As soon as he was out of sight, I sagged against the doorframe, the adrenaline leaving my body in a rush. Tom's arms were around me in an instant, steadying me.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly, his concern evident in his voice.
I nodded, though I felt far from okay. "I'm so sorry about that, Tom. I had no idea he would show up like this."
Tom guided me back into the apartment, closing and locking the door behind us. "Hey, it's not your fault. You have nothing to apologize for."
We settled on the couch, Tom holding an ice pack to his jaw while I tried to process what had just happened.
"I should have seen this coming," I said, more to myself than to Tom. "The way he looked at us at the gala... I should have known he wouldn't let it go."
Tom set the ice pack aside and took my hand. "St
