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Sucking down my pride like expensive scotch toget me through the night, I groveled and pleaded for Ash to change his mind. When my texts went unanswered, I went to his townhouse and found Pratt Sterling there.
My stomach still turns thinking of my Ash shirtless, sweating, and his lips bruised from another man’s kiss.
A couple of weeks later, someone forwarded me a photo of Ash and Sterling at an underground gay club. My heart still hurts over those pictures. Sterling wasn’t just a one-night stand to get over me.
Ash broke up with him after a couple of months, but I’m still wounded over it.
Sterling’s a rising star in the prosecutor’s office. He has his eye on the D.A. job, which can lead to being mayor, heck, even governor.
Prosecuting drug cases with a perfect record will be part of his campaign.
I plan to smash that.
Walking toward Ash and Bernie sitting at our table, my heart pounds.
Ours.
I feel uplifted. Seeing them together gives me hope.
We never brought a woman here, and I’m glad Bernadette is the first.
When Bernie’s big brown eyes find me, the way she smiles and lights up, takes my breath away. Maybe she’s happy to see me because I’m the guy helping her, and she thinks she’s safe with me.
Safe from harm, yes.
Not safe from the kind of debauched life I could possibly have with her. And Ash.
Ash’s instant, fiery attraction to her has burned a hole in my closed heart, woke me the fuck up.
The way Bernie turns back to Ash, still smiling, suggests she’s taken with him, too. Why shouldn’t she be?
Ash is handsome as hell, polite as fuck, generous, and an overall charming-ass guy. Except for his evil and demented family, the man is pure gold.
I can’t compete with him. I get scumbags off on technicalities, leaving me feeling dirty and corrupt.
Ash’s eyes find me, and I’m off balance all over again.
I keep my lips flat and wait. Wait for the asshole to smile.
Just fucking smile, Ashton.
And then...
He does.
It starts in his eyes and tears well up behind mine.
When I get to the table, Bernadette tries to stand, but I put my hand on her shoulder.
“Sugar, you don’t get up for a man.” I press my lips to her temple, my eyes on Ash. “Ashton,” I say, taking the seat opposite of him.
“Ford.”
Bernie looks from me to him.
“No handshake? No hug? Even that fist bump/hug combo?”
“There’s a no PDA policy here,” I answer her.
