Revolving Door
Page 20
Harper sips her soda with a frown and then sets it aside. “If the job was the only thing keeping you two apart, I don’t see why you just don’t talk to him.”
“Easy for you to say, you’re not the one that would have to put yourself on the line and risk rejection,” Quinn says to Harper before I can respond. She then grabs a quesadilla and shoves it at her. “Eat it. We’re sick of eating in front of you.”
Harper shoots her a look. “Easy for you to say,” she chidingly mocks. “You’re like, what? One hundred pounds soaking wet?”
Quinn looks at Harper with irritation. “Stop falling into the belief that all women should look like stick figures. I’d take your boobs and ass any day.”
Harper’s mouth curves upwards. “I know, you tell me that all the time. But I do have to watch my weight, or I’ll tip the scale further than I prefer.”
“Live a little. One quesadilla isn’t going to cause you to tip the scale.”
Harper rolls her eyes and accepts it before deliberately taking a large bite. “There, happy now?” she asks around the food in her mouth.
Quinn grins. “Yes.”
Harper finishes chewing and turns to me. “Back to you. I highly doubt Channing would reject you.”
“It’s not just that. We haven’t spoken or seen each other in weeks. Plus, I only decided this yesterday. I think it would be wise to concentrate on the transition before I begin thinking about my social life,” I tell her.
Quinn nods and reaches for another quesadilla. “I agree with you on that.”
“You raise a very good point,” Harper says in agreement. “But you’ll tell him eventually, right?”
“Maybe. I just think he deserves someone that has all her shit together, you know? I’m far from having my life figured out,” I say truthfully.
“Hon, you’re twenty. No one has all their shit together at this age. Unless their overachievers,” Quinn muses.
“You two seem to,” I point out.
Quinn and Harper exchange a comical look. “Not even close,” Quinn laughs.
“Do you think you’ll miss it? The club?” Harper asks me.
“I’m not sure.”
“Well, we can go dancing whenever you want. You know I’m always game,” Quinn offers.
“There’s always parties too since we’re not all that far from campus,” Harper supplies.
“Thanks guys,” I say with a genuine smile. “I’m so glad that I ended up here in Riverside and met you both,” I say sincerely.
Quinn gives an unladylike snort. “You mean you’re glad I hit you with my car,” she says with a snicker before turning serious. “Girl, you’re family now, you know that, right?”
“And family sticks together,” Harper adds.
***
The very last thing I want to do tonight is a private dance. Now that I’ve made the decision to quit, I’m finding my time here less and less enjoyable. I could easily dismiss the request since it involves full nudity, but it’d be wise to save as much money as possible with my upcoming decrease in wages.
Gary, one of the club’s managers, directs me to the door of a private room where my next client waits on the other side. I draw in a deep breath and exhale. I’ve done this plenty of times, but lately, it just feels different.
With a sultry smile pasted on my face, I open the door and saunter into the private room. “Hello handsome,” I greet as I focus on the man sitting on one of the chairs situated in front of the stage.
My eyes widen with shock.
Hayden effortlessly rises to his feet as his blue eyes slide over me. The room is dim, but he can still see everything I have to offer in my scanty costume. “Well, well, well. So this is the real Ashton Delegrave,” he murmurs appreciatively. “I knew there had to be something more hiding beneath all that dreary tepidness.”
“W-what are you doing here?” I stammer. He’s not supposed to be here, he was never supposed to find me. Yet here he stands, his gray suit perfectly pressed, and his aristocratic features clean-shaven. My past and future are colliding—and I’m terrified of the outcome.
He moves to stand in front of me, and even though I have an added four inches from my high heels, he still towers over me. His lips pull up into the familiar, condescending smile that I’d always hated. “I admit, it took the private investigator longer to track you down than we’d originally expected.” His eyes sweep over me once again. “I had no idea you could get so…dirty. I think maybe I should have tried a few things with you in bed that I’d thought you’d shy away from.” His eyes lift back to mine, and his expression hardens. “If you need an audience, I’m your audience, not a room full of strangers.”
