion, a lion that didn’t realize it was backed into a corner.

“Any minute now.” I sipped my drink.

“Did you see Olivia today?”

I didn’t look over at him.

“Yes. She was at the salon.” I could feel his burning eyes on me. He was trying to read me, trying to determine if Olivia had told me. Little did he know, I was the one who told Olivia. It was clear that he had spoken to her now. Had they made an arrangement? Were they working together? It wouldn’t surprise me.