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"Jesus, you’re going to do it, aren’t you? You’re actually going to play nice with the to do yet," he muttered "Haven’t decided I’ve been invited to dinner next week Granddad is going to be there The whole fucking fao with you," Jace said quickly "Gabe will too And Mia"
Ash looked back up at hireen eyes "You know I love you guys You’ve always had et that But you and Gabe have Mia and Bethany now I don’t want either of them--or you and Gabe--exposed to my nest of vipers"
"That’s bullshit," Jace cut in impatiently "We’re your family You’re real family And family doesn’t leave fa boy now I can deal with their bullshit I’d rather Mia and Bethany not be exposed to their ine what they’d do to Bethany if they knew about her past? They’d rip her to shreds without a thought Do you honestly want that for her when things are still so neeen you?"
Jace slowly shook his head "No, I don’t We don’t have to bring her I can go with you and leave her at the apart with her I just don’t want you going without someone at your back"
Ash stood "I appreciate that, s I have to do on o Make it clear they can’t fuck with me like they used to I’ll make an appearance for Granddad, but the rest of thee your mind you know Gabe and I will be there with you, no questions asked"
"Yeah, I do know And thanks"
Ash started to walk to the door and then he turned "Want ston has borrowed any otten into shit over his head? I can put out soure out where the fuck he’s hiding"
Jace hesitated and then finally shook his head "No Sonorance is bliss I don’t want to ever be in a position where I lie to Bethany, and if I knew Jack was in trouble, I’d definitely lie to her I wouldn’t want her involved in any way It’s better if neither of us knows"
Ash nodded "Okay Let e your o, okay? We’ll get together after your dinner with the family from hell You, me, Gabe, Mia and Bethany We’ll have dinner"
"Sounds good See you around"
Jace watched as Ash walked out, his chest heavy He didn’t e in, but he did miss that connection with Ash It isted, but they’d been friends who shared das were very different
Hell, he hadn’t even seenBethany He and Gabe both had been focused on the women they loved, which ht circle he used to occupy a huge part of
His office line rang and he picked it up A fewinto Gabe’s office
"What the fuck is up with the Paris deal?" he deest investors have pulled out"
Chapter thirty-seven
Bethany picked up the phone when it rang and uttered a hesitant hello
"Miss Willis, Mr McIntyre is here Shall I send him up?"
Her pulse sped up Jace wasn’t hoht he’d be here already?
"Uhm, sure," she replied
She wiped her hands nervously down her jeans and then castigated herself Ash had been the epitoht she’d had sex with him and Jace There was no reason for her to work herself into knots every time she had to face him
A few moments later, the elevator opened and Ash stepped out
"Hello, Bethany," he said, offering her a warm smile
"Hi, Ash Jace isn’t hoht he’d be here I needed to give hi south on us He ht, trying to straighten this shit out"
Her brow crinkled "It sounds bad Is it?"
He s we can’t handle Shit like this happens all the time Just another day at the office"
"Come in Don’t just stand there Myroom? I’m sure he’ll be here shortly Would you like so so to have a cup withunder his easy charrab us both a cup"
She puttered around the kitchen, heating two cups andin the chocolate She sweetened hers and paused, not sure how Ash liked his Oh well She shrugged and made his like she preferred hers
Then she carried the cup into the living room and handed him his
"Thanks, sweetheart"
He stared at her over his ood distance fro?" he asked quietly
"I’ave her a look that clearly said bullshit
She sighed "I’ood, really Worried about Jack Which is stupid, but I can’t exactly control it I guess I just feel guilty because I have so "
"I wouldn’t exactly call a free place to live nothing," Ash said dryly
Her shoulders heaved "You’re right And I think that’s what pisses me off Jace really went out on a limb for him And he did it for ht to But he did that for me and he did it for Jack because he kneouldso stupid about it"
She scowled, realizing she really was angry She’d been so buried in worry and anxiety that she hadn’t really delved into the fact that she wasfor hi, you know?" she continued, beco more pissed by the reed "But, honey, listen to y on this guy He’s a big boy You can’t make his decisions for hiuilty because you straightened out your life and he refuses to do the saht," she ht But it’s hard Really hard to just do a cohty when for the last several years he’s all I’ve known It’s natural for me to worry about Jack because I’ve alorried about him"
Ash cleared his throat "There’s actually soood a time as any since we’re alone You and I have only seen each other a couple of tiht, and it’s not exactly a topic I wanted to get into around other people"