“You’re no longer a member of this family,” Ashton replies.
“Ash!” Josh gasps. “Don’t be such a dick.”
“Language,” Ashton mutters almost robotically.
“Really?” Josh shakes his head, glancing between us. “You’ve just given me a ten-minute lecture on why I shouldn’t use my fists to solve problems, and I come down here to find you two fighting like crazy people.”
“He has a point,” I add.
Ashton deflates where he’s stood. Sinking to the ground, his arms come up over his face as he bends his knees and lets out a groan. “You’re the enemy, Gray.”
Daring to take a step closer, I reply, “You made me the enemy.”
Twisting his head, Ashton looks at me through the crook of his elbow as his brother steps aside. “How do I know I can trust you? You’re not exactly known for being trustworthy.”
Bending my knees to his level, I let the mask slip from my face and let the emotions I keep hidden out for him to see. “It’s a fair point, Ashton. Our relationship hasn’t always been the best, and I have a tendency to manipulate and blackmail, but I swear, pal, I just want to help. Summer is like a mom to me and she needs help.” I look up, take in Josh, then go back to Ashton. “We all do.”
Uncovering his face, Ashton lays back on the carpet. “She’s divorcing your father, Gray. Shit’s going to get complicated fast, even if we don’t want it too.”
Sitting on my ass, I tuck my arms under my bent legs. “There’s a reason I’ve been living in a hotel room, Ashton. I let my father know exactly what I thought of his latest stunt at parents’ evening. He’s not called or messaged, Ashton. I hate him just as much as you.”
“But are you willing to screw him over?”
I smile, the one I’ve been wearing for years. All devilish charm and sin. “Are you kidding? I’ve been waiting for this opportunity my whole life.”
“Can I just interrupt?” Josh mumbles. “I kinda feel like you’ve told me half a story.”
Ash moans, rubbing his palm over his face. “I forgot you were here.”
“Cheers.” Josh rolls his eyes, still looking between Ashton and me for an answer.
“Fuck it,” Ashton swears, climbing to his feet. “Gray, fill him in. I need a drink.”
Silently cursing Ashton, I take in my younger stepbrother. What I’m about to tell him isn’t going to be nice to hear, and if I’m honest, I’d rather not be the one to tell him. But then I guess that’s why Ashton has left the room in search of alcohol. But hard or not, I’ll do as he asks. I’ve spent too long on the fringes of this family, for fear of getting hurt, and it’s time I showed them I’m all-in.
It’s time I invested in something other than secrets and pleasure. Before I wake up one day to find I’m nothing but a carbon copy of my father.
Chapter 15
Rose
Penelope’s laugher wraps around me, the tears in her eyes leaking down her face as she clutches her stomach.
“You should have seen her face when she opened the chocolates I sent her, Rose,” she says between barks of amusement. “She thought they were from Arthur.”
I can’t help but laugh at her wickedness and revel in her glee; the longer Penelope is away from Sophia the more fun she’s becoming.
“How did you even know she’d think it was Arthur sending her chocolates?” I ask her, as I search through a rack of dresses, my smile creasing my cheeks.
“She told me about receiving chocolates before everything happened. At the time I just knew they from whomever she was cheating on Ashton with, but put two and two together after the Arthur Bishop scandal.”
“I can’t believe you knew all along that she was a cheating and didn’t tell anyone.” Lifting a blue number out, I hold it against my body to find Penelope shaking her head.
“You wore blue to the gala.” Yeah and it was ruined. “Who was I going to tell anyway? I was loyal to her, remember?”
I grin wickedly. “Not anymore…. So, what did she do when she realized they weren’t from him?”
“She ripped up my ‘uninvited note’ and turned bright red before throwing the box of chocolates at the delivery guy and slamming the door. Best. Gift. Ever.”
I’m a little in awe; it’s a perfectly evil gift to send an ex-queen. And the fact Penelope thought up the idea on her own could be a little worrying, but so far, she’s shown no desire to take my place. “And you were just hidden out of sight, watching the show?”
“Yup.” She pulls out a black dress and eyes it critically. “Try this one on.”
