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Heat suffused her cheeks Oh God He was going to bring up the night of the threesoaze

"Honey, look at ently

She shot to her feet, leaving heron the coffee table and turned away to stare out theover the city Outside, lights twinkled as day faded to night

"Bethany"

She jumped when she heard his voice directly behind her He’d followed her to theand now she had no choice but to face him

He touched her shoulder and she slowly turned toin his eyes

"I know you probably don’t think I’h for him either," she said in a low voice "Especially with hoe ers to her lips "That’s bullshit," he said bluntly "I owe you a huge apology and I’ to say it now"

Her eyes widened "Why would you have anything to be sorry for?"

"Because in the beginning, I didn’t think you were a good idea for Jace I’m his friend and I orried"

She nodded, her heart sinking Logically, she’d known his friends wouldn’t have e itit on her own

"I rong"

She blinked "You were?"

"I was one hundred percent wrong, honey You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to Jace And I brought up that night, not to h that’s exactly what I’ve done, but because I don’t want this aardness between us to go on Jace is like a brother to e You’re important to him He’s important to me Which makes you important to me as well"

"Really?" she whispered

He sht That’s a fact You’re a beautiful, desirable woe it Don’t really want to You’re special, Bethany But I also know Jace loves you a hell of a lot and I can see that you love hiht behind us and move forward I’d like us to be friends"

She s with joy "I’d like that too"

He reached out and touched her cheek, caressing a line down her cheekbone with his thuoing on here?"

Jace’s voice exploded into the living roo from her face as both she and Ash whirled in the direction of Jace’s voice

Bethany’s eyes widened in alarer Jace lookedfurious

• • •

Jace punched the button for the elevator and seethed with ione to hell fast with the departure of two investors for their Paris hotel project Da them committed and now they’d waffled at the eleventh hour

He and Gabe had spentto find out what the fuck was up and he’d left far later than he’d planned All he wanted to do was see Bethany, take her for a nice dinner and thenwould suck because with the withdrawal of the two largest investors, it was entirely possible others would follow suit They had to repair the proble more of their own capital into the venture

The doors opened and he was greeted by the sight of Bethany and Ash standing across the living roo Her entire face was lit up like a goddamn Christmas tree It was the first time he’d seen her really s at Ash like he’d just hung the fucking moon

And then Ash touched her face It wasn’t a casual gesture at all and it sent alar in his head There was an intimacy to that touch And the look on Ash’s face Tender Affectionate

What the fuck was going on?

His teone even shittier by finding Ash in his apart Ash in a way she hadn’t sht Ash’s asps of pleasure that Ash had wrung fro on here?" he asked icily

Ash and Bethany both whirled around to look at hi from Bethany’s face Bethany’s eyes widened in alarm while Ash immediately looked pissed off Fuck that

"Ash came by to see you," Bethany said in a low voice

"Yeah, I can see that," Jace growled

"You knohat? Fuck you, man," Ash snapped "Can’t believe you’d come in here like this, especially after all we had to say in the office today Moreover, can’t believe you’d disrespect Bethany this way"

"The way I see it, I’ disrespected in my own apartment," Jace bit back

"I’m out of here," Ash snarled

He paused and sent Bethany a look of apology

"I’, call me, okay?"

And that just set Jace off eventhat Bethany would need hi on here and now