by Lux Miller
Feeling fresh tears roll down my cheeks, I swipe at them hastily, but not before my father can see them. “Ashley…”
I wrap one arm around my shins and pull my knees up under my chin, closing my eyes. “Father, I gave him my heart… and he broke it.”
My father is completely silent on the other end of the call, but his face says everything I need to hear. For the first time in years, he heard me. He heard me loud and clear… and he cares. He brushes a finger down the screen and shakes his head sadly. “Perhaps I’ve pushed you too hard. I know the the city isn’t where you thrive. Why… why don’t you pack up and go to your mother’s for a while. Get out of the city and get some fresh air. Maybe find something else to occupy your time while you heal.”
I look up from my knees with a startled gasp. “What? What about me marrying and cementing your line, or whatever you were talking about doing when you wanted me to find a man?”
Father shakes his head. “Ashley, it doesn’t matter how long you love someone - whether it’s a day or ten years… if you give someone a piece of your heart, they’ll forever own that piece of you. Take it from a man who’s made that mistake before. I’ll arrange for a car to take you to your mother’s. Stay there until I get back in a week, or longer if you need it. Finding a husband can wait. But I have to ask… do I know the boy?”
I shake my head in response as I look at the screen. “No, not really. You know of him, but he’s nobody to you. Like he should have remained to me…”
My father clears his throat. “And how did he break your heart?”
I sigh and think back to the horrifying pictures of Eli being pleasured by Helen. Just the memory of seeing it makes me shudder. There’s no way I can tell my father what I saw. I may be pissed off at him right now, but I was falling in love with the man. If my father knew that Eli had messed around with Helen, he’d kill him.
I shake my head at the screen. “It’s nothing, Father. Just stupidity on my part. He didn’t do anything that any other man his age wouldn’t have done. I thought he was different than all the pretty-boy social elite types that populate SoHo. He isn’t a bad man. He just didn’t turn out to be who I thought he was is all.”
After ten minutes of insisting to my father that Eli hadn’t physically hurt me in any way, he finally takes my word for it and stands down. I hang up with him and pack a suitcase. I decide to leave behind all the finery and take the most comfortable clothes I own.
Spending time with my mother means returning to a simpler life. She may be set for life because of my father’s alimony payments, but she still runs the ranch like her next meal depends upon its success. And I can respect that. I’ve never been opposed to hard work, despite being raised with a silver spoon in my mouth.
I grab my suitcase and Jus’s cage and walk to the building’s elevator with a renewed sense of self. Truth be told, a couple weeks away from the city is probably exactly what I need to forget about Eli and reset myself. It will be good to finally spend Christmas at home with my mother.
If only I could convince my brothers to join us at the ranch, but I doubt I could pull Carter away from California for any reason. The West Coast life suits him. Blake may be easier to convince. I know he’s been wanting to bring his little daughter to the ranch where we all had our humble beginnings as much as possible. His wife won’t be hard to convince, either.
As the elevator hits the ground floor, I pull out my phone and fire off a text to Blake’s wife, Aspen.
Me: Aspen, I’m heading upstate for a couple weeks. Join for Christmas?
The three little dots appear at the bottom of the screen almost immediately, and I chuckle. It’s the middle of the night, but she’s probably up with sixteen-month-old Gwen anyway. Sure enough, her response populates the screen before it even darkens.
Aspen: Would love to, but would have to bring sister. She’s a grumpy teenager. Her mood swings are insane. It’d be an episode of Toddlers and Tiaras and Gwen wouldn’t be the toddler.
Me: So? Bring her. The ranch is huge. Mom will put her to work. A little hard work never hurt anybody.
Aspen: You have met Raven, haven't you? And does this mean that little miss prim and proper is heading upstate to get dirty?
Me: Something like that.
Aspen: I’ll talk to Blake when he gets home. I do need something if we come, though.
Me: Name it.
Aspen: A night alone with your brother. Consider it my Christmas present.
The message pops up on my screen, and I laugh out loud as a taxi pulls to a stop in front of me. I load my meager luggage into the backseat and hand the cab driver the address of my mother’s ranch. He wrinkles his nose at the distance and turns his head around to look at me. I give him a shrug and dig into my wallet, pulling out five hundred-dollar bills that I press into his hand. “Will that cover it?”
The cab driver nods with wide eyes and pulls away from the curb. I sigh and look up at the penthouse with a pang of regret. I’ve wanted nothing more than to leave this place for the last few years. Now that escaping the city life, even if for a brief vacation, is upon me, I feel rueful. Despite the phenomenal sex Eli and I’ve shared over the last few weeks, there’s a nagging feeling deep down inside that says he used me. It’s a feeling I can’t shake, and it’s that feeling that gives me the courage to walk away, even though it hurts.
I pull my phone out of my pocket and text Aspen again.
Me: Consider it done. But I want a nephew this time.
Aspen: Ashley! I want a night alone with him, not a guarantee that I’ll never have sex again. Two kids under two would have my boobs so saggy that Blake would never want to see me naked again.
