My Ex Hired Me to Ruin Her Sister's Wedding novel · Chapter 15 of 24

Chapter 15: The Remote

The remote was the size of a car key, and Priya put it in my hand at the Treadwell family's front door.

"What is this?"

"It goes with this." She lifted her hem an inch and showed me a thin white cord. "Dylan's mother is hosting an engagement lunch for forty. I'll be sitting at her table for two hours, so you may as well be in charge of something."

I stared at her.

She was in a pale yellow sundress with her hair pinned up, small and sweet as a bakery box, with her glasses on.

"You're wearing it now?"

"Since the car. I was a little scared to tell you in the car."

"How strong does it go?"

"Press and find out."

I put it in the pocket of my blazer.

I pressed the lowest setting once, with my thumb, as we walked up the flagstone path.

Priya's step hitched.

She did not look at me.

She smiled at the housekeeper, and she said, "Thank you so much," in her lunch voice, and she walked into that house like a girl who was entirely alone in her head.

I was in love with her, and I was also about to be cruel.

Lunch was on a long table under an arbor in the backyard.

Dylan's mother sat at one end and Dylan's father at the other.

They were both pleasant, both silver, and both managing the table.

Dylan pulled out Priya's chair, and kissed her cheek, and she thanked him.

I sat across from her, three seats down, as the wedding coordinator who was allowed to eat but not to talk.

"Priya, darling," Dylan's mother said, "we were saying how glad we all are that it's finally this week."

"I'm so happy," Priya said.

I clicked the remote up one notch.

She said "so happy" again, a little higher.

A woman beside her asked about the flowers, and Priya answered about the replacement peonies in a perfect, level voice.

Her knuckles whitened around her water glass.

I let it run for a full minute.

Then I switched it off, and she let out a long silent breath.

Under the table, her foot slid against my ankle.

It was a wicked little foot, bare, and it traveled up my calf and stopped.

The look she gave me over her glass said, plainly, Don't you dare stop there.

I turned it back on, and I turned it up.

Dylan, between us, put his hand on her thigh.

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