I quickly pull myself together, certain that if I don’t gain control of this conversation, it’ll continue downhill—fast. I’d also forgotten that the bouncer had entered the room as well, and he’s currently standing by the door, silently watching this unfold. “Hayden, go home,” I tell him.
“We’re going home,” he corrects.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. I don’t want to be with you, and I have nothing to say to my parents. Goodbye, Hayden.”
I turn to leave, but Hayden grabs my arm and spins me back around to him, anger flickering across his features. “You don’t have a choice in the matter, Ashton.”
I try to pull my arm from his grip. “I’m twenty, and I have a mind of my own. I’m done allowing you and my parents to control me,” I say fiercely.
The bouncer, I think his name is Matt, finally intervenes as he approaches Hayden. “You can’t touch the dancers.”
“Walk away,” Hayden orders.
Matt frowns. “I can’t do that. I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” he says, straightening to his full height.
“She’s my fiancée.” Hayden digs into his suit pocket and hands him a thick envelope. “Two grand should do the trick.”
“Ex-fiancée,” I snap. “And he can’t be bought. It’s his job to kick you out of this place for touching me.”
Matt glances at me and then considers the envelope. His eyes swing back to mine. “You seem to know this guy.”
“That’s beside the point. He shouldn’t be manhandling me.”
Matt pockets the envelope, and he nods at Hayden before turning and exiting the room.
I stare after him and curse the greedy bastard. Before I can figure out what to do next, Hayden’s tugging me into the hall. Unfortunately, the hallway is empty, and Hayden yanks me in the opposite direction of the club’s main room.
Desperate to stall Hayden, I try digging my heels into the carpet, but it’s useless. “You can’t just force me to leave with you. That’s kidnapping.”
“That’s not what I call it,” Hayden retorts as we head for the back door.
With renewed determination, I use my free hand to try prying his fingers off my arm. His grip painfully tightens, and I wince as we step out into the dark night. A black SUV happens to be parked right outside the door. Hayden pulls out a set of keys, and the vehicle beeps to life. As much as I try to disengage his grip, it’s impossible. He deposits me into the passenger seat and firmly closes the door.
The second he leaves my side to walk around to the driver’s, I yank on the handle next to me. The door won’t open.
Hayden slides into his seat, closing the door as his expensive cologne permeates the air. With a calm flick of his wrist, he starts the engine. He puts the vehicle in gear, and just like that, we’re speeding away from the back entrance of the club.
This is my worst nightmare coming to life, and I clench my fists next to my bare thighs. “I’m not going back, Hayden,” I warn.
He pulls out of the parking lot and merges with traffic. “You’re not,” he agrees. “There’s a nice room waiting for you at Brickstone.”
The blood in my veins turns cold. “What?” I ask, recognizing the name. It’s a rehab center for the rich on the outskirts of Philly.
“Your father and I discussed it,
and rehab is the best place for you until we’ve got a handle on…your situation.”
“Rehab?! There’s nothing wrong with me!”
In the passing streetlight, his mouth twists. “Oh, there’s plenty. You went from a button-up prude to a desperate stripper flashing her tits and pussy for money. Hell, we probably need to have you checked for STD’s. As much as I appreciate your body, I’m not touching you with a ten-foot pole until you’re thoroughly checked by a doctor,” he says with disgust.
“Strippers aren’t prostitutes,” I snap.
He shakes his head. “Ashton, I’m not going to engage you further with this conversation.”
I open my mouth to swear at him, but then I clamp my lips tight and take a moment to think. He’s right, this conversation is going nowhere. I inhale deeply and try to calm myself as I stare at my bare thighs. That’s when it dawns on me that I’m wearing nothing but small bits of fabric. I can’t go anywhere looking like this, and a hint of hope trickles through my fear.
“I need clothes,” I say calmly, breaking the tense silence.