Me: You give my brother too much credit. He’s a man. Men loves boobs. Even if they belong to a much older, married woman they have no business messing around with.
Aspen: Duly noted, but I get the feeling we aren’t talking about my husband anymore.
Me: Yeah, sorry. I’m just a little bitter. I finally found a man I thought I could trust, who wasn’t after my money, and I found out he wasn’t who he said he was. He kept things from me.
Aspen: Everybody has their secrets, Ashley.
Me: I know. It’s just… he slept with someone I know. Someone he shouldn’t have. I don’t know if I can forgive him for it.
Aspen: Did he do it while you were together?
Me: No. As far as I can tell, it was several years ago.
Aspen: Maybe he didn’t tell you because he was ashamed? We’ve all done things we regret. Be mindful of glass ceilings.
Me: What? The saying is don’t throw stones in glass houses.
Aspen: Glass houses break. Glass ceilings shatter. You can either stay in your pretty, little, glass house and never take a chance. Stay pristine and miserable inside your cage and hope that someday your prince will come and set you free. Or you can take charge, stand up, and break free.
Me: I was a bitch to him… and I don’t even know where to find him.
Aspen: Maybe you don’t, but I’d be willing to bet someone does. Maybe you should take a step back, and if he finds you again, you’ll know it was meant to be.
Me: Aspen, that shit only happens in fairy tales.
Aspen: So write your own...
TWENTY
Eli
“Last call! You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here!”
I groan as the bartender announces the bar is closing. It’s New York City for fuck’s sake… why the hell is the bar closing at all? I glance down at my watch and squint my eyes. I’m not sure how many drinks I’ve had… I lost count half a dozen shots ago.
The floor isn’t lava yet, so I’m not completely toasted, but it’s going to get interesting when it comes time to close out my tab. I have about a dollar and thirty-four cents to my name right now. I’m sure my tab is at least a hundred dollars over that by now.
I wait until the bartender has his back turned to me before I slide off my barstool and stumble e
xactly three steps toward the door before my traitorous legs give out. Crashing to the floor without an ounce of grace, I groan as the bartender whips around to see what the commotion is. I don’t see him until he puts both hands on the bar and leans over the aged wood, but the look on his face is not one of amusement.
“I should have cut you off an hour ago… you need to pay your tab and go before you cause trouble. You don’t want trouble here, sir.”
I wince as I reach into my pocket and act like I’m digging around for money. I clearly didn’t think this one through. After I just made myself look like an ass, there’s no way I’m escaping this without paying. The bartender’s tone is annoyed as he narrows his eyes at me. “Is there a problem?”
Yeah there’s a problem, asshole. I fucked up. That’s the problem. I’ve been wearing the same clothes for a week. I smell like piss, because I slept on the street last night. I can’t go home. It’s been a week since Lacey tried to ruin my life, and I’m no closer to forgiving myself than I am to being sober. I don’t even know what I’d say to the family that fucked me over. I’ve drank myself into the bottom of a bottle every night since Ashley kicked me out.
There’s been no word from her and rumor has it that she’s left the city. Great, that’s fucking great. I finally found someone who saw past my rough and rugged exterior, and something I did years ago wrecked it all to hell. Who has two thumbs and made the royal fuck-up of the year? This guy…
The bartender clears his throat and glances at the mile-long tab sitting on the counter. Just as I’m mentally preparing to lie my ass off in hopes of saving it, a well-dressed man brushes past me and slams his hand on the counter. “Consider it paid.”
The bartender’s eyes widen as he jumps back from the counter, nodding with both hands in the air. “Yes sir, tab closed. My apologies, sir.”
I tilt my head to the side as I sit sprawled on the floor. The rooms spins slightly as I’m somehow hauled to my feet. My eyes cross as I attempt to hold down the liter of liquor I’ve consumed tonight. I hiccup with the effort and blink to straighten my focus on the man who turns from the counter to look at me.
He shakes his head as I strain to concentrate both eyes on his face, but his features blur together and my words slur together. “Sanks man.. hic… shitty night… hic… you know it goes…”
The man glances at the two enormous dudes standing on either side of me and chuckles, “Is this guy for real?”
The big guys shrug their shoulders and the man in the fancy suit turns back to the bartender. “Exactly how much was Mr. Suave’s tab?”
The bartender hands the man a receipt that nearly reaches the floor and the man levels his eyes at me over the top of the receipt. “A hundred and twenty dollars?!? How are you even standing?”
Shrugging, I mumble, “No idea… hic… maybe it’s my… hic… lucky day…”
The man shakes his head with groan. “I am not listening to this drivel for three hours. Axel… please, do me a favor and shut him up.”
The last thing I hear before the ringing in my ears is a muffled, “Yes, sir.” A sharp pain shoots through my legs as they seem to be swept out from under me. As I hit my knees, the tang of something that’s almost too-sweet fills my nostrils. Just as I recognize the odor, I feel my entire body growing heavy. It sags with my weight as everything around me fades to black.
