Page 78 of Promise of Punishment

“Lighter is good,” Noah says.

My phone chimes with a text.

Wes: I land in twenty. I’ll text when I’m on my way home. My sister can meet us in two weeks. Your cast will be off by then. I can’t wait to show you London and my loft after we visit Dorset. Lachlan and Emery want to join us on the jet. They want to get to know you better, especially Emery. What do you think?

Cleaning a public toilet in the subway wearing only a thong would be less awkward, that’s what I think.

“And the tension is back,” Ashlyn says.

I raise horrified eyes to Noah.

“What?” she asks, voice tense.

“Wes wants me to be friends with my former boss and his wife. They’re joining us on the long flight to the UK now when we go to his manor.”

“Oh, thank God.” Noah lays a hand over her heart and lets out a huge breath. “I thought it was something serious.”

“This is serious.” I touch my temples, stressing so hard I can’t even see clearly. “I was their maid. I saw them make out a lot—in their bedroom, even. And by make out, I mean kissing passionately, but still... One time, his shirt was unbuttoned, and he was kissing her while she kneeled on their bed like they were about to do it! That’s stuff you take to the grave.”

“Okay. Breathe.” Ashlyn ushers me to sit on the bed.

“How were his abs?” Noah asks and joins us, the two of them sandwiching me.

I blink at her. “Are you serious?”

“No, but I needed you to think about something else.”

“Good one,” Ashlyn chimes in. “Can I just say, when I saw Wes’s face unmasked, I almost died. My heart stopped for like ten seconds. He’s gorgeous! And you get to have sex with him. That’s crazy. I bet he has sexy as fuck abs. I wouldn’t know where to look if he were naked. His face, his abs, his ass.”

Noah and I gape at her.

“This is her man you’re talking about,” Noah says. “Her fiancé. But she is right. I had no idea he was hiding that under his mask. Those eyes are sinful. I can’t imagine the body below. And what about the other Lords? Are they that gorgeous too? What about the one I got naked with? Is he just as pretty?”

Odd change of topic, but my panic button is no longer blaring like a fire alarm. “I forgot none of you had seen his face before or any of the Lords’ faces.”

Ashlyn touches my arm. “Do you know what the other Lords look like too?”

“No.”

“Darn.” She lets out a disappointing sigh.

Noah pats her shoulder. “Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty of guys for you to date in Boston. “Now, let’s get Jace to bring these boxes to the truck before I start crying.” Noah jumps up.

“Truck?” I stand and get Bear from between the pillows. He yawns and lets me hold him like a baby. Cutest cat ever!

Ashlyn pops to her feet. “We’re driving a U-Haul. I’m so excited. I love doing normal things.”

“Normal things?” My features scrunch with confusion.

Noah gasps. “That’s right. We never told you.”

“Told me what?” I wait for Noah to explain, but she’s texting on her phone, always the multitasker.

“Well, it never came up.” Ashlyn stares at her sneakers, looking nervous for the first time since I’ve known her. “I’m kind of a blue blood too. Or I was. I’m not anymore. I left it all, and I’m never going back. My family aren’t good people.” She frowns, then lifts her head and pushes her shoulders back. “It doesn’t matter. I’m in control of my life. They don’t even know my name. I changed it. Back,” she adds under her breath.

Holy shit. “You’re telling me this now when you’re leaving? I have so many questions.”

“My family didn’t circle with yours, or your dad’s side, if that’s what you’re wondering. They’re from Rhode Island. Still there, trying to marry off my sister, Blair, to the dickhead they chose for her, but it’s taking too long so they decided I should marry Dickhead’s brother. I’m not getting married. I’m not even old enough to get into a club—legally.”