Hayden frowns, and I know that he hadn’t planned to drag me out of the club without actual clothing. The jerk had likely assumed I’d obediently leave the club with him.
“Can I grab my clothes from my place? Please?” I ask, trying to sound cooperative.
“I’m not giving you a chance to try anything.”
“What am I going to try? You and my father have everything figured out,” I remind.
He pointedly ignores me.
My mind races. If I can just get him to take me to the house, I know Channing will likely be there. Maybe even Colt. There’s no way I’m getting out of this mess on my own. An idea begins to form, one that will for sure rile Hayden.
“Fine.” I slip off the seatbelt and reach behind me to unfasten my bra. “I’m not wearing much of anything anyway. I might as well take it all off and let you have fun explaining that.” I toss the bra to the floor as Hayden makes a strangled sound.
“Put it back on!” he barks at me.
“Then let me have the dignity of grabbing my own belongings,” I say evenly.
His eyes flicker to me, and his eyes drop to my bare breasts before lifting back to my face. “If you try anything...” he threatens.
“I need clothes, admit it.”
He abruptly switches lanes and takes the next turn. “Put your bra back on,” he orders.
I reach down and grab the bra, slipping it back on and securing it. I watch closely and note that he seems to be taking me to the house. He’s not asking directions, so he must already know where I live.
My lips tighten. My father and Hayden think I’m too stupid to do anything right, so he’s probably assuming I haven’t been able to make friends. He might also presume that the house is made up of separate apartments since it’s big enough. I just hope someone’s home, or I’m likely going to find myself at Brickstone after all.
When Hayden pulls into the driveway, the headlights flash across Channing’s car and Colt’s truck. Anxiety raises its ugly head, threatening to steal my breath away as it swoops in. I’m desperate to flee the vehicle the second he opens the door, but I can’t make my move yet.
Hayden turns off the engine and climbs out, walking around to my side where I patiently wait. I don’t want to seem too eager.
I’m still wearing the four-inch heels, so I carefully ease out of the vehicle. We walk towards the front door where the overhead light shines brightly. Hayden is right beside me, and a moment of panic overcomes me when I recall that I don’t have my house keys. All my belongings are in my purse at the club. Then, I recall there’s a spare set under the flower planter in case of an emergency. I squat down and grunt as I push my weight against the heavy planter until I can reach beneath it. My fingertips brush a set of keys, and I snag them before letting go of the planter.
I rise to my feet, and with shaky hands, I insert one of the keys into the first deadbolt, and the other key into the second. I’m so close… The second deadbolt audibly ‘clicks,’ and I push the door open. I rush inside and quickly try to slam the door on Hayden so I can lock him out.
He grunts and grabs the edge of the door before it can fully close, and he begins to force it back open. “Don’t be a little bitch,” Hayden growls.
He’s too strong for me.
I release the door and spin around in my heels, racing away from Hayden. “Channing!” I scream desperately. One of my heels catches in the carpet, and I lose my footing and begin to fall.
Thirty
Channing
I should be sleeping, but I can’t stop thinking about Beck getting a lap dance from Ash. Every time I envision it, I see red. It hadn’t helped when I’d overheard Beck talking about her body. No one knows that we’d had a thing except for Gabe, Colt, and Sebastian. Instead of pounding the crap out of Beck, I’d chosen to walk away.
I’ve also gotten in the habit of lying wide awake in bed until Ash makes it home safely from the club. I know eventually the need to keep track of her whereabouts will fade, but for now, I can’t help how I feel.
A car pulls up outside the house, and I begin to relax. She’s home. Now maybe I can get some damned sleep. As much as I care about her, she’s completely taken over my life.
Ash suddenly screams my name from somewhere downstairs.
The sound sends chills down my spine, and I launch myself out of bed and race down to the first floor. Instinct has me rushing towards the front of the house, and when I reach the living room, I come to a complete stop as I take in the scene before me.
Ash, wearing barely anything but skimpy lingerie and spiked heels, is being roughly dragged to her feet by a man in a suit. What the fuck?