I take it. “Next time, Pen, invite me to the show, huh?”
She looks up as realization dawns on her face. “I didn’t mean anything by it, Rose. It was just kinda personal. Our birthdays are two days apart and she’s always outshined mine, and having a party was impossible because she had to have hers first.”
“Revenge feel good?” I ask, smiling warmly so she knows I’m not upset by her little solo mission.
“Totally.”
“And… it will be you having the party this year, not her.” I hitch a pile of dresses over my arms, tens of thousands of dollars’ worth. “Let’s try all these on! It’s time to celebrate being out from under her shadow.”
Squealing with delight, we head for the change rooms and have our own private fashion show. Each walking away with two dresses we just couldn’t decide between. Maybe I’ll wear two by changing in the middle the party. Our plan is to finish the evening off with a drink or three and then it’s home to bed.
Penelope looks up from her phone briefly, her fingers still flying away on the screen typing without her looking. “Autumn, Bree, and Porsha are already at the bar,” she tells me.
My phone vibrates in my hands as well. “Camilla’s with Jordon and a few lads from the football team. Apparently they’re coming along too.” Maybe the three drinks will turn into a few more. It’s a school night and we should probably not stay out too late, but normal rules don’t apply to us.
“Perfect. Tonight’s shaping up to be awesome.” Pushing through the double doors into the busy Manhattan bar, I lean in close to Penelope’s ear as Autumn and Porsha wave to us from the table they’ve snagged. “I’ll get the first round. What are you having?”
“Mmm.” She purses her dark pink lips. “Martini, please.”
Waving to the girls, I saunter away, aware of the eyes being drawn my way. The skirt I’m wearing covers enough of my arse to keep me decent, but if I were to bend even a little, there’d be a whole lot on show for all to see. The waist is high and the lace cami I have tucked into my skirt is slightly see-through giving a peak to the black bra I have on underneath. The whole outfit makes me look older than my years and every man’s wet dream.
Ordering the drinks, I hand over my fake ID with a smile. He looks from the card to my face, then my tits before handing it back and going to make my order.
“Can I get you a drink?”
Glancing to my right, I smile at the guy whose voice is as smooth as butter, taking in his messy yet stylish blond hair and stubbled jaw. He’s at least five years older than me, but who cares? “Maybe later,” I reply sweetly.
“You’re British,” he notes.
I shrug. “Father is. Mother’s American.”
“Are you visiting?”
“No, I live here.” The barman arrives with my order. Taking them, I turn to the guy on my right. “I’ll see you when my glass is empty.”
His eyes widen, but he doesn’t get chance to speak because I’m walking away seconds later, joining the girls at our table.
“He was hot,” Autumn notes as I stand next to her, placing my drink on the high table.
“He was.” But I’m not really in the mood to be getting drunk and losing myself with some random guy. Grayson’s one thing, but a stranger who I don’t even know… I’m not that far gone. At least I hope not.
“What did you buy?” Autumn asks, looking at my bags.
&n
bsp; “Two dresses for Pen’s party this weekend. Couldn’t decide,” I explain.
“Do you have a date for the party?” she asks, smiling knowingly. I predict the next words out of her mouth. “Bringing Grayson?”
Shaking my head, my lips tug up. “Grayson’s the type of guy you invite to your bed not a party, Autumn.”
“True. What about Ashton then? Though our king seems a little downtrodden these days.”
“He’s not my king,” I snap, before being able to sensor my emotions. Ashton is the one subject I just can’t bury.
She studies me a moment. “I guess not… so, he’s on the open market then?”
Internally rolling my eyes, I answer sharply. “If you’re asking if I’m declaring Ashton off-limits, then the answer is no, I am not, but whether he’s looking for a hookup or not is information you’ll have to get from him.”
“Good to know.” She grins. And though I’ve said I’m not bothered, the thought of her mouth touching his makes me want to strangle her. Hopefully Ashton isn’t in the kissing mood. “I’m going to see if he’s coming to Penelope’s party tomorrow. Maybe he’ll get the hint.”
