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Ash could deal Of that Jace was positive But the unknown in the equation was Bethany Hoould she react to Ash? Did she have feelings for him? Did she still desire him? It was obvious she had been turned on by both men when they’d had sex with her Would Jace have to alorry that Bethany would be looking in Ash’s direction or that she’d even pursue hih to drive him crazy and it was stupid to dwell so hard on that He wasn’t being fair to Bethany It was obvious she was freaked out by that night and the fact she’d had a threesome with him and Ash He couldn’t assuave her a chance Their relationship would be dooet off the ground

"Jace?" Ash asked in a quiet voice "Why’d you let it happen, et it You have to knoould have understood I would have been surprised as hell, but I would have absolutely backed off I’d never let a woman come between us"

But Jace had Hell, he’d put Bethany between them because he’d been desperate and he’d seen her waver He’d been so afraid of having her walk away that he’d hastily agreed to soainst

It hadn’t been fair to Bethany and it sure as hell hadn’t been fair to Ash

"I fucked up," Jace said in just as quiet a voice "It was coht at the time it hat I had to do Before I could step in and put an end to it, she agreed And once she agreed, I didn’t feel like I could say nevera threesome, but oh by the way, I still want to take you hohts and I panicked because I didn’t want her to walk away It was all so goddaot out of control before I could fix it And I regret every singleflickered in Ash’s eyes and he went silent He settled back in his chair and looked away

"Is this going to change things?" Ash finally said "Between you andtiht?"

Unease crawled over Jace’s skin If only he could go back to that night, he’d never say a goddaht Bethany to his attention And he damn sure would have never fucked her with Ash

And now Ash was voicing the sae He could not let his relationship with Bethany ruin his relationships with the people who o He had tothe entire situation as delicately as possible

"All it changes is that you’re not sleeping with her again," Jace said with more confidence than he felt He hoped to hell he wasn’t deluding hiether will be aard But it’ll only stay aard if we make it that way You’re both inbetween you I hope to fuck I never have to All we can do is make sure it doesn’t become an issue But I need your help Yoursupport"

Relief si to name your first kid afterfast? Pu her"

"Yet," Ash muttered

"There’s a hell of a lot we have to work out," Jace said in a gri I can help with? You asked for otta know you have that You’ve always had it That’s not going to change"

Jace hesitated for only a h his blood like potent alcohol Then he related the entire chain of events involving Bethany from start to end When he finished, Ash’s face was contorted into a fierce scowl

"Motherfuckers," he swore "They beat up a helpless woman because her asshole brother borrowedback? And the little bastard hung her out to dry? Jesus, my family may be batshit crazy but they’ve never sicced a bunch of street thugs on me"

Jace snorted "Not yet, anyway"

A glihted Ash’s eyes "True Give thethy pause Silent understanding

"I don’t like you getting involved I know soet their ain," Ash said "That is, if that’s the way you want it to go down I assume you want that debt paid"

"You know people?" Jace said incredulously "What the hell, man? What kind of people do you knoould handle a situation like this? And yeah, whatever it takes I want the debt to go away Not because I give a fuck about her asshole brother but because I want Bethany safe and I want her removed from any possible situation that threatens her"

Ash shrugged "Never knohen you ht need these kinds of people They owe ood stock tips And I comped their stay in one of our hotels"

"I’ to ask"

"Better that way," Ash said cheerfully "Not people you’d invite to Thanksgiving dinner anyway"

"I’ that," Jace muttered

Ash’s expression beca here?"

"Five thousand"

"That’s all?"

Jace sighed "It’s a fortune to Bethany As she said, itpeddle to raise the cash"

It still scared the hell out of him to think what could have happened if Kate hadn’t called him the day Bethany wandered into the shelter Or ould have happened if Bethany hadn’t gone back That she could even now be on the streets and vulnerable to God knehat

"Fuck," Ash bit out "Jesus Christ Peddling?"

"Yeah, that prettyleash," Ashto have one," Jace said cal anywhere without the men I hired to protect her and when she’s not with thee for her debt to be paid that threat goes away But I still have to address the issue of Jack"