Colt appears beside me as the shock begins to fade. I’m relieved he happens to be here tonight, because something bad is about to go down, and I could use the backup. The grip the man has on Ash’s arm reveals that he’s used to touching her, which can only mean Hayden’s tracked her down. With everything that’s gone on lately, it’d completely slipped my mind that she’s hiding from her family.
Ash’s brown eyes connect with mine, and I can see that she’s panicked. I want to assure her that she’s not going anywhere, but instead, I focus on Hayden. “Let her go.”
The bastard has no idea just how much danger he’s in. Sure, I’d go a round with him to get Ash safely away, but Colt doesn’t play that way. I know exactly what’s going on in his head right now. Hayden has trespassed into our home uninvited, and he’s currently trying to take an unwilling female from the premises. Colt can take him down, and with Ash and I as witnesses, it’ll be self-defense.
Hayden looks annoyed, and I watch as his grip tightens on Ash, and she visibly winces. “This doesn’t concern you,” he clips out. He begins dragging her towards the door, causing her body to stumble into his.
“One more step asshole, and you won’t be conscious for days,” Colt cuts in, his tone filled with the promise of violence.
Hayden stops and scowls. “She’s my fiancée.”
“Ex,” Ash snaps, trying to yank her arm from Hayden’s grip. She looks at me, anger flashing in her eyes. “They think I need rehab. They plan on locking me up until I agree to what they want,” she says bitterly.
I stare at her, and then look at Hayden incredulously. “Rehab? Are you fucking serious?”
Hayden’s expression shifts to arrogance, and I can tell the fucker still thinks he has control of the situation. “Her mental breakdown doesn’t concern you.”
My fists clench at my sides. I want to launch myself at him, but I don’t want Ash to get hurt. “You think she’s mental because she has a mind of her own?” I ask darkly, wanting to keep him talking so that the situation can be further assessed. It’d be wise to try to handle this as calmly as possible, without violence. “Don’t think she didn’t tell me about the way you all treated her.”
Hayden’s patience seems to be thinning, because he uses his free h
and to begin digging in his lapel. “What will it cost—”
In the corner of my eye, Colt’s hand blurs, and a knife flies through the air. It embeds itself into the front door—only a mere two feet from where Hayden’s standing.
Hayden’s eyes widen with disbelief as his eyes slide to the knife and then back to Colt, his hand dropping away from his lapel. “You could have…”
“We don’t bluff in this house,” Colt says flatly.
Ash’s eyes are wide with dismay as she stares at Colt.
Hayden visibly recomposes himself. “You’re fighting a losing battle. I’ll be back with the law at my side. Money can buy anything these days,” he says snidely.
“She’s an adult, and the law won’t do shit—at least not for you,” I disagree, though I have a bad feeling Hayden might be speaking the truth. Money can easily sway people who are greedy.
“You have no idea who you’re messing with,” Hayden says smugly.
I take a single step forward, anxious to get his hands off Ash before another flying knife becomes involved. Colt probably has another, and likely his gun. The only reason he’s held back so far is because he’s waiting to see if I can diffuse the situation myself. I know more about her situation with Hayden than he does. “Why do you need her so badly? This obviously has nothing to do with love.”
“It’s not her,” he says in a condescending tone. “It’s her name, her inheritance—her seat on the board.”
Ash’s head whips around so she can gape at Hayden. “What?” This is obviously news to her.
He gives her a look. “You thought this was actually about you? Hardly.”
“I don’t understand,” she says with confusion.
I glance at Colt, and we exchange a look. Now we’re getting the real story behind this mess, and it’s best to let Ash and Hayden talk this out before we force him out of here.
“We can’t move forward with the merger until you’re twenty-one,” Hayden tells Ash. “Your grandfather set it up that way,” he says with irritation. “When your grandfather died, David found out that he’d changed his will without his knowledge. Turns out, your grandfather left fifty-five percent of the shares to you instead of his own son, which means you’re the majority vote—once you turn twenty-one.”