Sculling my drink, I turn my back to the table, elbows braced on the top as I scan the bar for the smooth-talker. Autumn has done a grand job of putting me in a foul mood, and now I need a distraction. Our eyes meet and I smile seductively, lifting my now empty glass with an incline of my head.
Eyes lighting up, he heads straight for the bar.
“Didn’t think you were interested?” Autumn whispers in my ear.
“I wasn’t, but a girl has a right to change her mind.” Pushing off, I leave my empty glass on the table and thrust my shopping bags at Autumn. “Make sure these arrive safe and sound to my apartment; otherwise, I’m afraid Ashton might find he’s not welcome at any party on the Upper East-Side.”
Taking my bags, she clutches them to her chest. “Erm… yes… okay, I will.”
I don’t look back. Hooking up with some random guy didn’t much appeal to me earlier, but then that was before Ashton was mentioned, and I was reminded yet again that the man my heart belongs to is on the open market, available for anyone to lust after. And the only way I know how to deal with the pain is to smother it with self-loathing and hatred.
I’m heading down a dark path, losing myself in meaningless acts, but I can’t muster the energy to care. And why should I? No one else seems to be bothered either.
***
Since my party, Ashton and I have come to an unspoken agreement. One where we pretend neither of us exist, all while being very aware of each other’s presence. I swear it’s as if my body has its own personal Ashton Cole radar.
But if there is anything I excel at, it’s lying to myself, and the next time we share a class together, I’ve managed to trick myself into believing the tensing of my body and flush of my skin isn’t real at all. I’m so good at it, I successfully ignore the prickle up my back, until his breath is whispering over my skin.
Turning around, I find myself alone with Ashton. The paintbrushes I’d been retrieving clatter to the floor as he closes the already limited space between us and gazes down at me with an unreadable expression.
“You’re fucking Grayson now then,” he rasps as I stare mute, heart thundering in my chest.
My silence doesn’t last long. His words sliver like poison into my veins, and I have no choice but to fire back some of my own. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize who I fuck was any of your business.”
Tipping my head back, I glower up at him. Who the hell do you think you are?
“I know what you’re doing,” he answers mildly, hands in his pockets, leaning back slightly. Confident, aloof, and maddeningly sexy. Even as he ignites a hatred in me that threatens to destroy, my stupid heart flutters, attempting to escape its cage and latch itself to him.
I match his stance, hiding my true emotions with indifference. “Pray tell, kind sir,” I reply, battering my eyelashes for added measure.
He smirks, something dark and hungry awakening behind his eyes.
“Filling the hole inside you with sex is only going to make it bigger, Rose.”
His words flow into my brain and become lodged on repeat. He has no right to pass judgment on me. If I am filling a hole, it’s because he damn well put it there to begin with.
“Have you ever thought that maybe I’m just horny?” I give him a smirk of my own. “You know, Ashton, it seems like you’ve been thinking about Gray and I fucking quite a bit. It’s a little unhealthy.” I tilt my head. “Don’t you think?”
We stare, a silent argument surging between us until Ashton snatches out his hand and grips my jaw, his mouth crushing mine in the next breath. The kiss is harsh and demanding, and I don’t even attempt to fight it because it’s the most alive I’ve felt in days.
Releasing me, Ashton steps back, heaving, eyes hooded as he stares at my lips as if he wants more. The life he revived in me, sparks and burns forming into the only emotion I can feel that’s safe. Rage.
“Why the hell did you do that?” I demand, shoving him in the chest.
“To remind you what it should feel like,” he rasps, humming with the same violent energy I’m experiencing. It’s in the air between us, a bomb ready to ignite at any moment. If we were smart, we’d run as fast and as far as we could.
“You’re so full of yourself,” I growl.
“I felt it. I see it.” Arrogant son of a bitch. He makes me want to grab the nearest heavy object and smash it over his head. “You can’t deny how I make you feel.”
“Sick. Angry. Heartbroken. Those are the emotions you make me feel. And Grayson… he took that all away, if just for a moment. You don’t get to judge me. You don’t get to decide how I deal.”