I don’t know how much time has passed between what happened in the bar and now, but as I awaken, I have a headache that rivals hell… so it can’t have been that long. Just long enough for me to regret every decision I made last night. I crack one eye open and light bombards my hazy vision.
Groaning, I slap one hand over my face, trying to shield my eyes from the sunlight that’s way too bright.
“Good morning, sunshine. Aspirin?”
I peek through my fingers and see a man sitting beside me who could snap me in half without even trying. He’s holding two round-shaped, white pills in his hand along with a twenty ounce soda. I gratefully take both from him and toss the pills back with a long swig of the soda. Taking the offering goes against everything my mother taught me, but right now, I can barely think with how furiously my head is pounding. Besides, if these guys were going to kill me, they’ve had ample opportunities.
Finding my voice, I grind out my question. Even the sound of my own voice feels like an ice pick being driven into the base of my skull. “So you’re here to teach me a lesson on behalf of Pierce Rogers?”
The man beside me chuckles as the car comes to a stop. The driver in the front seat turns around and my eyes widen enormously. “Pierce? No… he’s got more money than he knows what to do with, but I don’t do business with him. I try to stay out of his drama, but I was involved in this particular business by someone I couldn’t refuse…”
I groan as I feel the color drain from my face, “Shit… does this have to do with Helen? God, that was such a fucking mistake..”
The man in the front seat sneers, “First of all, that bitch can choke on a dick. She’s nothing but trouble, and if you have a past with her, I do not want details The only use that woman ever had was on her knees, and that’s her problem. It’s all she had to offer, so she offered it to everybody.”
“Second of all… what you have done in your past, despite your terrible judgement, is your business, not mine. If what you’re implying is true and you stooped low enough to get involved with one of Pierce’s playthings, it sounds as if you’ve been punished enough. I’m a firm believer in karma, and it sounds like she handed you a hearty helping already.”
My heart leaps in my chest, and I don’t know if it’s relief, fear, or a combination of the two that’s fueling my rapid heartbeat right now. Another voice joins in the conversation and this one makes my blood run cold. “We seem to keep running into each other when you’re down on your luck, boy. You really should consider a hobby outside of drinking or getting into trouble with your dick. Especially when said trouble involves someone I have a vested interest in protecting.”
My eyes widen as my gaze locks with Giovanni Bianchi. I hold both hands up in surrender, “Fairy Godfather… I did what you asked, and I was out of there before midnight.”
Giovanni nods. “Well… not exactly. You didn’t just go to the ball and leave as you claim. You stole something and caused… complications. Complications that you now have to correct.”
I shake my head wildly, gasping. “I know I’m not the most upstanding young man. I’ve done a lot of things that I will face on my judgement day, but I’m no thief.”
Giovanni holds his hand up. The driver of the vehicle brings the car to a stop. Giovanni catches my gaze in the rearview mirror and narrows his eyes at me. “Not everybody in this world is concerned with money. When you have as much at your disposal as I do, a few thousand dollars is a drop in the bucket. A high-end costume here, a bar tab there… it’s chump change to me. Money is nothing but paper and metal. When the Good Lord comes to take me... “ he pauses long enough to make a complicated gesture across his chest, before fixing his icy stare on me, “...it ain’t goin’ with me. There are other, far more precious things, that a man can steal from a woman. You have to make things right with Ashley.”
A knot twists in my gut as I stare at him blankly. “Ashley? There’s no fixing that… even if I knew where she went, she doesn’t want me. Women like her don’t give men like me second chances…”
Giovanni turns around to stare me down, and it takes everything in my willpower to hold down the alcohol sloshing around in my belly. His voice has a dangerous edge to it as it slices through me effortlessly, “Women like what? And let me warn you, boy… before you answer, Ashley Rogers is my niece. My only niece. And I happen to be quite fond of her.”
I sit there in the leather seat, every pore in my body pumping out an unsavory amount of sweat. Enough that my hair is plastered to my forehead and my filthy clothes cling to my body in a damp heap of grime. I don’t know what to say. I’m terrified to attempt to sa
y anything at all. Giovanni Barachi is Ashley’s uncle? If she told him about those pictures, I’m a dead man.
A sudden thought dawns on me as the car bumps along the road. I may be a dead man regardless. I break eye-contact with Giovanni and stare out the tinted window of the car. I’m sandwiched between the two men who knocked me out, so there’s no bailing now. I squirm in the seat uncomfortably, and I can hear the low chuckle from the front seat.
“Relax, boy. If I wanted you dead, that little nap you took would have been permanent. You have more value to me alive. In fact, I actually have a… favor to ask of you.”
TWENTY-ONE
Ashley
I groan as I crack one eye open. It’s full daylight outside and despite setting more than one alarm, none appear to have woken me up at the requisite five am for a ranch hand to start their day. It’s been six days since I left New York City, and I’m not sure I’ll ever go back. Though I’m absolutely not a morning person, the copious amounts of fresh air have more than made up for the crack of dawn wake up calls.