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Clearly, they’re not ready to let me go. Maybe they will be once they find out my ex has followed me all the way up here. That’s enough to make any man walk away.

Honestly, it’s better that they went without me. I don’t want to be seen with them in public again, not until the gala, which I have to go to for work. Another photo of the four of us would only make things worse, especially with Reid in town.

Still, I’m panicking. I don’t want Reid ambushing them in public and getting another story out of it. I need to warn them.

I pull up Reid’s social media and scroll past his garbage as fast as I can until I find the post announcing his live broadcast. I screenshot it and send it to all three of them. There’s no date on the post, but knowing him, he’ll want to ride the buzz from the market photo while it’s still fresh.

I decide to run my errands now, before he gets here.

I send another quick text saying I’m running to the grocery store and will see them later. Nobody replies. They’re probably on the slopes. It doesn’t matter. They’ll see it when they’re done, and hopefully I’ll be home before they are.

The shopping list on the fridge is short. I grab it, gulp down my coffee, and get dressed fast. Quick trip, then straight home. I don’t expect Reid to be here yet, since the post only went up a few hours ago. He’ll want a day or two of hype first. He always makes sure he has everyone’s attention before he does anything.

I pull into the grocery store lot, grab my list and purse, and head for the door. I don’t even make it inside before I hear my name.

“Well, look who it is!” Reid’s voice is every bit as smug and vile as I remember.

I seriously don’t know how I stayed with this guy as long as I did.

I turn, and he’s standing right behind me. For a second, I freeze. I can’t decide whether to run into the store, run to my car, or stand here and finally confront the man who keeps wrecking my life.

That second is all he needs. Reid pulls out his phone and starts recording. It’s the same trick as before—get me looking bad on camera, then cut it together as “proof.”

“Reid, what are you doing here?” It’s all I can think to say. “Why are you following me?”

“See, guys?” He flips the camera to his own smirking face. “This is exactly what I’m talking about. She thinks the whole world revolves around her. I can’t even visit the mountains in my own state and pick up some beer without Nina Adler accusing me of following her around like the little puppy she always wanted me to be. Women like this are why good men stay single. It’s not worth the drama.”

My face burns as he turns the camera back on me, waiting for me to lose it. I want to. I want to tell him he’s full of shit, that he’s the one who caused all of this. But whatever I say, he’ll twist it, and I’ll be the selfish, manipulative bitch all over again.

He’s standing between me and my car, so I turn toward the store instead. At least there’ll be people inside. Maybe I can lose him in an aisle and slip back out to my car. Everything on this list can wait until tomorrow.

But the second I turn away, Reid crosses another line.

He grabs my arm and yanks me back.

“Hey, where are you going?” he taunts. “Running away from the truth again, Nina?”

I spin around, stunned that he actually put his hands on me. And over his shoulder, I see three familiar, very angry faces coming up fast.

“Hey, asshole!” Zander bellows.

Reid turns his head, and Jarek’s fist meets his jaw. All three of them are bigger than Reid, and with all three of them coming at him, murder in their eyes, he looks scared for the first time since I’ve known him.

The punch sends him staggering backward, howling. His phone flies out of his hand, and the screen cracks against the pavement. Pascal grinds it under his heel, kicks it away, and walks over to me.

“Are you alright?” He offers me his arm.

“I am now.” I thread my arm through his, shaky but safe.

“We were already on our way home when we got your texts,” Pascal says. “Zander floored it.”

Reid staggers back to his feet, clutching his jaw, his split lip dripping blood down his shirt. Jarek pulls his arm back again, but Zander puts a hand on his shoulder.

“He’s not worth it.” Zander glares at Reid. “Come on. Let’s get Nina home.”

For a second, it looks like Jarek might hit him anyway. Then he lowers his fist. The moment Jarek’s back is turned, Reid can’t help himself. He always has to have the last word.

“She’s got all three of you on a leash, huh?” Reid spits a mouthful of blood into the snow. “Guess even billionaires can’t resist a nice place to stick their dicks. Enjoy her, boys. Hope she’s worth the trouble.”