Ashton falters, his stance softening as his eyes widen. “Rose—”
“Forget it,” I snap, cutting him off. I don’t want his pity, his regret. “I already know what you feel, and you have no right whatsoever to be jealous of me, with any man. I loved you, Ash, and yeah, shit happened, but you walked away. You chose to give up on us, and now you’re going to have to live with it.”
“Loved?” he whispers.
“Rose. Ashton. This is not a place for socializing,” Miss Spice snaps, interrupting us.
Stepping to the side, I look at Miss Spice, then back to Ashton who hasn’t seemed to notice our teacher’s presence at all. Hurt is lining every feature of his face. Regret. Guilt. Desperation. But it’s all too little too late. I don’t have it in me to help him anymore.
I want him to hurt as much as me. Our eyes meet, sorrow stretching between us, but it’s not enough to silence my words. “It’s hard to love someone when they tore out your heart.”
Brushing past Miss Spice, I don’t care that my words were weapons thrown with the intent to maim. He had it coming, and if Ashton Cole isn’t careful, I’ll do more than break his heart. I’ll take his status, his friends. I’ll take everything. And then maybe he might understand what he did to me.
Chapter 16
Ashton
Once in the penthouse, I drop my bag in the entrance way and kick off my shoes, uncaring of the mess I’ve created, and make my way into the kitchen, coming to an abrupt stop when I walk through the door.
“Mary?” I mumble, my brow creasing. Arthur stopped paying you.
“Ashton, welcome home. Would you like a snack?” she asks, smiling warmly.
I’m so shocked all I can do is nod, and seconds later, there’s a plate of food in my hand and a can of soda.
“Oh, good, you’re back,” Grayson says from behind me as he pushes through the door I’ve just come through. “We need to talk before Josh gets home,” he continues.
I’m not sure how I feel yet about Grayson moving back into the penthouse. I know it’s been his home longer than mine, but I also can’t decide whether he can be trusted. My default with him has always been to err on the side of caution. He did, however, agree to help me watch my mothe
r and take days off school to do so, so really, I have no choice but to accept his help.
“Ashton, are you listening to me?” Grayson mutters, glancing up from the papers in his hands for the first time to focus on me.
Looking from him to Mary, I widen my eyes in question. The first move Arthur made was to stop paying the staff who worked in the penthouse. It shouldn’t have bothered me. After all, I’ve lived most of my life without staff, but I’m ashamed to say, it did.
“Oh.” Grayson waves away my silent question. “Called my father, told him to stop being petty.” With a tilt of his head, he begins to back out of the kitchen. “Come on, we’re losing time.”
Sighing, I follow Grayson out. I’m not sure I have the energy to deal with whatever he wants to tell me. My head is pounding, and I still feel like a complete idiot for being jealous with Rose when I really have no right. I’ve fucked things up real good, and here I was thinking it couldn’t get any worse with her.
How wrong I was.
“Gray, I’m not sure I really want to owe your father anything else,” I explain as we make our way into his father’s old office.
“Don’t be stupid. He can’t cut off basic needs for his son, Ashton.”
I laugh. “Didn’t realize a housekeeper was classed as a basic need.”
He looks up and rolls his eyes. “It is in my world.”
Grinning, I shake my head. “How was my mom today? What did you want to tell me?”
“Oh yeah, she was all right. Managed to drag her out of her room for lunch, but that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.” Walking over to his father’s desk, Grayson puts the papers in his hands down and picks up another sheet, which has an itemized list on it. “I’ve been going through everything I could today. My father must have had someone come in and take most of his important paperwork and documents that he hadn’t locked away, but I cracked the code on one of his safes.” His smile darkens, the glint in his eye mischievous. “I’ve made a list of everything your mother should ask for in the divorce.”
As much as I want pay back for the damage Arthur’s done, as I take the list off Grayson, my stomach does a summersault. I’ve lived in this world for a while, but this part of the game—the sly, calculating schemes—I haven’t got the nerve for it. This was always Grayson’s role.
The Resurrection of Us: A High School Bully Romance (Albany Nightingale Duet Book 2) Page 7