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Ashton narrowed his eyes. “What about it?”
“We haven’t discussed risk factor yet.”
“And?”
“That comes with these meetings. I need a risk factor.”
My father walked over to me and plucked the empty glass from my fingertips. And as he held both of those crystal glasses in his hands, he gazed directly into my eyes. I didn’t know if my father was trying to intimidate me or warn me. I didn’t know what the purpose was of him being so close. But I dug my heels in and refused to move. Because the worst thing anyone could do in the presence of Ashton Ryddle was show fear.
“Risk factor,” I said.
His nostrils flared. “Do you trust me, son?”
I cracked my neck. “It’s standard for us to talk about this.”
“Do you. Trust me?”
I rolled my shoulders back. “Fine. I accept the job.”
“Good. Two days’ time. La Grenvan Rouge. He will be arriving promptly at three in the afternoon. Be there at three thirty. He’s got business the first night he’s here.”
“Noted.”
My father finally backed away and waved at me. As if I were a pesky fly he wanted out of his presence. And I was more than glad to leave. I turned in my boots and charged out of the room, angrier than hell at my fucking father. What the ever-blessed fuck was he thinking? Did he even give a shit about our well-being? I snickered at the thought. Of course he didn’t. He showed me that after Josh’s accident. How little he cared regarding the fact that a crew he used to head up lost good men that day.
Hell, he didn’t seem to give a shit that he almost lost his eldest son that day, either.
“Good evening, sir.”
The Australian’s accent filled my ears as he swung the door open. I didn’t bother responding to him, though. I leapt down to my bike, swung my leg over the seat, and cranked up the engine. I needed to get the hell out of here before I did or said something I knew I’d regret. I revved my engine, signaling to my father that I was headed out, then I kicked up burnt rubber peeling out of that damn driveway. I knew he’d have a cow over the dark marks left behind. I didn’t care.
All I cared about was getting back home. To Josh. Getting dinner on the stove and pouring us both a drink. I reached my hand up as I rode down the driveway, plucking every apple my hand touched and tucking them into my pockets. I'd gotten about seven of them before the wrought iron gates at the bottom of the hill rolled slowly open for me.
Releasing me from this temporary prison.
7
Dani
I sighed as the party raging just outside the door kept beckoning to me. I didn’t like the shirt Hanna
h had settled on. It was much too tight. My jeans were already tight enough. Why the tight shirt? And why could I see my bra through the white material?
“This is such crap,” I murmured.
Hannah poked her head in. “Hey! You coming or what?”
I waved her away. “In a second. I’m… trying to fix something.”
I tugged at the white shirt before it thwaped right back into place, making Hannah giggle.
“Come on, time’s a’wastin’, hot stuff.”
I rolled my eyes. “Never. Again.”
I felt my roommate grab my hand before we stumbled out into the hallway. With the music pumping and the strobe lights going again, it felt as if I had stepped out onto another planet. I squinted as someone shoved a drink in my free hand. I had on my only pair of heels, which somehow kept throwing me off balance. Maybe it was the effects of the light, or the fact that Hannah practically tipped the cup to my lips. But the more beer I chugged down, the looser I felt.
“Need another?” she asked.
